The record-union., 1899-07-06

THE HAGUE, July 5.-The second
Committee of the Laws of War met to-
day and Andrew D.. White, head of the
American delegation, preached the SUBJ
ject of privateering. The question Of
its admissibility under the conference
mandate was discussed. No vote was
taken, but an agreement was reached
to allow the Americans to present their
case in full this afternoon.
At the afternoon sitting of the COM
mittee the successive clauses of the
laws of war having been adopted, M.
de Mertens of the Russian delegation,
moved a resolution to that effect.
Mr.. White seconded it. In the course
of a clear and eloquent statement of
the American case he said the Amer
leans had accepted the invitation to
participate in the conference with
alacrity. He admitted that the United
States Government recognized it would
be hopeless to expect any decisive re-
suit from this conference owing to the
three causes: First absence of instruc-
lions or power from the governments;
second, doubts as to the competence of
the conference, and, third, the length
of time necessary for discussion OF
all the bearings of the case.
Mr. White admitted the difficulties
involved in deciding what constituted
the contraband of war.
Referring to the experience OF the
United States in the war of the Re-
bellion, he said that only three Con-
federate cruisers did anything OF I'M
portance, but they captured l69 YES
sells, quadrupled the rate OF insurance
between America and Great Britain,
and caused the transfer OF half MIL
lin tons of American shipping TO Brlt-
ish bottoms. The final result was tnat
the whole American marine was VIZ
tually swept out of existence.
IF that resulted from the operations
of the three poorly equipped little
steamers he continued, what would
have happened with the means at the
disposal of the greater nations of to-
day? Yet every one knows that this
privateering had not the slightest eff
feet in ending or even shortening the
war, nor would it have had any even
if the losses had been greater. Now
adays the transfer of goods by land
is so general that interruption by sea
as a rule does nothing to promote the
ending of the war, but that interrupt
ton may destroy accommodations of hui
man wealth and skill requiring a gen.
Grafton to make good, while the losses
cannot be confided to belligerents alone,
but must affect more or less directly
the whole world"
Mr. White warmly repudiated the
supposition that the Americans were
animated by selfish considerations.
They were eminently practical, he said,
but not less pre-eminently devoted to
great ideals.
The head of the American delegation
concluded with an eloquent appeal to
the jurists, diplomatists and statesmen
of all nations assembled in the confer
ence to take the subject under careful
consideration, declaring in the words
of Count Nesselrode that the additions
of this plea to international law would
be a crown of glory to the worlds di-
plomacy."
NJ. Rahusen of the Dutch delegation,
supported Mr.. White, and suggested
that the governments favoring the idea
should conclude treaties among them
selves.
Sir Julian Pauncefote, head of the
British delegation, said that in his per-
sonal opinion the question was outside
the scope of the conference.
The resolution was then carried with
out opposition, with the reservations on
the part of Great Britain, France and
Russia.
The American delegation is much
gratified at the result The delegates
could not anticipate practical issue
at this time. The maximum success
possible was a full and free opinion of
placing the American view on record,
and of continuing unbroken the ira
dtion of a century of American pro-
test in behalf of progressive IDEAS In
international law. This result, whlcn
at one time appeared Impossible, owing
to the almost insuperable dlmcultles,
iS. now triIlrnnhantlY attained.