THE HAGUE PEACE CONFERENCE, 1899.

CONVENTION FOR THE PEACEFUL REGULATION OF INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS.

As the Convention will have to remain open for signature until the 31st December, 1899, the Contracting Powers and their Plenipotentiaries will, until this date, append their signatures according to the following order, adopted by the Conference at its plenary sitting of the 28th July, 1899:

His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia; His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, &c., and King Apostolic of Hungary; His Majesty the King of the Belgians; His Majesty the Emperor of China; His Majesty the King of Denmark; His Majesty the King of Spain, and, in his name, Her Majesty the Queen Regent of the Realm; the President of the United States of America; the President of the United States of Mexico; the President of the French Republic; Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India; His Majesty the King of the Hellenes; His Majesty the King of Italy; His Majesty the Emperor of Japan; His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Duke of Nassau; His Highness the Prince of Montenegro; Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands; His Imperial Majesty the Shah of Persia; His Majesty the King of Portugal and Algarves, &c.; His Majesty the King of Roumania; His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias; His Majesty the King of Servia; His Majesty the King of Siam; His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway; The Swiss Federal Council; His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans; and His Royal Highness the Prince of Bulgaria.

Animated by a strong desire to co-operate for the maintenance of general Peace ;

LA CONFERENCE DE LA PAIX.

LA HAYE, 1899.

CONVENTION POUR LE RÈGLEMENT PACIFIQUE DES CONFLITS INTERNATIONAUX.

La Convention devant rester ouverte à la signature jusqu'au 31 décembre 1899, les Puissances Contractantes et Leurs Plénipotentiaires seront inscrits à cette date conformément à l'ordre suivant, adopté par la Conférence dans sa séance plénière du 28 juillet 1899:

Sa Majesté l'Empereur d'Allemagne, Roi de Prusse; Sa Majesté l'Empereur d'Autriche, Roi de Bohême, etc., et Roi Apostolique de Hongrie ; Sa Majesté le Roi des Belges ; Sa Majesté l'Empereur de Chine; Sa Majesté le Roi de Danemark; Sa Majesté le Roi d'Espagne, et en Son Nom Sa Majesté la Reine-Régente du Royaume; le Président des Etats-Unis d'Amérique; le Président des Etats-Unis Mexicains le Président de la Republique Française; Sa Majesté la Reine du Royaume-Uni de la Grande-Bretagne et d'Irlande, Impératrice des Indes; Sa Majesté le Roi des Hellenes; Sa Majesté le Roi d'Italie; Sa Majesté l'Empereur du Japon; Son Altesse Royale le Grand-Duc de Luxembourg, Duc de Nassau; Son Altesse le Prince de Monténégro; Sa Majesté la Reine des Pays-Bas ; Sa Majesté Impériale le Schah de Perse; Sa Majesté le Roi de Portugal et des Algarves, etc.; Sa Majesté le Roi de Roumanie; Sa Majesté l'Empereur de Toutes les Russies; Sa Majesté le Roi de Serbie; Sa Majesté le Roi de Siam ; Sa Majesté le Roi de Suède et de Norvège; le Conseil Fédéral Suisse; Sa Majesté l'Empereur des Ottomans et Son Altesse Royale le Prince de Bulgarie.

Animés de la ferme volonté de concourir au maintien de la paix générale ;

Resolved to assist with all their efforts the friendly settlement of international disputes;

Recognising the solidarity which unites the members of the Society of Civilised Nations;

Wishing to extend the empire of law and to strengthen the sentiment of international justice;

Convinced that the permanent institution of an Arbitral jurisdiction, accessible to all, in the midst of the independent Powers, may contribute effectively to this result;

Considering the advantages of a general and regular organisation of Arbitral procedure;

Deeming, with the August Initiator of the International Peace Conference, that it is of the utmost importance to embody in an international Agreement the principles of equity and of law on which repose the security of States and the welfare of peoples;

And desiring to conclude a Convention for this purpose, have appointed the following as their Plenipotentiaries, viz. :

Who, after having produced their full credentials, which have been found in proper and due form, have agreed upon the following provisions:

SECTION I. THE MAINTENANCE OF GENERAL PEACE.

