The evening times., 1899-05-15
HOLLANDS CAPITAL
BECOMING CROWDED
Thronged With Visitors 10 the
Peace Conference.
Count Muenster May Be Made the
Permanent President. f,
Instructions Given to the American
Delegates-Omcial List of Repre-
sentatives From the Nations.

The Hague, May 15.-Never in the his
tory of this ancient city have its sedate
citizens witnessed such stir and commo-
ton as now on the eve of the opening OF
the great International Peace Congress
which begins its sessions here on Thurs
day.
The town is already filled with strang-
ers, representing all nationalities, many OF
whom have come only out of curiosity
while others flock here for more sinister
purposes.
IL only the delegates of the various coun-
tries the correspondents and the diplomats
and laymen interested would constitute the
numbers of visitors, there would not be
much fear OF crowding, for The Hague is
not an undesized city and has plenty of
good hotel accommodations: not more
than 500 persons would comprise the total
attendance at the Conference.
The municipal authorities have taken
extraordinary precautions against thieves.
pickpockets, and confidence men. who will
be subjected to rigid surveillance. and
suspects will be asked to present proper
credentials.
Special correspondents of the great Eu-
ropean dailies have already arrived Many
OF them had to seek quarters in private
families, as all the available room in the
larger hotels, such as the Hotel des Indes
and the Hotel du Vieux Doelen, were en-
gagged for the various delegations and
peace votaries weeks ago.
The crowds which arrive here now al
most hourly on every incoming train put
the hotel keepers and private citizens in
fever of excitement, and there is little
prospect of peace for the entertainers of
the peace delegates.
Nearly all the secretaries of the delega-
lions are already on the field. though with
the exception of NJ. De Beaufort the Dutch
Foreign Minister, and NJ. Leon Bourgeois
ex-Premier OF France none of the more
distinguished statesmen have arrived The
secretaries have visited the Hall of Or
ange. in the Huis ten Bosch. where the
session OF the Conference will be held
for the purpose Of discussing a plan of
seating the representatives of the various
countries.
The newspaper and magazine correspoud-
ents and artists may meet with great dis
appointment, rs ii is reported here that
1hey VIII net be permitted to enter the
hall OF Orange while the conference is in
session and that all information can only
be obtained from the secretaries This
does not mean that authorized journalists
Will be excluded from the Huis ten Bosch
has Nshl 4iililS Ididtt Ot queen " llntl-
NINA is not situated in The Hague proper,
but in the little suburb of Wassemaar.
Already the picturesque grounds. the
most luxurious spot in all Holland teen
with people from near and far There are
hundreds of amateur photographers with
kodaks and other paraphernalia. end
crowds of artists and sketchers for the
newspapers.
And among all these up-to date people
he fcla % 81,
dress the peasant women of Friesland
with their golden headgear. and the Beers
OF the provinces present a striking con-
trast
There is much speculation as TO who
VIII be the permanent chairman of the con-
ference. "Het Amsterdamsche Handels-
bad believes that the honor Will be be-
slowed on Count Muenster. the German
Ambassador in Paris and the diplomatic
delegate Of Germany.
He is the Oldest of all the delegates.
having passed his eightieth birthday on
March %. Quite antithetcal in his views
10 his colleague. Prof. Won Stengel of the
Munich University. who. though dele
gate, recently wrote some strong pamph-
lets in opposition to disarmament II would
be expedient to elect Count Muenstcr in
order to conciliate Germany.
The greatest fear of the peace advo-
Gates is that Germany will oppose almost
every proposition of disarmament. which is
evident from the expressions of the press
and on the rostrum. At any rate. Count
Muenster will be temporary chairman after
the Dutch Foreign Minister has opened the
Assembly by a speech of welcome
II is also probable that Baron de Stasl,
the Russian Ambassador at the Court of
ST. James, may be chosen to preside out OF
courtesy TO the Gar. The Baron arrived
here yesterday. He is two years younger
than Count Muenster. and one of the
brightest diplomats of the nineteenth CEN
tury.
He is already besieged in the Hotel du