t's the war, five London winters, and the unceasing
labour which is now the common lot. I am ashamed to say that these
have brought me to something near a breakdown. I have had Sir
William Osler as well as two distinguished London physicians for
several months. The digestive trouble has brought other ills in its
train; and I am assured that they will yield to freedom from
responsibility and complete rest for a time in a dry, warm climate
and that they are not likely to yield to anything else.

I see nothing else to do then but to bow to the inevitable and to
ask you to be kind enough to relieve me and to accept my
resignation to take effect as soon as I can go to Washington and
make a somewhat extended report on the work here, which, I hope,
will be of some use to the Department; and I ought to go as soon as
possible--say, in September. I cannot tell you how great my
disappointment is that this request has become necessary.

If the world and its work were so organized that we could do what
we should like to do, I should like a leave of absence till winter
be broken and then to take up my duties here again till the war
end. But that, of course, is impracticable. And it is now a better
time to change Ambassadors than at any time since the war began. My
five years' service has had two main phases--the difficult period
of our neutrality and the far easier period since we came into the
war. But when the war ends, I fear that there will be again more or
less troublesome tasks arising out of commercial difficulties.

But for any reasonable period the Embassy's work fortunately can
now go on perfectly well with Mr. Laughlin as Charge--until my
successor can get here. The Foreign Office like him, he is _persona
grata_ to all other Departments of the Government, and he has had
a long experience; and he is most conscientious and capable. And
the organization is in excellent condition.

I venture to ask you to have a cable message sent to me (to be
deciphered by me alone). It will require quite a little time to
pack up and to get away.

I send this, Mr. President, with more regret than I can express and
only after a struggle of more than six months to avoid it.

Yours sincerely,
WALTER H. PAGE.

Arthur Page took his father to Banff, in Scotland, fo