[_Translation._] ITALIAN EMBASSY, LONDON, _9th May, 1918_. MY DEAR SIR, On the instructions of His Excellency, Baron Sonnino, His Majesty’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, I have the honour to inform you that with reference to your representations His Majesty’s Government are pleased to confirm the Declaration already made through their representatives in Washington, The Hague, and Salonica, to the effect that they will use their best endeavours to facilitate the establishment in Palestine of a Jewish National Centre, it being understood that this shall not prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine or the legal or political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country. Pray accept, my dear sir, the assurance of my distinguished consideration. (_Signed_) IMPERIALI. _M._ NAHUM SOKOLOW, 175 Piccadilly, W. 1. In ♦President Wilson’s address to Congress of January 8th, 1918, a speech commonly regarded as a complete statement of the objects for which the Allied Powers were fighting, the twelfth of the articles in the programme of the world’s peace was stated thus:―― ♦ “President’s” replaced with “President” “The Turkish portions of the present Ottoman Empire should be assured a secure sovereignty, but _the other nationalities which are now under Turkish rule should be assured an undoubted security of life and an absolutely unmolested opportunity of autonomous development_, and the Dardanelles should be permanently opened as a free passage to ships and commerce of all nations under international guarantees.” This statement was regarded by Zionists as signifying the sympathetic attitude of the American Government, and especially of its President, to the Zionist movement. President Wilson is regarded as the spokesman of the Entente principles, and it is well known to Zionists that his attitude is favourable to the realization of Zionist aims, because the latter are in complete harmony with the principle of justice to small nationalities, of which President Wilson is the clearest and most outspoken exponent. His address makes no specific reference to the Jewish question or to Palestine, but his intention is perfectly clear. In August, 1918, President Wilson wrote the following letter:――