Russie

Sir Edward Thornton diplomat as British Ambassador to Russia. Autograph Signature 'Edwd. Thornton' to secretarial document to T. W. Smyth of the West Hartlepool Shipowners Society regarding 'excessive quarantine' at Russian Black Sea ports.

22169 — St Petersburg Russia. 17 September 1884. 3pp. 4to. Bifolium. In good condition lightly aged with slight traces of glue from mount along inner edge of reverse of second leaf which is endorsed and carries pencil notes. Folded once. Signed by Thornton with the rest of the document in the hand of a secretary. The recipient is named as T. W Smyth Esq West Hartlepool Shipowners Society'. He writes with reference to a letter and telegram and states that he has been 'making constant representations to the Russian Acting Minister of the Interior with regard to the hardship and severity of the fourteen days quarantine imposed upon vessels arriving from Italy at Russian Ports of the Black Sea notwithstanding their having already performed ten days quarantine in Turkish waters'. None of Thornton's arguments have 'succeeded in inducing the Imperial Government to counterorder or relax this excessive quarantine' but the subject is 'still under the consideration of the Medical Board' and Thornton will not discontinue his 'efforts on behalf of British Shipping'. See Thornton's entry in the Oxford DNB. St Petersburg [Russia]. 17 September 1884. unknown