THE RULES OF WARFARE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14016, 23 March 1909, Page 5

THE RULES OF WARFARE.

■ •■ - , CONFERENCE OF POWERS. ' -_ ' J- Y." • ■, ' ..'■ *;■■;■ <V.i~~~T :v;^-- : BRITISH DIPLOMACY. - . (Received March 22, li:20 ; p.m.)' ', ■ ■j. ..;■•;. . London', March 22. ; la connection with the proposals made at The Hague Conference for the establishment of an'international prize court, an international conference on maritime warfare was summoned to meet in London in December last. :... ...^ The conference concluded its work last month, and two Blue Books con--taining its deliberations have just been issued. ;' They include a declaration consisting of a codification of the laws of naval war, i signed on, >behalf <of Great Britain, France, Germany,'- the ! United States, Austria-Hungary, and the Netherlands. „ The' ! four other Powers represented at the conference are expected to sign before June. ~..-■'. ..'■ The aim of the conference was to [define principles for the guidance of j the proposed international .prizecourt. The instructions of Sir Edward Grey '; (British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs) to the British i delegates were to preserve those legitimate mights of belligerents which had heretofore proved essential, the ' successful assertion of British sea = power, and to defend British independence. •' ..,' ■■;■'■;■ >; '..,',;''' ■'"'■' i The Morning Post declares- that the legal experts and strategists will those objects attained, and the work ; of the •; conference , one» ; of ; the most successful efforts of British diplomacy. ; >.\ ' * v (Received March 23, 1.20 a.m.) .' . London, March 22. . I The Times, dealing with the naval ' Blue Books, says, that on the whole a not unsatisfactory agreement -has been arrived at, but no ,' agreement has been reached '•■regarding:;, a merchantman's right, which Britain denies, to convert itself' into- a*warsship upon the " high" seas, nor whether the nationality, .oiy.as Britain contends, the domicile of the owner, determines the . character,-whether neutral or enemy,.of his goods. n ,^. The British delegates;, reporting to Sir Edward Grey; . give grounds i for hoping that the court will adopt the British view .on the last-named point, but regarding the former they hold out no such hope; •- *>