296 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE-XXII 



After a great deal of talk, it was decided to authorize 

 the chairman of each committee to give to the press com 

 plete reports, so far as possible, keeping in the back 

 ground the part taken by individuals. 



At six the American delegation met, and the subject 

 of our instructions regarding the presentation of the 

 American view of the immunity of private property on 

 the high seas in time of war was taken up. It was de 

 cided to ask some of the leading supporters of this view 

 to meet us at luncheon at 12.30 on Monday, in order to 

 discuss the best way of overcoming the Eussian plan of 

 suppressing the matter, and to concert means for getting 

 the whole subject before the full conference. 



June 11. 



Instead of going to hear the Bishop of Hereford preach 

 on &quot; Peace,&quot; I walked with Dr. Holls to Scheveningen, 

 four miles, to work off a nervous headache and to invite 

 Count Minister to our luncheon on Monday, when we 

 purpose to take counsel together regarding private prop 

 erty on the high seas. He accepted, but was out of humor 

 with nearly all the proceedings of the conference. He is 

 more than ever opposed to arbitration, and declares that, 

 in view of the original Eussian programme under which 

 we were called to meet, we have no right to take it up at 

 all, since it was not mentioned. He was decidedly pessi 

 mistic regarding the continuance of the sessions, asking 

 me when I thought it would all end ; and on my answering 

 that I had not the slightest idea, he said that he was 

 entirely in the dark on the subject; that nobody could 

 tell how long it would last, or how it would break off. 



June 12. 



At half-past twelve came our American luncheon to 

 Count Minister, Mr. van Karnebeek, and Baron de Bildt, 

 each of whom is at the head of his delegation, our pur 

 pose being to discuss with them the best manner of get 

 ting the subject of immunity of private property at sea, 



