(
41
this Country will be somewhat delayed
owing
76
to the port circumstances
the departure of the
Mr. Hillier who has been
named to succeed
you as Chinese Representative
at this Court; & who is to
be the Bearer of
You add that the French Government have now
signified their readiness
to adhere to the Arrangement,
that as none other Treaty Powers
have ever raised
any objection to it.
nothing now stands
in the
way of
its taking
effect but the fact of
the
Act of Ratification
not having taken place.
Under these circumstances
you express the hope that Mr. Lay consent to the
Agreement being put
in force without waiting
for the formal exchange
of
the Ratifications.
I