175. To V. M. ALTFATER

First published · page 144

Comrade Altfater

How do matters stand as regards sending submarines to the Volga and the Caspian Sea?

Is it true that we can send only old submarines?

How many of them are there?

When was the order given for them to be sent? What in general has been done?

Lenin

Written on August 28, 1918

Comrade Altfater

You cannot confine yourself to such vagueness—“we are searching” (for your own property?? The names of the “searchers”, the date they started searching, etc., should be given to me by tomorrow).

“Clearing up whether dispatch is possible”—this too is vague in the extreme.

Who gave the “clear up” orders, and when? Please let me know this tomorrow (30/8) precisely, officially.

The business of sending submarines brooks not a minute’s delay.

Lenin

Written on August 29, 1918
First published on February 23, 1938, in Pravda No. 53
Printed from the originals