New-York tribune., 1899-06-16
PARIS CONFERENCE OPENS
VENEZUELAN COMMISSIONERS HOLD
THEIR FIRST MEETING.
s,p RICHARD WEBSTER REVIEWS ENG
LANDS SIDE OF THE QUESTION
WELCOMED BY NJ. DEICAsSE

Paris June 1J-The first formal meeting Vi l'io
Venezuelan Arbitration Commission opened TINS
morning The weather was cool and the SKY was
clouded.
The arbitrators. counsel and others began as
scmbling at the Foreign Office shortly before IL
o'clock They were received by the Minister oil
Foreign Affairs NJ. Delcasse in the apartment III
which the tribunal will sit. These ere the rooms
used Of the meetings Of the Spanish American
Peace Conference and the Behrng Sea Confer
ence The main room Is an obong chamber
luxuriously decorated. having rich Tnouidings OH
the walls and ceilings and heavy git orhaihe"
tat,ons relieved bv frescoes In light tones. The
ceiling Is light blue and in its centre are mash"
cent gilt chandeliers. on dais AT the emu VI
the room facing the entrance. arc nve MASSIVE
gilt armchairs for the arbitrators with tao'e III
front of them Below the dais are hali a do|e"
long tables placed across the ROOM TOT COUNSEL
and the clerical staff All the furniture Is uphol-
stored In bright red. with gilt frames. large
co,ored mnp of the disputed territory hangs on
the wall TO the right OF the arbirators' with
smaller map of South America beside It,
FEW SPECTATORS PRESENT.
Altogether there were about forty persons
connected with the tribunal present The arpi-
traitors and most of their stans wore iroch
COATS There were loss than dozen spectators
in the portion of the apartment roped OH ior
the general public. and half dozen women III
Guiding Mrs benjamin Harrison ana others
belonging to the American party
The arbtrators took their seats soon hi'er IL
o'clock Chief Justice Melville w. ruher anu
Sir Richard Hem Collins. Lord Justice OF Ap-
ro.,s citing, on the right of Professor de Mar
tens. the umpire and Baron Russell OF h'lio-
We, Inrd Chief Justice OF England. and Justice
David 7 Erewcr sitting on his left hand Ex-
President BENJAMIN Harrison General benjamin
T. Tracy and the remainder OF the Americans
sat et tables at the left side of the room FACING
the Court and the other British representatives
were seated at tables on the right side Ihe
counsel used the desk which served III 'ho
Behr;ng Sea Tribunal deliberations
WELCOME TO THE TRIBUNAL.
The proceedings opened at 1920, when NJ
Delcasse briefly addressed the lrlounaI !"
French. He said it gave him special pleasure
N welcome the High Commission in behaf OF
the Government Of the republic whlch' he
added. was greatly pleased at the fact that far's
had boen chosen for the sitting of the TriDuha
Among whom he saw such eminent men. some
of whom had occupied with distinction the
highest places Under the presidency of NJ. de
Martens. who was universally acknowledged as
an authority on international law. he con-
tinued. their labors could only result happily In
the interests Of the dispute and in the interests
Of humanity for It would constitute another
step toward the realization Of the noble project
which launched from an ilustrous throne, was
making rapid way into the hearts ana con
sciences OF the peoples, and had thus Imposed
itself with singular force on those who govern
them.
NJ. Delcasse concluded with thanking the arbi-
traitors for having accepted the hospitality OF
France
REFERS TO PEACE CONFERENCE.
! Professor de Martens replied, thanking the
French Foreign Minister for his welcome and
/ for the hospitality extended to the arbitrators
| The speaker recalled the fact that he came
| there seven years ago TO attend the Behring Sea
arbitration.
Referring to the work done at The Hague in
| the matter of arbitration, he said the Peace
! Conference sought not merely to arrange a set
tlement OF conflicts, but the avoidance of con-
! nicts and expressed the hope that the present
tribunal would have the result OF promoting
the welfare and prosperity OF the two countries
| Interested
The professor then announced the rules OF
procedure agreed upon at yesterdays confer
ence. and said the arbtrators would meet every
day excepting Sundays
Sir Richard Webster thereupon arose. and
said that in order TO meet the views Of exPresi-
dent Harrison and the other American counsel
IN which the English representatives concurred
he proposed that they meet only four days a
week In view Of the extremely heavy work be-
! fore them
Mr. Harrison said he thought there would be
in four days work enough for ordinary men,
and he evoked a general smile as. looking round
on the gathering Of many OF the most eminent
jurists Of Great Britain and America he added
And we are all ordinary men"
The work before them. he added, would be a
tremendous strain upon counsel
FOUR MEETINGS WEEK.
Professor de Martens thereupon agreed tha,
four meetings week would be sufficient. ar
ranging that the arbitrators would not meet OF
Fridays Saturdays Sundays.
Sir Richard Webster then asked: "As the
| learned Professor Martens is going back to The
Hague tonight. what days does he propose to
/ give next wcek?"
The professor replied that he hoped to give
them two days in the latter half of next week
and that he would write from The Hague or
Sunday fixing the day of his arrival
After this Sir Richard Webster announced
that counsel had arranged he should speak first
then two Venezuelan counsel. next Great Brit
an with possibly two counsel; then Venezuela
and next Great Britain. The final speech wa.
TO be made by Venezuela.
Sir Richard then opened the British case anC
spoke until 1:15 D. m. when the Commission
adjourned for luncheon.
The British Attorney General opened hi.
speech by mentioning that he had the privilege
years ago, to appear in the same room as juniol
counsel in the Behring Sea He was stand
ing at the desk which served at that time. Il
was significant fact that Venezuela rep
/ resented by distinguished men OF the American
Republic, while America was represented on tn,
bench by two Judges Of The highest position. I
was great honor for himself and his colleague,