The most important and widely heralded announcement of naval operations touching the rights of neutrals and privileges of belligerents was the famous Hague pronouncements of 1907, in which 46 nations were represented, including all the sea powers. It is interesting to note Britain's position on the question of contraband as embraced in Grey's instructions to her delegates: His Majesty's Government recognize to the full the desirability of freeing neutral commerce to the utmost extent possible from interference by belligerent powers, and they are ready and willing for their part, in lieu of endeavoring to frame new and more satisfactory rules for the prevention of contraband trade in the future, to abandon the principle of contraband of war altogether, thus allowing the oversea trade in neutral vessels between belligerents on the one hand and neutrals on the other to continue during war without any restriction, subject only to its exclusion by blockade from an enemy's port. They are convinced that not only the interest of Great Britain but the common interest of all nations will be found, on an unbiased examination of the subject, to be served by the adoption of the course suggested. The recommendation here was made that the delegates to The Hague convention use their power to induce the convention to abolish contraband. In the event of the proposal not being favorably received, an endeavor should be made to frame a list of the articles that are to be regarded as contraband. Your efforts should then be directed to restricting that definition within the narrowest possible limits and upon lines which have the point of practical extinction as their ultimate aim. Continuing the instructions of Grey: If a definite list of contraband can not be secured, you should support and, if necessary, propose regulations intended to insure that nations shall publish during peace the list of articles they will regard as contraband during war, and that no change shall be made in the list on the outbreak of or during hostilities. I here insert the findings of the conference touching the points of interest to us as a neutral power, insisting upon neutral rights upon the sea. CHAPTER I.-POSTAL CORRESPONDENCE. ARTICLE 1. The postal correspondence of neutrals or belligerents, whatever its official or private character may be, found on the high seas on board a neutral or enemy ship is inviolable. If the ship is detained the correspondence is forwarded by the captor with the least possible delay. The provisions of the preceding paragraph do not apply, in case of violation of blockade, to correspondence destined for or proceeding from a blockaded port. ARTICLE 2. The inviolability of postal correspondence does not exempt a neutral mail ship from the laws and customs of maritime war as to neutral merchant ships in general. The ship, however, may not be searched except when absolutely necessary, and then only with as much consideration and expedition as possible. CHAPTER II.-THE EXEMPTION FROM CAPTURE OF CERTAIN VESSELS. ARTICLE 3. Vessels used exclusively for fishing along the coast or small boats employed in local trade are exempt from capture, as well as their appliances, rigging, tackle, and cargo. They cease to be exempt as soon as they take any part whatever in hostilities. The contracting powers agree not to take advantage of the harmless character of the said vessels in order to use them for military purposes while preserving their peaceful appearance. ARTICLE 4. Vessels charged with religious, scientific, or philanthropic missions are likewise exempt from capture. CHAPTER III.-REGULATIONS REGARDING THE CREWS OF Enemy MERCHANT SHIP CAPTURED BY A BELLIGERENT. ARTICLE 5. When an enemy merchant ship is captured by a belligerent, such of its crew as are nationals of a neutral State are not made prisoners of war. The same rule applies in the case of the captain and officers likewise nationals of a neutral State if they promise formally in writing not to serve on an enemy ship while the war lasts. ARTICLE 6. The captain, officers, and members of the crew, when nationals of the enemy State, are not made prisoners of war, on condition that they make a formal promise in writing not to undertake, while hostilities last, any service connected with the operations of the war. ARTICLE 7. The names of the persons retaining their liberty under the conditions laid down in article 5, paragraph 2, and in article 6, are notified by the belligerent captor to the other belligerent. The latter is forbidden knowingly to employ the said persons. ARTICLE 8. The provisions of the three preceding articles do not apply to ships taking part in the hostilities. CHAPTER IV.-FINAL PROVISIONS. ARTICLE 9. The provisions of the present convention do not apply except between contracting powers, and then only if all the belligerents are parties to the convention. ARTICLE 10. The present convention shall be ratified as soon as possible. The first deposit of ratifications shall be recorded in a procès verbal signed by the representatives of the powers taking part therein and by the Netherlands minister for foreign affairs. Subsequent deposits of ratification shall be made by means of a written notification, addressed to the Netherland Government and accompanied by the instrument of ratification. A duly certified copy of the procès verbal relative to the first deposit of ratifications, of the notifications mentioned in the preceding paragraph, as well as of the instruments of ratification, shall be at once sent by the Netherland Government, through the diplomatic channel, to the powers