File No. 7167.

Minister Wilson to the Secretary of State .

No. 183.]

Sir: I have the honor to advise the department that I have just been informed through unofficial but reliable channels that Great Britain has given notice to the Belgian Government, through its plenipotentiary here, of the conditional withdrawal of its adherence to the Brussels sugar convention signed at Brussels March 5, 1902.

At the present time I am unable to secure any additional facts relative to the withdrawal. It is possible that the attitude of Great Britain will lead to a movement for a modification of some of the articles of the convention.

Her action is supposed to be inspired by the demands of the new liberal government for a volteface on the policy pursued by Chamberlain on the sugar question.

Undoubtedly a new conference will result from the action of Great Britain.

I have, etc.,

Henry Lane Wilson.