[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.}
[B]
OPIUM.
CONFIDENTIAL.
C 0·
30132
Rece
Reas 15 SEP 11 [August 2]
SECTION 2.
[33013]
No. I.
Sir,
Mr. Whitelaw Reid to Sir Edward Grey.- (Received August 21.)
American Embassy, London, August 20, 1911.
I HAVE the honour to acknowledge your note of the 19th August, referring to the suggestion of my Government that the proposed Opium Conference might meet at The Hague by the 16th October, and advising me of your information from the Netherlands Minister here that his Government does not consider so early a meeting practicable, but contemplates the possibility of one next spring.
I am communicating this information at once to my Government. Meantime I am in receipt, simultaneously, of a cable despatch from the Acting Secretary of State to the effect that, relying on your assurance of the 4th May that as soon as France, Germany, Japan, and Portugal were able to comply with your proposals concerning morphine and cocaine, the Department had given notice to the Netherlands Government of the statements from the four Governments named that they would be able to comply with your proposals by the 1st October. The Department now gathers, from advices from The Hague, that the Netherlands Government expects a direct intimation of British willingness under these conditions to enter the conference.
It has been suggested to France, Germany, Japan, and Portugal that they directly inform the Netherlands Government of their readiness for the conference at a definite date, before the end of this year, which it is hoped will prove satisfactory also to the British Government.
I have, &c.
WHITELAW REID.
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