308 SYMPOSIUM ON INTERNATIONAL LAW. 



Slave Trade," 1890; "Formation of an International Union for the 

 Publication of Customs Tarifif," 1890; and " Regulation of Importa- 

 tion of Spirituous Liquors into Certain Regions of Africa," 1899. 

 Such international agreements became a part of the written law of 

 nations, but covered only a very small part of the entire field of inter- 

 national relations in peace and war. 



Toward the end of the nineteenth century there was developing 

 an idea that there should be a wider common agreement among the 

 states of the world upon matters of common interest and that the 

 will of these states should be formulated in conventions. Plainly, 

 if the nations of the world constituted a family the rules of action 

 for its members might be stated. The family idea had been ad- 

 vanced as the basis for international relations and the membership 

 in the family had gradually enlarged. It was coming to be believed 

 that the nations had sufficient unity of interest and willingness to act 

 together to enlarge the scope of international agreement. This 

 was in a somewhat comprehensive way put to the test in 1899. 



While the United States and Spain were still at war, at the diplo- 

 matic reception of August 12, 1898, at St. Petersburg, Count Moura- 

 vieff, Russian imperial minister of foreign afifairs, delivered to the 

 representatives of the Powers a communication from His Majesty 

 the Czar. The nature of the document gave rise to surprise, but 

 its character and source demanded immediate attention. Mention- 

 ing the competition in development of means of international com- 

 bat and the effect of this competition upon the states of the world, 

 he proposed an international conference, saying that 



" To put an end to these increasing armaments, and to find means for 

 avoiding the calamities which menace the entire world, that is the supreme 

 duty which lies upon all nations." 



The United States replied that 



" Though war with Spain renders it impracticable for us to consider the 

 present reduction of our armaments, which even now are doubtless far below 

 the measure which principal European pqwers would be willing to adopt, 

 the President cordially concurs in the spirit of the proposal of His Imperial 

 Majesty." 



Another circular was presented to the Powers on January 11, 

 1899, containing a tentative program. This program suggested 



