RECORD OF THOMAS HENRY BARKER,
((1) Secretary of The Incorporated Chamber of Commerce of Liverpool,
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(2) Member of Committee of the City of Liverpool School of Commerce,
(3) Member of Council of the Liverpool Geographical Society,
(4) Member of Liverpool Committee for the Development of Russian Studies) &c., &c., as to steps taken in connection with the affairs of the Russian Empire.
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On the 17th March, 1902, Mr H. A. Cooke, British Commercial Agent, Moscow, paid a visit to the Liverpool Chamber, and conferences were arranged for him with Liverpool Merchants on the subject of their Commercial interests in relation to Russia and Siberia.
On the 28th October, 1902, steps were taken by the Secretary, with the consent of the Council, to form a Russian Trade Section of the Chamber, which was successfully accomplished, and the first Meeting of the Section was held on November 13th, 1902.
On the 11th December, 1902, Mr Hermann Decker was elected Chairman and Mr H. Clements, Vice-Chairman of the Section, which posts they have since held.
In the summer of the following year, 1903, Mr Cooke was despatched by the Foreign Office to Siberia, on a Commercial Mission, when he was authorised to make certain inquiries on behalf of the Section.
In August of the same year, Mr Barker left this country also, as a Delegate of the Liverpool Chamber, and after crossing Canada, and travelling through Japan and North China, visited, chiefly at his own expense, the Corea, Port Arthur and Dalni, where he met Mr Cooke (British Agent) and conferred with Officers of the Russian Government and Trans-Siberian Railway. After visiting Pekin, and meeting there M. de Lessar, the Russian Minister, who furnished Mr Barker with a letter of recommendation to the Russian Authorities in Siberia, he (Mr Barker) visited Mukden, where he was hopitably entertained by Mr Frisk, at the Russo-Chinese Bank, for several days. Continuing his journey Mr Barker visited Kharbin, inspecting there the Flour Mills &c., and next broke his journey at Irkutsch, where he was kindly received by the Civil Governor, and granted a pass to visit the Convict Settlement at Alexandrowski - Mr Barker spent 3 days on this visit, and was most courteously received by Director Leontoskovitch, and he formed a most favourable impression of both the Director and the establishment. After a week at Irkutsch, spent in visiting its Schools and other establishments, Mr Barker proceeded to Tomsk and Omsk, visiting the University, Schools and Commercial depots there. After a week in Moscow and St Petersburg, where he was received by, amongst others, the British Minister (Sir Charles Scott), and Prince Khilkoff, Mr Barker returned to this country and continued his work and interest in Russian matters. On his recommendation a Russian Class was founded in connection with the School of Commerce and a Russian native appointed as teacher. The Russian Section also continued its work with his assistance and on a recent visit of Mr Bernard Pares to Russia, Mr Barker suggested to him and to others the formation of a British Chamber of Commerce at St Petersburg, with correspondents in other parts of Russia. Mr Barker is a Member of the Liverpool Committee for the Development of Russian Studies, formed by Mr Pares. Mr Barker was represented by the Assistant Secretary at the recent visit to Liverpool of Members of the Russian Dumo, owing to an attack of illness, but was appointed a Delegate of the Chamber to attend the recent interview of a Deputation from that Chamber with His Majesty the Emperor of Russia on board the "Standart", at Cowes, when Mr Barker was presented with the Order of St Anne.