460 COUNT PAUL fr'ederick sclopis de salerano. 



Thus it was that Count Sclopis I'emained in voluntary retirement 

 at Turin, but it was not to waste his time in idleness. He had always 

 been a voluminous writer, and he still continued his labors. One 

 volume of the " History of Piedmontese Legislation," three volumes 

 on "Italian Legislation," and several disquisitions on the " Political 

 History of Savoy," at once showed the continued activity of his mind 

 as well as the value of his investigations. 



Although tliis decision of Count Sclopis necessarily threw him for 

 a time into private life, it was not in the nature of things that the 

 sovereign could keep him out of his mind altogether. In due course of 

 time, an event occurred of a wholly novel nature in the history of the 

 world. Two great nations which had what they considered as com- 

 plaints to make of each other, instead of going to war and doing as 

 much reciprocal injury as possible, agreed upon a mode of arriving at 

 a settlement without fighting. This was in the form of a treaty, which 

 provided for the construction of a board of arbitrators, representatives 

 of their respective nations, whose province it should be to consider the 

 arguments presented on their behalf, and to return an award under- 

 stood to be conclusive on both the contestants. Such was the tri- 

 bunal composed of representatives selected by the authorities of three 

 entirely neutral nations, who, in conjunction with one from each of 

 the aggrieved parties, should assemble at Geneva to hear and decide 

 upon the merits of the questions as presented to them by their respec- 

 tive servants learned in international law. Such was the tribunal, 

 well known as the arbitration held at Geneva in Switzerland in the 

 year 1872. The three nations solicited to send arbitrators on this 

 occasion were Italy, Brazil, and Switzerland ; and they, in cofljunction 

 with a similar representative from each side, constituted the board of 

 final appeal. 



On behalf of the Kingdom of Italy, the sovereign, not unmindful 

 of the ample qualifications of his ancient adviser, pitched upon Count 

 Sclopis as his representative. And when the time came round for the 

 assembling of the arbitrators at Geneva, and they met in council, 

 there was not a moment's hesitation in selecting that learned and dis- 

 tinguished individual to preside over the deliberations. It is needless 

 to add that he performed that duty with a moderation and a dignity 

 entirely in keeping with the magnitude of the occasion. He had then 

 reached the advanced age of seventy-four, a period when it might fairly 

 be permitted to him to indulge in repose. But such was not his dis- 

 position. In addition to numerous works on the history and legis- 

 lation of Savoy, he has continued his labors steadily down to the 



