TABLE OF CONTENTS 



xin 



PAGE 



tary Holls sent to Berlin ; my personal letter to Baron von Billow Means 

 by which the Conference was kept from meeting until the return of these 

 two gentlemen. Festival given by the Netherlands Government to the Con 

 ference. Tableaux and dances representing art and life in the Dutch prov 

 inces. Splendid music. Visit to Leyden. Arrival of Speaker Reed of the 

 American House of Representatives. The Secretary of State authorizes our 

 placing a wreath of silver and gold on the tomb of Grotius. Session regard 

 ing the extension of the Geneva Rules. Return of Zorn and Holls from Ber 

 lin. Happy change in the attitude of Germany. Henceforward American 

 and German delegates work together in favor of arbitration. Question of 

 asphyxiating bullets and bombs ; view of Captain Mahan and Captain Crozier 

 on these subjects. Curious speech of the delegate from Persia, Mirza Riza 

 Khan. Great encouragement given by the new attitude of Germany. Prep 

 aration at Delft for our Grotius celebration. Visit to Rotterdam and Dort. 

 Thoughts upon the Synod of Dort. Visit to the house from which John 

 De Witt went to prison and assassination, and where Motley wrote much of 

 his history. Trouble regarding the relation of Switzerland to the Red Cross 

 Movement. The Duke of Tetuan. The Grotius wreath , 308 



CHAPTER XLIX. As PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN DELE 

 GATION AT THE PEACE CONFERENCE OF THE HAGUE V 

 1899 



Celebration of Independence Day at Delft in the presence of the entire Con 

 ference and of eminent Netherlanders ; speeches by the Netherlands ministers 

 and American delegates ; telegram from the King of Sweden. Impressive 

 character of the service ; the wreath placed upon the tomb ; breakfast given 

 by our delegation to the Conference, at the City Hall of Delft. Presentation 

 of the American Memorial in behalf of the immunity of private property on 

 the high seas ; my speech in its favor : friendly answer by M. de Martens in 

 behalf of Russia. Visit to M. Cornets de Groot at Ryswyck ; relics of his 

 great ancestor; curious information regarding the latter. Dinner to the 

 American delegation by the prime minister of the Netherlands ; happy refer 

 ence to the arbitration plan. Effects of our Grotius celebration. Great din 

 ner given by the Queen to the Conference at the palace in Amsterdam ; her 

 speech; her conversations afterward. General satisfaction shown at our 

 Grotius tribute. My conversation with Mr. Raffalovitch regarding Russian 

 disarmament. Its difficulties. Unfortunate article in the London &quot; Specta 

 tor &quot; on the work of the Conference. Attack in the Conference upon the 

 report on disarmament. Discussion of matters subsidiary to arbitration. 

 Hostile attitude of the Balkan States toward the commission d enqu$te; ill 

 feeling quieted. Field day regarding flattening and expanding bullets ; atti 

 tude of the British and American delegates. Difficulties regarding the Mon 

 roe Doctrine ; special meeting called by our delegation to obviate these , ap 

 parent impossibility of doing so ; project of an American declaration ; private 

 agreement upon it among leaders of the Conference ; agreement of the Con 

 ference to it. Final signing of the conventions ; seal used by me ; reserva 

 tion in behalf of the Monroe Doctrine attached to our signatures. Closing 

 of the Conference. Speeches of M. de Staal and Count Munster. Draw 

 ing up of our report; difficulties arising from sundry differences of opin 

 ion in our delegation. Final meeting of the Conference. Remarks of the 

 leading representative of a Catholic power, on the correspondence between 

 the Vatican and the Netherlands Government which had been presented to 

 the Conference. Retrospect of the Conference. Summary of its results . . 327 



