LONDON'S HAGUE CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 45, 16 November 1907, Page 10

LONDON'S HAGUE CONFERENCE.

- .The: long and.protracted rnegotiations of tlie Haguo CQhfereiicp,pyej\..tlie questions of Witrabarid''find■blockade''have, despite 'the efforts of Great Britain and a direct official appeal tb'.'CffaSnahy,' (fdmoHHja'h impasse and wilfJbe dropped. V-- r'VV. f-'••"• *• ■ Great Britain, has .accordingly, through her'delegates) communicated with the representatives of the. ..United.. States, Franco, Russia, Japan, Germany, Italy, Austna■Hungary, attd\ i ''Spainf-'-with , *'-trrtr view of securing tho provisional approval of their respective Governments to a conference in London in the autumn of 1908 of tho nine principal Naval. Powers...for tho purposo .of .negotiating; a= definite agreement on theso 'and other 'of ndVjil warfare which may ultimately "by tho decisions ■pi" thtf International Prize Court. It is believed the proposal.will , Bc'-'aeoopted. The ultimate forni' of tlie 'British proposal was as follows:— ".;. ."''. . 1. A ship carrying contraband.is liable to be seized anywhere,-if."hoc. , u'ltiihVato destination is a hostile she may call first at.neutral ports'.' - 3 '*'\ 2. A ship'carr'ying contraband is freo and her cargo is free, oveif although it is destined for thc',c»emy, if her voyage terminates at'a. neutral'port. ■■■; '-3. A.ship'wlibsb uitimato destination is a blockaded port may be captured anywhero within the 800 mile's , radius" "of"tlie enemy, though she may call at intermediate nonblockaded ports. '"• .■■-•--■ i. A ship proceeding to a neutral port as hoi! ultimate destination, although it is within the 800 miles'radius'is; free and her cargo is free, oven if:-it ; is to'be;' : sent to the enemy; by i rail-or ■tran'shipment , ;:- As regards ■;c6iitrabaiid; l .Groat Britain had .'proposed ; thc restrictipii'jj-'bf/.cpntraband to 'jiarrowi- groups ■ vancL.eonditional ■ contrabiaiVdj'WiiJft'f wJhat food'stuffs' w'reV v biilf;'liabl^to. , /s?rz¥rsr':when destiiiodif pities, and that raw:.'inateti9].Co'f:lcertttj)r : jjijnortant industries •should"' be'enljroly 'fre6~from cap-

As mattbi-s •'erideU'"'at the Hague, Germany, while ready, .to, give, genera), and provisional assent to"' the principles underlying tho schome, -reserved...complete freedom as to |ti»»i.'dboeptanco» of;.fth,e" in non-con:traband-.tartteles;;;-,\Yliild-.-Erance took a similar lino 'both■ jyitlj regardu and .also' ; tlie.proposed''partiar , ab''andonrnent of the doctrine "of 1 * coivtimforife •■f-byage—in which Great Britain, to win Germany's support;, •had , j'reluctantly 'aequiesobdp;: