Page:The Annual Register 1899.djvu/336

 328] FOREIGN HISTORY. [1899.

proposal dealing with both mediation and arbitration ; an English one dealing only with arbitration, and the third, an anonymous one, confined to mediation. The Russian project proposed to commit the signatory Powers to the principle of appealing, in the event of a serious disagreement, to the good offices of one or more friendly States. In the event of no such appeal being made the neutral Powers might, under the fifth article of the project, offer mediation of their own motion. In both cases the intervention was to " bear strictly the character of friendly counsel and in no way of compulsory force.' ' The anonymous proposal covered the same ground as the first part of the Russian proposal, but went on to say that any State which saw a grave disagreement growing up between itself and another State might under this scheme apply to a disinterested State to act as its second. This having been found, the State which made the application was to inform the other party, with a view to the nomination of another second. The mediating States would then fix a time within which they would use their best efforts to discover a solution honourable and satisfactory to both parties. All the States signing the Convention would then be asked to use their influence to secure the acceptance of the proposed settlement. If their efforts failed, and war actually broke out, the two mediating States would continue to represent the belligerents, so far as was consistent with their rights and duties as neutrals, with the object of bringing about a cessation of hostilities at the earliest possible moment.

The British proposal, on the other hand, dealt solely with the principle of arbitration, and at the same time provided a permanent tribunal for giving effect to it. In order that it might be accessible at any time, and at the shortest notice, the tribunal would have an office at Berne, the Hague, or Brussels, with a secretary and his assistants. The members of the court were to be appointed by the States which signed the conven- tion, each State nominating two. When the services of the court were required, the secretary would give the Powers applying to him a list of the members of the tribunal, and from among these the two Powers between whom a dispute had risen would choose the number of arbitrators fixed in the agreement of reference. By this means delays would be avoided and impartiality assured. The three schemes were then referred to a committee which finally adopted proposals founded on the British lines.

Almost simultaneously (June 1) the Disarmament Committee debated on a resolution prohibiting the use of the Dum-Dum bullet, in resisting which Great Britain found herself supported at first by both Austria and Italy, but when the vote was taken (June 21) the United States's delegate alone voted with Sir John Ardagh. The Humanitarian Committee discussed at great length the right of giving private property at sea the same immunity from capture which it enjoyed on land. The armaments question