File No. 774/123–124.

Chargé Dodge to the Secretary of State .

No. 416.]

Sir: Referring to Mr. Wright’s dispatch No. 195 of March 19 last,a in regard to a proposed investigation of the opium trade and the opium habit in the Far East, I have the honor to inclose to you herewith a copy of an English translation of a communication from Count Hayashi, minister for foreign affairs, dated the 17th instant, No. 73. This communication states that as it has been decided in the cabinet council that the Imperial Government would be pleased to indorse the proposal advanced by the President of the United States, the department of home affairs are desirous of being first informed of the views of the United States Government as to the place of meeting and other arrangements regarding the intended conference.

I am accordingly requested to refer this matter to you so that I may be able to furnish the information desired.

I have, etc.,

H. Percival Dodge.
[Inclosure.—Translation.]

The Minister for Foreign Affairs to Chargé Dodge .

No. 73.]

Monsieur le Charge d’affaires: In reference to His Excellency Luke E. Wright’s note, F. O. No. 89, under date of the 12th March last, relative to [Page 168] convoking an international conference to consider the establishment of an international commission to study the propagation of the bubonic plague and to concert measures for combatting it, to which note I hastened to reply by my note, No. 19, dated the 28th March, I beg to state that a communication has now been received from the authorities concerned, the department of home affairs, to the effect that as it has been decided in the cabinet council that the Imperial Government would be pleased to indorse the proposal advanced by the President of the United States, the said authorities are desirous to be first informed of the views of the United States Government as to the place of meeting and other arrangrements regarding the intended conference. I, therefore, have to request that you will be so good as to refer the matter to your Government, to the end that I may be further informed on the subject.

Accept, etc.,

Count Hayashi.
  1. Not printed.