1.
7870).
my late.
Siri-
620
THE HAGUE, REDZAJU
1914.
f
As we have already informed you in our telegrams,
certain of the Powers Signatories of the Opium Conven-
tion of 1912 have not deposited their ratifications,
nor are they able to give any assurance that they will
be able to do so by a given date. A considerable mum-
bar of these Powers are prevented from fixing a date
for ratification merely owing to a provision of their
Constitution that ratification is subject to the Banc-
tion of their legislatures, and their Delegates cannot
pledge their legislatures to take the necessary steps
by a fixed date. Other countries are unable to ratify
for other reasons. For instance the German Delegate
explained that Germany could not ratify at present
owing to the abstention of such countries as Austria-
Hungary and Turkey and the reserve appended to her
signature by Sweden. The French Delegate declares
that
The Right Honourable
Sir Edward Grey, Bart., K.G., M.P.
&c., ac., &c.,
!