The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-07-22
PLENAPY SESSION

OF tho Pcaoo Conferences = United
States and Great Britain Stand To-
gether on Important Matters.
Labors OF Commission Near tho
Close.
THE HAGUE. July 2i.-BarOn de
staal, preSlded at the plenary session
OF the international peace conference
to-day. to place the flnal seal upon the
laboFB OF the frst committee. The fTst
point Of II. Van KRrnebeck's report
dealing with prohibition OF dropping
explosives from balloons was unani-
mousely agreed to.
The second point, prohibiting Of the
use OF asphyxiating proiectiteS was
agreed to by all except the United
States and Great Britain, whose abb
stenation nulhfes the agreement Of tho
others.
The third point which relates TO ex-
pandlng bullets, occupied the major
part of the sitting owing to the ques-
tlon OF the dumdum bullet used by the
British army.
Sir Julian Pauncefote expressed re-
gret that the plenary session had been
SO suddenly summoned, as the British
government had intended to make a
statement regarding the dumdum bull
let. The conference agreed 10 leave the
minutes Of the session open for the In
sertion OF the British statement
Ambassador whlte's speech.
Mr. Andrew. D. White. the head Of the
United States delegation, then made an
important speech in opposition to pro-
hibltlon Of such bullets as the dumdum.
Mr.. Whites arguments made q great
impresslon upon delegates. especially
when he explained that the adoption Of
the proposal as submitted would not
prevent the use of another bullet which
had already been Invented. and which
would attain the same end az the dum-
DUN, but In a more cruel manner. The
new missile, Mr.. White said. was 0ut-
side the specific definitions Of the pres
ent proposal.
Captain Crozler the military member
Of the United States delegation, pro-
posed as substitute the following:
"The use OF bullets should be pro-
hIbIted which lnairt unnecessarily
cruel wounds. such as explosive bullets,
and in general every kind OF bullet ex-
ceeding the limits necessary to put a
man Immediately hors de combat"
A long discussion ensued as to
whether a vote should be taken upon
the original proposal or Captain Gro.
ziers. The latter was finally chosen to
be voted upon. Sir Julian Pauncefote
announced that he would accept Cap
tain CrozIer's proposal. but 1t was re-
iected by a. vote Of II to 8, NJ. Van
Rarnebeck's version was then adopt
ed, Great Britain and the United States
alone voting against It and the Portu-
guese delegates abstaining from voting.
Voted With Cr9zIer.
The eight countries voting for cap-
tain crozler's proposal were the United
States, Great Britain, Denmark, Greece.
servia, Portugal, China and another.
All except the first two named supf :
ed the Crozler proposal only in the hope
OF securing unanlmity in the conference,
Captain crozier's proposal being more
general in Its terms, while It was known
that the lmposslbillty of obtaining the
adhesion OF the United States and
Great Britain for NJ. Van Karnebecks
version would render futile any con-
vention 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 add
ed to the Geneva convention. Captain
Niahan 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 commit
toe