To A. S. Suvorin, 15 April 1890. Moscow.

Dating and addressee. The source header identifies the recipient as А. С. Суворину — Aleksei Sergeyevich Suvorin, the wealthy publisher of Novoye Vremya ("New Time") and Chekhov’s chief correspondent, patron-friend, and occasional publisher through the 1880s–90s. Dated 15 April 1890, Moscow. carries a short second date fragment, "15 апрель" ("15 April"), grammatically irregular (nominative rather than the expected genitive "апреля") — most likely a marginal or draft dateline duplicated from the letter’s heading rather than a second, separate item. sections 3–11 form one continuous train of thought (departure logistics, forwarding addresses, family arrangements, purchases, closing regards, signature) addressed throughout to the same "ты"-familiar correspondent, and it closes with a normal signature ("Ваш А. Чехов.").

Written some three weeks before Chekhov’s departure for his journey across Siberia to the penal colony on Sakhalin Island. He confirms his departure day (Wednesday or Thursday), thanks Suvorin for money sent but notes he doesn’t need all of it, and jokes about having armed himself only with a passport against the "war" he imagines ahead — his only real anticipated danger being a toothache. He instructs what to do with his estate "in the event of drowning or something of the kind" (leaving everything to his sister, who will settle his debts). He gives forwarding instructions: telegrams via the Sibirsky Vestnik editorial office in Tomsk; letters and printed matter (which he wants sent as boredom-relief reading, disposable once read) to two Sakhalin postal addresses, Alexandrovsky Post and Korsakovsky Post. He promises Suvorin an ivory nude Japanese figurine or something to rival the duck ornament on Suvorin’s desk, and an "exotic story" to be written from India. He discusses what he will and won’t write for Novoye Vremya en route (only the Saturday feature pieces, "субботники," personally to Suvorin first). He describes dropping his mother at the Trinity Lavra and his sister in Kostroma en route, lying to them that he’ll return by September (he did not - he was gone roughly eight months). He plans to inspect Tomsk University’s single faculty (medicine) with professional confidence. He lists purchase of travel gear — a sheepskin coat, officer’s waterproof leather coat, boots, and a large knife "for cutting sausage and hunting tigers." He closes with regards to Suvorin’s wife and two of his children and signs off.