ART. I. -In order to prevent, as far as possible, the recourse to force in the relations between States, the Signatory Powers agree to employ all their efforts to bring about the pacific adjustment of international differences.

SECTION II.-GOOD OFFICES AND MEDIATION.

ART. 2.-In case of grave disagreement or conflict, before appealing to arms, the Signatory Powers agree that they will have recourse, so far as circumstances permit, to the good offices or Mediation of one or more friendly Powers.

ART. 3.-Independently of this recourse, the Signatory Powers

Résolus à favoriser de tous leurs efforts le règlement amiable des conflits internationaux ;

Reconnaissant la solidarité qui unit les membres de la société des nations civilisées ;

Voulant étendre l'empire du droit et fortifier le sentiment de la justice internationale;

Convaincus que l'institution permanente d'un juridiction arbitrale, accessible à tous, au sein des Puissances indépendantes peut contribuer efficacement à ce résultat ;

Considérant les avantages d'une organisation générale et régulière de la procédure arbitrale;

Estimant avec l'Auguste Initiateur de la Conférence Internationale de la Paix qu'il importe de consacrer dans un accord international les principes d'équité et de droit sur lesquels reposent la sécurité des Etats et le bien-être des peuples;

Désirant conclure une Convention à cet effet ont nommé pour Leurs plénipotentiaires, savoir :

Lesquels, après s'être communiqué leurs pleins pouvoirs, trouvés en bonne et due forme, sont convenues des dispositions suivantes :

TITRE I.

DU MAINTIEN DE LA PAIX GÉNÉRALE.

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ARTICLE PREMIER. En vue de prévenir autant que possible le recours à la force dans les rapports entre les Etats, les Puissances signataires conviennent d'employer tous leurs efforts pour assurer le règlement pacifique des différends internationaux.

TITRE II. DES BONS OFFICES ET DE LA MÉDIATION.

ART. 2. En cas de dissentiment grave ou de conflit, avant d'en appeler aux armes, les Puissances signataires conviennent d'avoir recours, en tant que les circonstances le permettront, aux bons offices ou à la médiation d'une ou de plusieurs Puissances amies.

ART. 3 Indépendamment de ce recours, les Puissances signa

consider it useful that one or more Po in the conflict should offer of their ow

circumstances lend themselves to it, Mediation to the contending States.

rs that are not concerned initiative, so far as the weir good offices or their

The Powers not concerned in the conflict have the right o offering their good offices or their Mediation even during the course of hostilities.

The exercise of this right can never be considered by either of the disputing parties as an unfriendly act.

ART. 4. The function of Mediator consists in reconciling the opposing claims, and in appeasing the resentments which may be caused between the contending States.

ART. 5.—The duties of a Mediator cease from the moment when it is announced, either by one of the disputing parties, or by the Mediator himself, that the means of conciliation proposed by him are not accepted.

ART. 6.-Good offices and Mediation, whether at the request of the parties in conflict, or on the initiative of Powers taking no part therein, have exclusively the character of advice, and are devoid of any obligatory force.

ART. 7.-The acceptance of Mediation cannot have the effect, in the absence of an Agreement to the contrary, of interrupting, retarding, or hindering mobilisation and other measures preparatory to war.

If it (Mediation) is undertaken after the opening of hostilities, it will not, in the absence of an Agreement to the contrary, interrupt current military operations.

ART. 8.-The Signatory Powers agree to recommend the application, in circumstances which permit of it, of special Mediation in the following form :

In the case of a grave disagreement endangering Peace, the contending States shall each choose one Power to which they may entrust the mission of entering into direct communication with the Power chosen by the other side, for the purpose of preventing the rupture of pacific relations.