No. 44.
Count d’Arschot to Mr. Bayard.
Washington, July 20, 1887. (Received July 21.)
Sir: Under date of the 11th of August, 1886, I had the honor to inform your excellency that the committee of organization of the international congress of commercial law will again meet in the month of September of the current year. In accordance with the request I made that the United States Government should be represented at this second session, your excellency was good enough to name Mr. David Dudley Field as the American delegate.
My Government directs me to notify your excellency that the meeting of the congress has had to be adjourned to the second fortnight of the month of September, 1888.
In consenting to the adjournment of the congress the King’s Government has sought especially to insure the most favorable conditions for the objects sought. The deliberations of the second congress ought to be directed principally toward the replies as well of the participating Governments as of the learned societies, but the communications addressed to them have not as yet brought the number of answers which were expected, and consequently for the moment the preliminary work lacks the critical replies on which the commission counted as a decisive factor to bring the deliberations of the congress to a good determination.
The Government of the King hopes that your excellency will continue to furnish him your kind support, and will be happy to receive any communications which your excellency is good enough to send him to serve in the preliminary work with which the royal committee of organization will continue to occupy itself.
I avail, etc.,