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1899.

CONVENTION WITH RESPECT TO THE LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON

LAND.

Concluded July 29, 1899; ratification advised by the Senate March 14, 1902; ratified by the President March 19, 1902; ratifications deposited with the Netherlands Government April 5, 1902; proclaimed April 11, 1902. (U. S. Stats., vol. 32, p. 1803.)

I. Instructions to forces.

II. When binding.

III. Ratification.

ARTICLES.

IV. Nonsignatory powers.
V. Renunciation.

ANNEX.

Section I.-Belligerents.

Chapter I.-Qualifications of belligerents.

I. Application of laws of war.
II. Unorganized belligerents.

IV. Treatment.
V. Confinement.

VI. Employment.

VII. Maintenance.

III. Combatants; noncombatants.

Chapter II.-Prisoners of war.

VIII. Laws; regulations; recap

ture.

IX. False statements.

X. Parole.

XI. Parole voluntary.

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Chapter III.-Sick and wounded.

XXI. Obligation of belligerents.

Section II.-Hostilities.

Chapter I.-Means of injuring enemy; sieges; bombardments.

XXII. Means of injurying enemy.
XXIII. Prohibitions.
XXIV. Obtaining information.
XXV. Attack of towns, etc.

XXVI. Warning authorities.
XXVII. Religious edifices, etc.
XXVIII. Pillage.

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Chapter V.-Armistices.

XXXVI. Suspension of hostilities. XXXVII. General and local. XXXVIII. Notification.

XXXIX. Terms.

XL. Violation.
XLI. Punishment.

Section III.-Military authority over hostile territory.

XLII. Territory; occupation.
XLIII. Reestablishing order.

XLIV. Forced military service.
XLV. Oath.

XLVI. Rights respected.

XLVII. Pillage.

XLVIII. Taxes, dues, etc.

XLIX. Taxes for military necessities.

L. Penalty.

LI. Collection of taxes.

LII. R quisition and services. LIII. Seizure of public cash, etc.; railways, etc.

LIV. Plant of railways.

LV. Administration.

LVI. Religious, etc., institution.

Section IV.-Internment of belligerents and care of wounded in neutral countries.

LVII. Internment in neutral state.
LVIII. Treatment.

LIX. Transit.

LX. Geneva convention.

[Translation.]

CONVENTION WITH RESPECT TO THE LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR

ON LAND."

His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia; His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia etc., and Apostolic King of Hungary; His Majesty the King of the Belgians; His Majesty the King of Denmark; His Majesty the King of Spain and in His Name Her Majesty the Queen Regent of the Kingdom; the President of the United States of America; the President of the United Mexican States; the President of the French Republic; Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom 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 Luxemburg, 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 of the Algarves etc.; 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; His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans and His Royal Highness the Prince of Bulgaria.

Considering that, while seeking means to preserve peace and prevent armed conflicts among nations, it is likewise necessary to have regard to cases where an appeal to arms may be caused by events which their solicitude could not avert;

Animated by the desire to serve, even in this extreme hypothesis, the interests of humanity and the ever increasing requirements of civilization;

Thinking it important, with this object, to revise the laws and general customs of war, either with the view of defining them more precisely, or of laying down certain limits for the purpose of modifying their severity as far as possible;

a Adhered to by Korea, Peru, and Salvador.

Inspired by these views which are enjoined at the present day, as they were twenty-five years ago at the time of the Brussels Conference in 1874, by a wise and generous foresight;

Have, in this spirit, adopted a great number of provisions, the object of which is to define and govern the usages of war on land.

In view of the High Contracting Parties, these provisions, the wording of which has been inspired by the desire to diminish the evils of war so far as military necessities permit, are destined to serve as general rules of conduct for belligerents in their relations with each other and with populations.

It has not, however, been possible to agree forthwith on provisions embracing all the circumstances which occur in practice.

On the other hand, it could not be intended by the High Contracting Parties that the cases not provided for should, for want of a written provision, be left to the arbitrary judgment of the military Commanders.

Until a more complete code of the laws of war is issued, the High Contracting Parties think it right to declare that in cases not included in the Regulations adopted by them, populations and belligerents remain under the protection and empire of the principles of international law, as they result from the usages established between civilized nations, from the laws of humanity, and the requirements of the public conscience;

They declare that it is in this sense especially that Articles I and II of the Regulations adopted must be understood;

The High Contracting Parties, desiring to conclude a Convention to this effect, have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, to-wit:

His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia: His Excellency Count de Munster, Prince of Derneburg, His Ambassador at Paris.

His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, etc., and Apostolic King of Hungary: His Excellency Count R. de Welsersheimb, His Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary; Mr. Alexander Okolicsanyi d'Okolicsna, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Hague.

His Majesty the King of the Belgians: His Excellency Mr. Auguste Beernaert, His Minister of State, President of the Chamber of Representatives; Count de Grelle Rogier, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Hague; the Chevalier Descamps, Senator. His Majesty the King of Denmark: His Chamberlain Fr. E. de Bille, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at London. His Majesty the King of Spain and in His Name, Her Majesty the Queen Regent of the Kingdom: His Excellency the Duke of Tetuan, former Minister for Foreign Affairs; Mr. W. Ramirez de Villa Urrutia, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Brussels; Mr. Arthur de Baguer, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Hague.

The President of the United States of America: Mr. Stanford Newell, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Hague. The President of the United Mexican States: Mr. de Mier, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Paris; Mr. Zenil, Minister Resident at Brussels.

The President of the French Republic: Mr. Léon Bourgeois, former President of the Council, former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Member of the Chamber of Deputies; Mr. George Bihourd, Envoy Extraor

dinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Hague; the Baron d'Estournelles de Constant, Minister Plenipotentiary, Member of the Chamber of Deputies.

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India: His Excellency the Right Honorable Baron Pauncefote of Preston, Member of Her Majesty's Privy Council, Her Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at Washington; Sir Henry Howard, Her Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Hague.

His Majesty the King of the Hellenes: Mr. N. Delyanni, former President of the Council, former Minister for Foreign Affairs, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Paris.

His Majesty the King of Italy: His Excellency Count Nigra, His Ambassador at Vienna, Senator of the Kingdom; Count A. Zannini, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Hague; Commander Guido Pompilj, Deputy in the Italian Parliament.

His Majesty the Emperor of Japan: Mr. I. Motono, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Brussels.

His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Luxemburg, Duke of Nassau: His Excellency Mr. Eyschen, His Minister of State, President of the Grand Ducal Government.

His Highness the Prince of Montenegro: His Excellency Mr. de Staal, Privy Councillor, Ambassador of Russia at London.

Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands: the Jonkheer A. P. C. van Karnebeek, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Member of the Second Chamber of the States General; General J. C. C. den Beer Poortugael, former Minister of War, Member of the Council of State; Mr. T. M. C. Asser, Member of the Council of State; Mr. E. N. Rahusen, Member of the First Chamber of the States General.

His Imperial Majesty the Shah of Persia: His Aid-de-Camp General Mirza Riza Khan, Arfa-ud-Dovleh, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at St. Petersburg and at Stockholm.

His Majesty the King of Portugal and of the Algarves, etc.: Count de Macedo, Peer of the Kingdom, former Minister of Marine and of the Colonies, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Madrid; Mr. d'Ornellas et Vasconcellos, Peer of the Kingdom, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at St. Petersburg; Count de Selir, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Hague.

His Majesty the King of Roumania: Mr. Alexander Beldiman, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Berlin; Mr. Jean N. Papiniu, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Hague.

His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias: His Excellency Mr. de Staal, Privy Councillor, His Ambassador at London; Mr. de Martens, Permanent Member of the Council of the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs, His Privy Councillor; Mr. de Basily, His Councillor of State, Chamberlain, Director of the First Department of the Imperial Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

His Majesty the King of Servia: Mr. Miyatovitch, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at London and at the Hague.

His Majesty the King of Siam: M. Phya Suriya Nuvatr, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at St. Petersburg and at Paris; M. Phya Visuddha Suriyasakti, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Hague and at London.

His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway: the Baron de Bildt, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Rome.

His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans: His Excellency Turkhan Pasha, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Member of His Council of State; Noury Bey, Secretary General in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Bulgaria: Dr. Dimitri Stancioff, Diplomatic Agent at St. Petersburg; Major Christo Hessaptchieff, Military Attaché at Belgrade.

Who, after communication of their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed on the following:

ARTICLE I.

The High Contracting Parties shall issue instructions to their armed land forces, which shall be in conformity with the "Regulations respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land" annexed to the present Convention.

ARTICLE II.

The provisions contained in the Regulations mentioned in Article I are only binding on the Contracting Powers, in case of war between two or more of them.

These provisions shall cease to be binding from the time when, in a war between Contracting Powers, a non-Contracting Power joins one of the belligerents.

ARTICLE III.

The present Convention shall be ratified as speedily as possible. The ratifications shall be deposited at the Hague.

A procès-verbal shall be drawn up recording the receipt of each ratification, and a copy, duly certified, shall be sent through the diplomatic channel, to all the Contracting Powers.

ARTICLE IV.

Non-Signatory Powers are allowed to adhere to the present Con

vention.

For this purpose they must make their adhesion known to the Contracting Powers by means of a written notification, addressed to the Netherland Government, and by it communicated to all the other Contracting Powers.

ARTICLE V.

In the event of one of the High Contracting Parties denouncing the present Convention, such denunciation would not take effect until a year after the written notification made to the Netherland Government, and by it at once communicated to all the other Contracting Powers.

This denunciation shall affect only the notifying Power.

In faith of which the Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Convention and affixed their seals thereto.

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