An Old Russian Treaty

Recent affairs have stirred afresh the interest in early British intercourse with Russia which Hakluyt and Early Voyages awakened. To those who love to find history repeating itself it will be especially gratifying to learn that three centuries ago there was a projected Russian treaty which failed. In 1623 the movers were the representatives of the Royal Houses of Stewart and Romanoff; in 1924 they were the Socialist and Soviet Governments of the two countries of Great Britain and Russia.Casting a glance on previous relations and events it is to be recalled that the Muscovy Trading Company was formed nearly fifty years before the famous East India Company. In 1635 this financial venture (the outcome of the veteran Cabot’s voyages of discovery) was entered into by many persons of high degree as well as by influential merchants, and received a royal charter. Three ships were equipped, and under the leadership of Chancellor made the voyage and returned with many promised trading privileges from the Czar, Ivan the Terrible. So the Muscovy Company was reconstituted into the ‘Company for the Discovery of New Trades/ and, in its royal charter in 1566, was empowered to secure solely any trade’ established by sailing north, north-east or north-west from England.’ These terms suggest the spacious times to which they belong.In the Public Record Office are preserved copies of the Letters from the English Queen to the Czar and the original replies to them; the subjects discussed are politics and commerce, and various requests are preferred.