My Lord Duke,
I have the honour to refer to Your Grace's Despatch No. 695 of the 6th instant, ¹ transmitting a copy of the text of an Amendment to Article 393 of the Treatyof Versailles and the corresponding Articles of the other Treaties of Peacewhich was adopted by the General Conference of the International Labour Organisation of the League of Nations during its Fourth Session on the 12th October, 1922.

2. My Ministers realise that it is unnecessary to remind Your Grace that they are responsible for acts done in the name of, and on behalf of the Irish Free State, and that a ratification of which they had no previous knowledge as in the present case could not include the Free State. This particular matter was not submitted to my Ministers for approval and has not been examined by them, and they trust that in the circumstances His Majesty's Government will, in order to avoid any misapprehension arising, cause it to be made clear that the ratification which has been signified has not been so signified on behalf of the Irish Free State.