.26 



NETHERLANDS. 



for special arbitration. The text of the conven- 

 tion finally completed and adopted by the con- 

 ference is as follows: 

 "THE MAINTENANCE OF THE GENERAL PEACE. 



" ARTICLE I. In order to prevent as far as pos- 

 sible the recourse to force in international rela- 

 tions the signatory powers agree to employ call 

 their efforts to bring about, by pacific means, the 

 solution of the differences which may arise be- 

 tween states. 



"(ioon OFFICES AND MEDIATION. 



" ART II The signatory powers agree that in 

 case of grave disagreement or conflict, before 

 appealing to arms, they will have recourses so 

 far as circumstances allow it. to the good offices 

 or mediation of one or more of the friendly powers. 



" AUT. III. Independently of this recourse, the 

 signatory powers consider it useful that one or 

 more powers that are not concerned in the con- 

 flict should offer of their own initiative, so far 

 as the circumstances lend themselves to it, their 

 good ollices or their mediation to the disputing 

 states. 



" The powers not concerned in the conflict have 

 the right of offering their good offices or their 

 mediation even (hiring the course of hostilities. 



" The exercise of this right can never be consid- 

 ered by either of the disputing parties as an un- 

 friendly act. 



" AUT. IV. The part of the mediator consists 

 in the reconciliation of contrary pretensions and 

 in the allaying of the resentments which may be 

 caused between the disputing states. 



" ART. V. The duties of the mediator cease 

 from the moment when it is announced, whether 

 by one of the disputing parties or by the mediator 

 himself, that the compromise or the bases of a 

 friendly understanding proposed by him have not 

 been accepted. 



" ART. VI. Good offices and mediation, wheth- 

 er recourse is had to them bj 7 one of the disputing 

 parties or on the initiative of powers not con- 

 cerned in the conflict, have exclusively the char- 

 acter of counsel and are devoid of any obligatory 

 force. 



" ART. VII. The acceptance of mediation can 

 not have the effect, unless it be agreed to the 

 contrary, of interrupting, retarding, or impeding 

 mobilization and other measures preparatory to 

 war. 



" If it (mediation) intervenes before the open- 

 ing of hostilities, it does not, unless the contrary 

 be agreed upon, interrupt the current military 

 operations. 



" ART. VIII. The signatory powers agree to 

 recommend the application, in circumstances 

 which permit of it, of a special mediation in the 

 following form: 



" In the case of a grave disagreement endan- 

 gering peace the disputing states should each 

 choose one power to which they may intrust the 

 mission of entering into direct communication 

 with the power chosen by the other side for the 

 purpose of preventing the rupture of pacific rela- 

 tions. 



" During the continuance of their mandate, the 

 duration of which, unless the contrary is stipu- 

 lated, can not exceed thirty days, the question 

 in dispute is considered as referred exclusively 

 to these powers. They must apply all their ef- 

 forts to arranging the difference. 



" In case of the actual rupture of pacific rela- 

 tions these powers remain charged with the com- 

 mon mission of profiting by every opportunity of 

 re-establishing peace. 



" INTERNATIONAL COMMISSIONS OF INQUIRY. 



" ART. IX. In cases in which a difference of 

 appreciation of questions of fact should arise be- 

 tween the signatory powers which has given rise 

 to a disagreement of an international character 

 which could not be settled by the ordinary diplo- 

 matic methods, and in which neither the honor 

 nor the vital interests of these powers are at 

 stake, the interested parties agree to have re- 

 course, so far as the circumstances permit it, 

 to the institution of international commissions 

 of inquiry, in order to establish the circumstances 

 which have given rise to dispute and to clear up 

 by an impartial and conscientious inquiry on the 

 spot all questions of fact. 



'.' ART. X. The international commissions of 

 inquiry are instituted by special convention be- 

 tween the disputing parties, defining the scope of 

 the inquiry and the powers of the commissioners. 

 The question at issue is to be argued from the 

 standpoint of the two contending parties. 



" ART. XI. The commissions of inquiry, unless, 

 otherwise stipulated, are constituted as described 

 in Article XXXI. 



" ART. XII. The interested powers undertake 

 to furnish to the international commission of in- 

 quiry, to the fullest extent that they shall con- 

 sider possible, all the means and all the facilities 

 necessary for the complete knowledge and exact 

 appreciation of the facts in question. 



"ART. XIII. The international commission of 

 inquiry shall present to the interested powers 

 its report signed by all the members of the com- 

 mission. 



" ART. XIV. The report of the international 

 commission of inquiry has in no wise the charac- 

 ter of an arbitral decision. It leaves the dis- 

 puting powers entire freedom, either to conclude 

 a friendly arrangement on the basis of this re- 

 port or to have recourse ultimately to mediation 

 or to arbitration. 



" INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION. 



"ART. XV. International arbitration has for 

 its object the settlement of disputes between 

 states .by judges of their own choosing and in 

 conformity with their reciprocal rights. 



" ART. XVI. In questions of right, and espe- 

 cially in questions of the interpretation or appli- 

 cation of international conventions, arbitration 

 is recognized by the signatory, powers as the most 

 effective and at the same time the most equitable 

 means of settling disputes not arranged by diplo- 

 matic methods. 



" ART. XVII. The agreement to arbitrate may 

 be concluded for disputes already in existence or 

 for disputes about to arise. It can deal with 

 every sort of dispute or only with disputes of 

 a specified category. 



"ART. XVIII. The arbitral convention in- 

 volves an engagement to submit in good faith 

 to the arbitral decision. 



" ART. XIX. Independently of general or spe- 

 cial treaties, which may already bind th signa- 

 tory powers to have recourse to arbitration, these 

 powers reserve to themselves the liberty to con- 

 clude, either before the ratification of the pres- 

 ent article or afterward, new agreements, general 

 or particular, with the object of extending com- 

 pulsory arbitration to all cases which they judge 

 capable of being submitted to it. 



" ART. XX. With the object of promoting the 

 development of arbitration, the signatory powers 

 consider it useful to lay down certain rules con- 

 cerning arbitral jurisdiction and procedure. 



" These provisions are only applicable in case 



