The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-07-07
PEACE CONFERENCE WORK
NEARLY REACHED THE END OF
IT'S LABORS.
Disarmament is Defeated But Some
Substantial Results Attained--Modi-
fled Arbitration Adopted.

LONDON. June 26.-The correspon-
dent of the Times at The Hague says:
Following is the text of Russia's naval
proposal;
"Acceptation of the principal that
for the term of three years the sum
of naval budgets shall be determined
with an agreement not to increase the
total during that triennial period and
with an obligation of announcing in
advance for said period: First the
total in tonnage of those ships of war
which il is proposed to build, without
specifying the models thereof; sec
ond. the number of officers and crews
in the navy: and. third, the expendi-
lures on works and ports, such as
forts, docks, arsenals and the like"
The question of the exemption of
private property at sea from capture
in time of war has entered on a new
stage through the issue of the state
ment of the American delegates. l
hear on good authority that certain
foreign power may extend the discus
sion to the declaration of Paris with
view to getting rid of one feature,
which is not considered advantageous.
The first half of the voluminous paper
is merely a summary of past action on
the part of the United States in the
matter. The proposal itself follows:
Private property of all the citizens
or subjects of the signatory powers,
with the exception of contraband of
war, shall be exempt from capture or
seizure on the high seas or elsewhere
by the armed vessels or by the mill
tary forces of any of the said sigma
tory powers. but nothing herein con-
tanned shall extend the exemption
from seizure to vessels and their car
goes which may attempt to enter a
port blockaded by the naval forces of
any of said powers"
The American delegates, referring
to the fact that the circular of Count
Muravietf excludes eXtraneous mat
ters, say:
"The fact of our having received the
instructions herein referred to from
the President of the United States
shows that our government believed
that the scope of the conference is
wide enough to include this question"
They urge as an argument that their
proposal, if adopted as a rule of war,
!
naval warfare, but it has been con-
clusively proved by experience in past
wars that the destruction of sea-borne
commerce is one of the most humane
ways of reducing the power of an enc
my. AS a great thinker once observ-
ed, it is better to destroy mems prop
erty than their lives.
For the moment the question is
| :. ,s,l,
consistently with the terms of the
Muravietf circular, be submitted to
the conference. 1t seems scarcely
probable that the matter will be solv-
ed in a sense favorable to the Ameri'
can proposal. At all events some OF
the leading delegates consider 1T out
side the competency of the conference
The Berlin correspondent of the
Standard says: Negotiations between
! Germany and the United States re-
garding a compromise on arbitration
are proceeding smoothly, all the more
so as England seems inclined to accept
the result and Austria. Italy and Rus
STA have already declared themselves
in its favor.
The correspondent of the Daily
News at The Hague says; Count
Munster. the head of the German dele
cation. has received Prince Hohen
lohe's instructions, and Germany vii
withdraw her objections to the estab
lishment of court of arbitration
provided the obligatory clauses art
eXpunged. The Russians themselves
do not expect a majority for their dis
armament proposals, which are moi
advanced seriously.
THE HAGUE, June 27.-For the
next few days the members of the
special drafting committee, who are
preparing record of the work al
ready accepted, will be the only Peace
Conference delegates occupied. Or
the question of a permanent arbitra
ton board and Germany's relation
thereto. the German delegates, it il
said. have received instructions to &C
cept the principle of a permanent
tribunal of arbitration as outlined il
the Anglo-SaNon plans. This will b'
discussed Monday
LONDON, June 2s.-The correspon
dent of the Times at The Hague says
AS the result of protracted informa
discussion of the committees repor
today the Russian military disarma
ment proposals were declared unac
ceptable