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Rh His Majesty the King of Portugal and of the Algarves, etc.; His Majesty the King of Roumania; the President of the Republic of Salvador; His Majesty the King of Servia; His Majesty the King of Siam; His Majesty the King of Sweden; the Swiss Federal Council; His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans; the President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay; the President of the United States of Venezuela:

Recognizing the necessity of more effectively ensuring than hitherto the equitable application of law to the international relations of maritime Powers in time of war;

Considering that, for this purpose, it is expedient, in giving up or, if necessary, in harmonizing for the common interest certain conflicting practices of long standing, to commence codifying in regulations of general application the guarantees due to peaceful commerce and legitimate business, as well as the conduct of hostilities by sea; that it is expedient to lay down in written mutual engagements the principles which have hitherto remained in the uncertain domain of controversy or have been left to the discretion of Governments;

That, from henceforth, a certain number of rules may be made, without affecting the common law now in force with regard to the matters which that law has left unsettled;

Have appointed the following as their Plenipotentiaries:

His Excellency Baron Marschall von Bieberstein, His Minister of State, His Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at Constantinople;

Dr. Johannes Kriege, His Envoy on extraordinary mission to the present Conference, His Privy Counselor of Legation and Jurisconsult to the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

His Excellency Mr. Joseph H. Choate, Ambassador Extraordinary;

His Excellency Mr. Horace Porter, Ambassador Extraordinary;

His Excellency Mr. Uriah M. Rose, Ambassador Extraordinary;

His Excellency Mr. David Jayne Hill, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at The Hague;

Rear Admiral Charles S. Sperry, Minister Plenipotentiary;

Brigadier General George B. Davis, Judge Advocate General of the United States Army, Minister Plenipotentiary;

Mr. William I. Buchanan, Minister Plenipotentiary.

His Excellency Mr. Roque Saenz Peña, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Republic at Rome, Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration;