Berlin, 15 January 1876
Special Bureau
of the Imperial Chancellor
To
Professor Richard Wagner
Your Excellency
Bayreuth
Your Excellency, I have the honour, in accordance with the instructions received, to reply most humbly to the letter addressed to the Prince Imperial Chancellor and dated the 28th of last month, that further official considerations have taken place as to whether the advance requested for the Bayreuth undertaking might be granted from Imperial funds. The difficulties which oppose the fulfilment of Your Excellency’s wish would be considerably diminished if, as is reported here from external sources, the Administrative Council of the Bayreuth undertaking were to address a petition for the promotion of the said undertaking, by means of the granting of an advance, to the Reichstag, and if the Reichstagwere to pronounce itself in a sense favourable to such petition.
In the present state of affairs, a definitive decision cannot yet be communicated to Your Excellency.
Be pleased to accept, Your Excellency, the assurance of my most distinguished respect.
(signed)
(illegible)
Government Assessor
(transcription in progress)
English translation by Jo Cousins [© Jo Cousins | WAGNER Salon]