A Chara,

We realise very clearly in this Department that a proper system of information for our Foreign Representatives as to our relations with all External Countries should be established. At the moment the only country with which we have continuous relations is Great Britain and these are of such a purely administrative and routine nature that it would add nothing to the efficiency of our Foreign Representatives to be made aware of them. The Privy Council and the Boundary issues are the only two examples in recent times of unusual interest. Both were as clearly and as fully set out in the Press as in Despatches. In fact the Privy Council question was never mentioned at all in a Despatch.

The Treaty with France is under consideration, but the first definite step will be the visit of O'Riordan ¹ to Paris some time next month.

Very probably Monsieur Goor ² has been talking to his Government about the advantages of a Treaty with this country and he has no doubt spoken about it here, but if we were to take note of every nebulous project and broadcast it to our Representatives we should certainly not be doing them a good turn. The real situation with regard to commercial treaties is full of doubt. Why make commercial treaties with foreign countries before a definite need arises and especially before re-organising our trade with Great Britain?