CONFIDENTIAL.
23308
636
REC
REG° 28 JUN 14
Sir Edward Grey to Sir A. Johnstone (The Hague).
(No. 16.) R.
Foreign Office, June 26, 1914, 5'10 P.M. FOLLOWING for British opium delegates:
"Sir W. Langley's telegram of 20th June.
KC
After consultation with Board of Trade, I consider that proposal referred to in the third paragraph of your despatch No. 1 offers no advantages. You should therefore resist the proposal.
"As regards abstention of France and Germany, although in the event of Germany ratifying the convention I should not be averse to urging upon the French Government the impolicy of remaining outside, I consider that in the present circumstances it is for the Netherlands Government to initiate any representation that may be made to outstanding Powers.'
[600-496]