The past

TO HAVE MUTUAL CONFIDENCE IN EACH OTHER
Unknown documents
about St. Petersburg's and London's efforts
for the rapprochement of the two countries

Larisa Seselkina,
main specialist
of the Russian National
Historical Archives

        On October 21 (November 3), 1908 in the Savoy hotel in London the London Chamber of Commerce gave a dinner in honor of Vasilii Ivanovich Timiriazeff, member of the State Council, ex-minister of Trade and Industry who had come to Britain on a visit. The establishment (almost simultaneously) in England and Russia of the two non-governmental organizations - the Russian Section of the London Chamber of Commerce and the Russian-English Chamber of Commerce in Petersburg - was the cause of the celebration. Both organizations were created with the purpose of establishing closer relations between the two countries as well as to further develop trade. Timiriazeff was welcomed as a founder of the Russian-English Chamber of Commerce.
        The Russian Section of the London Chamber of Commerce was the first of the two organizations to be established. The news very soon reached Petersburg. On the 12th of October, Timiriazeff headed the representative Assembly of the Petersburg Commercial Society's club (house 18 on the English Embankment). The Assembly was attended by the State Duma deputies, members of the State Council, representatives of stock exchange committees and Ministry of Trade and Industry, manufacturers, tradesmen and financiers, as well as English diplomats and tradesmen living in Petersburg. The Assembly marked the increasing mutual interest of English and Russian businesspeople in the further development of economic relations. It also stressed the necessity to follow up the British initiative by opening the Petersburg's Russian-English Chamber of Commerce. A special Provisional Council was charged to prepare the Chamber's regulations and programme of action. The Provisional Council, headed by Timiriazeff, involved talented manufacturers and financiers. The British Consul General for Petersburg took part in it as well.
        Just a few days later Timiriazeff came to London where he made a speech at the banquet given by the London Chamber of Commerce in his honour. Next day, Timiriazeff's speech was published by the Times that also marked in brackets the participants' reaction to his words. As soon as the Times issue had appeared in Petersburg the speech was translated into Russian by Ulman (Ministry of Trade and Industry) in order to make a report to Schipov, the minister. The Times cutting may be read at the Russian National Historical Archives' file. The translation of Timiriazeff's speech made 92 years ago is published in "New East".