Letter and envelope from Samuel Holmes, New Jersey to Robert Young

My dear Bob, Yours of 5th -received 21st In reply Uncle John only made one trip across the Atlantic each way (out & home). He left me to fix up his affairs here which were in a bit of a mess. He was too old to make a new start here and there was nothing of interest in his visit. He cabled an old acquaintance who was a locomotive superintendent in the
[Page 2] Hudson River RR (was the New York Central & Hudson River RR) that he was coming (for a chat). He had his valve gear fitted to a locomotive in the NY Central & Hudson River RR but he was not very successful here.
He called upon Ericsson who was then living, but Ericsson was a sort of hermit , and beyond mere politeness there was nothing further. His interesting period was when he went to Russia with the first locomotive (No 28 JH). It was November & ………………..(1) was of course closed, so he went to a Baltic Port and after landing at some open port (I don’t know or remember what port) he drove by sleigh to St Petersburg. It was so cold the
[Page 3] spirit bottles they had with then broke with the frost. Some of his diary must surely give his trip in extenso. He had run the gauntlet of solves as well as cold.
I was looking over my references to yourself last evening, and I consider you will be very foolish to alter one word I say about you. It is all perfectly natural, and what the public will desire. You seem to omit them in all your views, & expressions, but you must remember they have to be considered beyond yourself,. On such a matter as this be advised. This humbleness is a false sentiment in such a case. What is said is suitable and proper. I enclose a cutting which I intended sending earlier.
[Page 4] It is to call attention to the spelling of ‘Tsarskoye-Selo’ which is the spelling of the Empress, and has appeared in many of these war-time letters. I think we should follow this spelling which is a little different from what has hitherto appeared. I however submit it to you as a matter of spelling, not as a consideration of the Empresses letters, for I regard her as a thoroughly bad woman. Having read two books upon her life by intimate associates, if it hadn’t been for her they would all have been alive now.
I wonder if the Russian ^Engine^ is still in existence. Had it not been for the War, I would have put out enquiries, but all is in such disorder I fear enquiries now would prejudice a future chance of learning something about the subject. Yours aff. Samuel Holmes.
(1) One word indecipherable