The Acting Secretary of State to Ambassador Reid.

[Telegram—Paraphrase.]

Mr. Wilson directs Mr. Reid to express the gratification of the State Department over the results of the conference of the representatives of the United States, England, Germany, and France at their recent meeting in Paris, suggested by the other Governments concerned, for the consideration of the projects proposed in Department’s note of October 18, 1909. Mr. Wilson says that this Government is pleased to signify its assent to the proposals as to the additional protocol modifying the prize court convention, and as the Governments of England and Germany have now assented, this Government only waits the assent of the Government of France before bringing the matter to the attention of the Netherlands Government in accordance with the procedure agreed upon at the Paris conference. Mr. Wilson adds that the department, with peculiar interest and sympathy, [Page 617] now but awaits the receipt of the full French text of the convention for the establishment of the Court of Arbitral Justice in order to be in a position to signify its formal assent to the articles of the convention on this important subject so far as agreed upon at Paris.