attempt was made to meet their arguments on the Chapter III merits, and the best that can be hoped for is, that the decision of the Conference may not eventually defeat its own object. METHODS OF NAVAL WARFARE The propositions included in the fourth paragraph of the circular of Count Mouravieff were as follows: "1. The prohibition of the use, in naval battles, of submarine and diving torpedo boats, or all other agencies of destruction of the same nature. 2. An agreement not to construct in the future warships armed with rams." These subjects were referred to a special naval sub-committee, presided over by Jonkheer A. P. C. van Karnebeek of the Netherlands, the Vice-President of the Conference. calibre. Captain Scheine, on behalf of the Russian Govern- Limitation of ment, submitted a proposal respecting naval guns and armor, to the effect that the Powers should for the period of five years agree to limit the calibre of their guns to seventeen inches, the initial velocity to thirteen thousand feet a second, and the length of previous rifles; therefore. Her Majesty's Government, while entirely sympathizing with the desire to avoid the use of missiles which inflict wounds of unnecessary severity, are unable to admit that this is involved by either of the above methods of construction. It is, however, their intention to pursue their investigations, and to spare no pains in order to combine with the necessary amount of stopping power the minimum aggravation of suffering on the part of the wounded, but they consider it absolutely essential that such stopping power should exist in the bullet employed by Her Majesty's troops." Chapter III Rams. New types and calibres guns to forty-five calibres; further, that armor should be limited to fourteen inches of the latest Krupp pattern. This proposition was received by all the naval representatives ad referendum, with the result that it was almost unanimously negatived. The United States and British Governments both rejected it by cable very promptly. Upon the proposal not to construct warships armed with rams, a majority of the Governments. represented declared their readiness to enter such an agreement provided it were unanimous. Unanimity was, however, frustrated by the declarations of the delegates from Germany, Austria-Ilungary, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, to the effect that their Governments did not approve of the idea. Upon the subject of rifles and naval guns, and the of naval guns. possibility of an agreement respecting the employment of new types and calibres, a brief discussion showed that the utmost result attainable upon the subject was the expression of a wish, which was adopted, that the question should be relegated to the further study of the Governments. Projectiles for The proposition that the Contracting Powers agree the diffusion to abstain from the use of projectiles, the object of which is the diffusion of asphyxiating or deleterious of asphyxiating gases. gases, was adopted, with only one dissenting votethat of the United States of America, and one vote conditioned upon unanimity -that of Great Britain. The distinguished representative of the United States of America on the naval sub-committee. Captain Mahan, gave the following reasons for Chapter III voting against this provision, and they were inserted in the report of the proceedings of the Committee : Mahan's "1. That no shell emitting such gases is as yet Captain in practical use or has undergone adequate experi-objections. ment; consequently, a vote taken now would be taken in ignorance of the facts as to whether the results would be of a decisive character, or whether injury in excess of that necessary to attain the end. of warfare, of immediately disabling the enemy, would be inflicted. "2. That the reproach of cruelty and perfidy addressed against these supposed shells was equally uttered formerly against firearms and torpedoes, although each are now employed without scruple. Until we know the effects of such asphyxiating shells, there was no saying whether they would be more or less merciful than missiles now permitted. "3. That it was illogical and not demonstrably humane, to be tender about asphyxiating men with gas, when all were prepared to admit that it was allowable to blow the bottom out of an ironclad at midnight, throwing four or five hundred men into the sea to be choked by water, with scarcely the remotest chance of escape. If, and when, a shell emitting asphyxiating gases has been successfully produced, then, and not before, will men be able to vote intelligently on the subject." Whatever views may be held upon the merits of the various propositions considered by the First Committee, there can be no question as to the great Chapter III value of the deliberations themselves. Professional authorities may be relied upon to continue the work of investigation and discussion begun at The Hague, to the great advantage, no doubt, of that "further study on the part of the various Governments," which the Peace Conference was obliged to content itself in recommending. CHAPTER IV THE WORK OF THE SECOND COMMITTEE I. THE CONVENTION FOR THE ADAPTATION TO MARI- THE Second Committee of the Conference, to which was referred the subject of the extension of the principles of the Geneva Convention of August 22, 1864, to maritime warfare, referred the subject to its First Sub-Committee, presided over by M. Asser of the Netherlands, and this in turn appointed a Committee consisting of Professor Renault of France, Chairman and Reporter, Vice-Admiral Sir John Fisher of Great Britain, Captain Scheine of Russia, Captain Siegel of Germany, Lieutenant-Colonel á Court of Great Britain, and Lieutenant Ovtchinnikow of Russia, which elaborated the articles embodied in the treaty on the subject. In his report to the Conference, Professor Renault uses the following language: Professor "The general ideas which guided us are as fol- Report of lows: We considered it necessary to confine our-Renault. selves to the study of essential principles, and not to enter into details of organization and of regulations, which each State must fix according to its interests |