HAGUE PEACE CONFERENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2117, 27 June 1907, Page 2

HAGUE PEACE CONFERENCE.

DELEGATE OBJECTED TO

United Press Association—Copyright THE HAGUE, June 25. Orestes Ferrara, an Anarchist, a former Italian revolutionist, was appointed to represent Cuba at the Peace Conference, but was informed that His presence would bo unwelcome, and resigned.

EIGHTS OF BELLIGERENTS. “The object of the Russian Government in convening the conference (writes the Daily Mail) was rather to consider" certain details of international law and certain restrictions on the rights of belligerents than to limit or decrease the armed forces of the Powers. The general attitude of I the Great Powers to the limitation of armaments may be summed up thus: England, Italy, Japan, the Uni-1 ted States, favorable. France and Russia very doubtful I whether such a proposal is practic-J able. I

Germany, hostile; and will probably be supported by Austria. “The programme submitted to the Powers by the Russian Government! proposed the discussion of the follow-! ing matters: 1. Improvements in the convention arrived at by the first Hague Conference in 1899 for the settlement of disputes by arbitration. I - The elaboration of a convention! regulating naval war and dealing! with the following heads:— I (a) Bombardment of open ports! and laying of mines. I (b) Transformation of merchant! vessels into warships. (c) Capture of private property I at sea. I (d) Duties of neutral, as re-J gards contraband, treatment! of belligerents in neutral! ports, and destruction of I neutral ships by belligerents. I (e) The period of grace to be I granted to merchant vessels! which find themselves in a I hostile port on the outbreak! of war. 3. The convention to contain ar-J rangemerits relative; to land war. I •1. Changes to be made in the con- | vention signed in 1899 to givo|

i- better effect to the Geneva Con vention of 1864, dealing with tin v treatment of the wounded, etc. _ “If will be observed that disarma ■ ment did not figure in the original ' programme, though some modifications have since been effected in the Russian proposals. The' proposals oi s programme concern England vi> 1 ?, aUy » as , must profoundly iiffoct the conduct of war at soa, For ex- ’ ample, if belligerent cruisers were ( permitted to use neutral ports freejy. the attack upon British commerce i 111 war ""ould be greatly facilitated.” i LIMITATION. ! The latest official declarations in Germany and Italy on the limitation discussion proposed by Britain were made last month. -P .nee von 13ulow, the Gorman Chancellor, said Germany % would attend tlie Hague I

Conference, but would leave it to othors, who were sanguino that the discussion of limitation of armaments would prove successful, to conduct it alone. If a practical scheme was! evolved, Germany would conscion-| tiously consider it. To this the British Premier, Sir Henry CampbellBannerman, replied, at Manchester a I few days later, giving the assurance that the snspicon that Britain wish-1 cd to embarrass Germany by raising the question of limitation of arma-j ments was absolutely unfounded. Subsequently, Signor Tittoni, Ital-1 ian Minister, of Foreign Affairs, I speaking in the Chamber of Dex>u-| ties, stated that while Italy adhered) to the noble intentions inspiring Bid-) tain’s proposal for the limitation of f armamonts, at f)ic same time she) agreed lift the rcsevatipiis made by| Germany and Ar|stria-Hungafy as to) the possibility of immediate "realise- [ tion. “Italy, however,” ' said the) Minister, “will participate in the) discussion at The Hague Conference, | reserving the right of absolute freer) dorn of action. The solution belongs) j to the future,” ) '

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS. GERMANY’S POSITION. United Preßs Association —Copyright Received Juno 26, 9.33 p.m. BERLIN, Juno 26. Tho somi-ofiicial “Kiel Gazette” asks wliy Germany should not conclude with Japan an alliance similar to that between Japan and France, it adds:—Germany could all tho more willingly inasmuch as it always respected' China’s integrity in the virtue of the principal of the open door which the Kaiser went to defend at Tangier. _ I The same journal declares that the relations between Britain and Germany, which already wore improving, have been rendered completely cordial by King Edward’s invitation to the Kaiser. A TRIPLE ALLIANCE. Received June 26, 11.32 p.m. LONDON, June 26. Notos have been exchanged between Britain, Sjiain, and France, and were pub!idled simultaneously. The three countries each declare that they are animated by a desire to contribute in every way possible to tho maintenance of peace. Britain and Spain and France and Spain mutually promise that if circumstances arise altering or tending to alter the existing status quo to communicate with each other, in order to afford an opportunity to confer regarding expediency of common action.