invited to the second peace conference, as well as to the other powers which have adhered to the convention. In the cases contemplated in the preceding paragraph, the said Government shall inform them at the same time of the date on which it received the notification. ARTICLE 11. Nonsignatory powers may adhere to the present convention. The power which desires to adhere notifies its intention in writing to the Netherland Government, forwarding to it the act of adhesion, which shall be deposited in the archives of the said Government. This Government shall at once transmit to all the other powers a duly certified copy of the notification as well as of the act of adhesion, mentioning the date on which it received the notification. ARTICLE 12. The present convention shall come into force in the case of the powers which were a party to the first deposit of ratification 60 days after the procès verbal of that deposit, and in the case of the powers which ratify subsequently or which adhere 60 days after the notification of their ratification has been received by the Netherland Government. ARTICLE 13. In the event of one of the contracting powers wishing to denounce the present convention, the denunciation shall be notified in writing to the Netherlands Government, which shall at once communicate a duly certified copy of the notification to all the other powers, informing them of the date on which it was received. The denunciation shall only have effect in regard to the notifying power and one year after the notification has reached the Netherlands Government. ARTICLE 14. A register kept by the Netherlands ministry for foreign affairs shall give the date of the deposit of ratifications made in virtue of article 10, paragraphs 3 and 4, as well as the date on which the notifications of adhesion (art. 11, par. 2) or of denunciation (art. 13, par. 1) have been received. Each contracting power is entitled to have access to this register and to be supplied with duly certified extracts from it. In faith whereof the plenipotentiaries have appended their signatures to the present convention. Done at The Hague, the 18th October, 1907, in a single copy, which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Netherlands Government, and duly certified copies of which shall be sent, through the diplomatic channel, to the powers invited to the second peace conference. [Here follows signatures.] RATIFICATIONS, ADHESIONS, AND RESERVATIONS. The foregoing convention was ratified by the following signatory powers on the dates indicated: Austria-Hungary, November 27, 1909. Belgium, August 8, 1910. Brazil, January 5, 1914. Denmark, November 27, 1909. France, October 7, 1910. Germany, November 27, 1909. Great Britain, November 27, 1909. Guatemala, March 15, 1911. Haiti, February 2, 1910. Japan, December 13, 1911. Luxemburg, September 5, 1912. Mexico, November 27, 1909. Netherlands, November 27, 1909. Norway, September 19, 1910. Panama, September 11, 1911. Salvador, November 27, 1909. Siam, March 12, 1910. Spain, March 18, 1913. Switzerland, May 12, 1910. United States, November 27, 1909. The Hague conference can not be regarded as binding in this war since several of the belligerent countries have not ratified it; article 9 required ratification by all to bind any of the countries as outlined by The Hague conference in 1907. PART I.-GENERAL PROVISIONS. Procedure and Disposition of Prize. ARTICLE 1. The validity of the capture of a merchant ship or its cargo is decided before a prize court in accordance with the present convention when neutral or enemy property is involved. ARTICLE 2. Jurisdiction in matters of prize is exercised in the first instance by the prize courts of the belligerent captor. The judgments of these courts are pronounced in public or are officially notified to parties concerned who are neutrals or enemies. ARTICLE 3. The judgments of national prize courts may be brought before the International Prize Court— 1. When the judgment of the national prize courts affects the property of a neutral power or individual; 2. When the judgment affects enemy property and relates to— (a) Crago on board a neutral ship; (b) An enemy ship captured in the territorial waters of a neutral power when that power has not made the capture the subject of a diplomatic claim; (c) A claim based upon the allegation that the seizure has been effected in violation either of the provisions of a convention in force between the belligerent powers or of an enactment issued by the belligerent captor. The appeal against the judgment of the national court can be based on the ground that the judgment was wrong either in fact or in law. ARTICLE 4. An appeal may be brought 1. By a neutral power if the judgment of the national tribunals injuriously affects its property or the property of its nationals (art. 3, No. 1), or if the capture of an enemy vessel is alleged to have taken place in the territorial waters of that power (art. 3, No. 2b); 2. By a neutral individual if the judgment of the national court injuriously affects his property (art. 3, No. 1), subject, however, to the reservation that the power to which he belongs may forbid him to bring the case before the court, or may itself undertake the proceedings in his place; 3. By an individual subject or citizen of an enemy power if the judgment of the national court injuriously affects his property in the cases referred to in article 3, No. 2, except that mentioned in paragraph b. ARTICLE 5. An appeal may also be brought on the same conditions as in the preceding article by persons belonging either to neutral States or to |