Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-07-22


TED STATES AND GREAT BRIT
AIN OPPOSE THE PROHIBITION
OF ASPHYXIATING PROJECT
ILES-THE DUMDUM BULLET,
USED BY GREAT BRITAIN,
CAME IN FOR A LARGE MEAS
URE OF DISCUSSION - NO
AGREEMENT REACHED RE-
GARDING THAT SORT OF MIS-
SIZES.
THE HAGUE, July 21.-Baron de
Staal presided at the plenary sessionof
of the International peace conference to-
day, to place the final seal upon the
laborS of the first committee. The first
point Of NJ. Van Karnebeck's report
dealing with prohibition of dropping ex-
plosf5es from balloons was unanimously
agreed to.
The second point, prohibiting of the
use of aspnixiating projectiles was
agreed to by all except the United
States and Great Britain, whose abste-
nation nullines the agreement of the
others.
The third point, which relates to ex-
panding bullets, occupies the majority
part of the sitting owing TO the ques-
ton of the dumdum bullet used by the
British army. Sir Julian Pauncefote
expressed regret that the plenary ses-
sion had been so suddenly summoned,
as the British government had intend
ed to make statement regarding the
dumdum bullet. The conference agreed
to leave the minutes of the session open
for the insertion of the British state
ment.
Mr. Andrew D. White, the head Of
the United States delegation, then made
an important speech in opposition to
prohibition of such bullets as the dunn
dunn. Mr.. Whites arguments made a
great impression upon delegates, es-
pecially when he explained that the
adoption of the proposal as submitted
would not prevent the use of another
and which would attain the same end
as the dumdum. but in a more cruel
manner. The new missile, Mr. White
said, was outside the specific definitions
Of the present proposal.
Captain Crozier, the military member
of the United States delegation, pro-
posed as substitute the following:
The use of bullets should be prohib-
tied which inf1ict unnecessarily cruel
wounds, such as explosive bullets, and
in general, every kind of bullet exceed
ing the limits necessary TO put a man
Immediately hors de combat"
A long discussion ensued as to wheth-
er a vote should be taken upon the
original proposal of Captain Crozier.
The latter was finally chosen to be
voted upon. Sir Julian Pauncefote an
nounced that he would accept Captain
Crozier's proposal, but it was rejected
by vote of II to 8. NJ. Van Karne-
beck's version was then adopted, Great
Britain and the United States alone
delegates abstaining from voting.
The eight countries voting for Cap
tain Crozier's proposal were the United
States, Great Britain, Denmark, Greece,
Servia, Portugal, China and another.
All except the first two named support
ed the Crozier proposal only in the
hope of securing unanimity in the con-
ference, Captain Crozier's proposal be-
ing more general in its terms, while il
was known that the imDossibility of
obtaining the adhesion of the United
States and Great Britain for NJ. Van
Karnebeck's version would render flu
| tile any convention on the subject.
The remainder of the report was then
adopted.
Before the close Of the sitting the
American delegates announced that
they would recommend the articles
which they had proposed should be adj
ded to the Geneva convention, Captain
Mahan explaining the reason for the
additional articles and why they were
withdrawn
The labors of the conference are now
concluded with the exception of the
work before the arbitration commission.