Mr. Hitchcock to Mr. Hay.
St. Petersburg, September 29, 1898.
Sir: I have the honor to report that His Excellency Count Mouravieff, being abroad upon his vacation, I yesterday afternoon attended the usual weekly reception held in his absence by His Excellency Count Lamsdorff, acting minister of foreign affairs, who informed me that all of the powers represented by embassies here had officially accepted the invitation of His Imperial Majesty the Czar, and would send delegates to the conference, with the exception of Great Britain, the absence of Lord Salisbury from England being an explanation of the delay of the acceptance of the invitation by that Government, which acceptance, however, he expected would be received at an early date, when the Imperial Government would be prepared to make further communication with respect to the time and place of holding the conference.
I have, etc.,