File No. 641.326/10
The Ambassador in Brazil ( Morgan) to the Secretary of State
[Received January 2, 1918.]
Sir: Referring to previous correspondence and especially to Embassy’s despatch No. 961, of July 13 last,2 I have the honor to enclose a copy of a note which the British Minister addressed to the Brazilian Foreign Office on October 31 last,1 in which it is stated that the British Government does not find it possible to relax the restrictions on the importation of coffee (from Brazil), of which material there are already large stocks in the United Kingdom.
The British Minister also informed the Government of Brazil that imports into the United Kingdom would be strictly confined to articles of prime necessity.
It would therefore appear that, for the present at least, Brazil will not be able to send coffee to the United Kingdom and that negotiations in that sense must be suspended.
I have [etc.]