Evening star., 1899-04-15
THE HORRORS OF WAR
Tentative Plans for Their Mitigation
Discussed.
PROPOSED ABOLITION OF FORPElOES
Possible Results of the Cars Dis
armament Conference.
SED ABOLITION OF TOEPEnOES
INSTRUCTIONS TO DELEGATES

The instructions to the American dele
gates to the cars disarmament congress
are in the hands Of the President, and they
will be communicated TO Messrs. White,
Low and Newell and Capts. Mahan and
Crozier at an early day. There will be no
concerted meeting of the delegates this
side the only purpose being to arrive at
The Hague about the same time, on or
about May IS. Capt. CTozier the military
expert of the delegation. is preparing to
sail next week Mr.. Seth Low came over
from New York TO confer with the Presi-
dent and Secretary Hay before sailing.
Capt. Mahan is In New York and may go
on with Capt. CrOzier next week. Messrs.
White and Newell are already near the
scene OF the congress.
In one respect 1t is said in official quar-
ters that the congress may achieve results
of far-reaching character, although not in
full realization of the plan Of disarmament.
This, 1t Is hoped VIII be in the line Of
ameliorating the horrors of war, doing
away with the needless suffering and maim
ing which soI1e missiles OF warfare occa-
sion. and in general placing warfare upon
humane a basis as is consistent with
military and strategic usage.
This plan is said to be quite apart from
any sentimental idea, ard is based upon
strict military considerations. 1t is already
receiving attention from the military mem
bers of the American commission, and it
was for this reason mainly that military
branch was determlE ed upon.
One of the American delegates said today.
as indicating the scope of this line of ac-
tion. that tentative plans had been put for
ward for doing away with tOrPedOes in
naval warfare; also abandoning rams on
warships; also against the use of explosive
shells below five pounds.
The abandonment of torpedoeS and rams
would probably arouse much opposition
from naval quarters, the ground that it
was utopian and sentimental 1t is advo-
Gated on the theory that the torpedo and
ram cause wholesale destruction of life and
property, killing and manning hundreds at
a single shock, and that this loss is out of
all proportion to the military advantages
secured, amounting to wanton destruction.
The restriction on explosive shells and bull
lets already exists up to one pound. but the
tentative plan is to make this limit five
pounds.
The change Is based on the theory that
the three and fOur-pOund explosive shells
cause wholesale destruction, and that the
pieces of the shells cause wounds similar to
those made by spreading bullets, which
needleSsly tear the flesh and cause intense
suffering. In many ways civilized nations
already have recognized the needs of miti-
eating the horrors of war, and rules exist
against the use of poisoned bullets. ball and
chain shot. missiles which tear the flesh and
MAIN, explosive bullets up to one pound,
etc The Geneva conference brought about
many of these humane understandings.
1t is now hoped that the cars congress
may still further carry forward this hu-
name work, and one of the American dele
gates expressed the sincere hope today that
the forthcoming congress, even If not ac-
cOmplishing the full end OF disarmament,
would still give lasting benefits to mankind
by placing such restrictions on warfare as
to eliminate wholesale destrucJt1H of life
and needless bodily suffering 10 The indi-
vidUal