SAILING OF S. S. CONEMAUGH n 



by rail for Riga, via Berlin, Koenigsburg, and 

 Wirballen. 



At Wirballen, an important Russian frontier 

 station, I was fortunate, being alone and unlearned 

 in the Russian language, in meeting Count Fer- 

 zen of St. Petersburg, an officer of the Imperial 

 Lancers, who assisted me in exchanging British 

 gold for roubles, and gave me valuable information 

 regarding Riga. 



Secretary of State Blaine, who had taken a deep 

 personal interest in the work of the Philadelphia 

 Committee, had provided me with a special pass- 

 port countersigned by the Russian Minister at 

 Washington and sealed with the double-headed 

 eagle, the great seal of his Government, together 

 with the following letter : 



Department of State, 

 Washington, D. C., Feb. 23, 1892. 



To the Diplomatic and Consular Officers of the United 

 States: 



GENTLEMEN : 



At the instance of the Honourable Edwin S. Stuart, 

 Mayor of Philadelphia, I herewith introduce Mr. 

 Francis B. Reeves, a member of the Citizens' Russian 



