New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-28
NORTH SEA CONVENTION.
Tert of AngLo-Russian agreement
to AppOiat Commission.

London, Nov. 27.-The Foreign Office has
issued the following translation Of the declara-
ton signed at St. Petersburg by Sir Charles
Hardinge, the British Ambassador, and Count
Lamsdorf: the Russian Foreign Minister
His Britannia majesty's government and the
imperial Russian government having agreed to
IHlrusl 10 an international commission Of in
qulry assembled CCnformably to Articles TX to
XIV Of the Hague Convention OF July 20 1899
for the pacific settlement of international dis
putes, the task of calculating by means of an
impartial and conscientious investigation the
questions of fact connected with the incident
when occurred during the night of October 81
-, 1904, in the NORTH Sea ton which occasion
the firing OF guns of the Russian fleet caused the
loss OF a boat and the death of two persons be-
longing TO British fishing fleet, az we'll as dam
ages to other boats of that fleet and injuries to
the crews of some of those boats), the under
signed. being duly authorized thereto have
agreed upon the following provisions:
Article THE International Commission of
inquiry shall be composed of five members
(conmissioners), of whom two shall be officers
OF nigh rank in the British and imperial Rus
sian navies. respectively The governments of
France and of the United States shall each he
requested 10 select one of their naVa! officers
OF hlgh rank as a member of the commission
Inc nth member shall be chosen bv agreement
between the four members above mentioned; i'm
the event OF no agreement being arrived at be-
tween the four commissioners as to the selection
OF me NTH member of the commission his inn
peIlaI ana royal majesty the Emperor of Ans
trla and King Of Hungary will he invited 70 co
Iecl MN. Each of the two high contracting
p"i IleS ShalI likewise appoint a legal assessor
20 ADVISE the commissioners. and an agent Of
nclaIIy empowered to take part in the labors of
the commission. Avis VI
Article 1.-The commission shall inouire into
ana report on all circumstances relative 70 49,
Noflh sea incident, and particuIarIv ~, ~
question as 10 where the responsibility lies and
the degree of blame attaching to subjects or ~
80 iiish contracting parties or to subjects Of
E Hui countries IN the event of their responsi
plIity being established by the inquiry
Article III-The commission shaii sa4+, A.,
details OF procedure which 1t viii follow for tbo
purpose OF accomplishing the task vvherau,i+h -
has been intrusted e"ili 1t
Article lV-The two high CONTRACTING mar
ues undertake to supply the commission 20 a.,
Utmost OF their ability with all the means and
lacliIlIe5 necessary in order to enable il to ac-
qualht itself thoroughly with and appreciate
correctly the matters in disDute
Article N-The commission shall osso,,,hI. J..
this agreement ''"io VI
Article VI-The commission shall Dresen+ ,+
report to the two high contracting nartiaS
signed by all the members of the commission
Article FlI-The commission shall take all tts
decisions by a majority of the votes OF +he
five commissioners - t
Article VIII-The two high contr.c+ir. 49,
ties undertake each TO bear on reciprocal terms
the expense Of the inquiry made by il nrAI,inms
TO the assembly of the commission; the EXPENSES
incurred by the international commissions aftor
the date Of its assembly in organizing IFS stafr
and conducting the Investigations which 1t will
have 10 make shall be equally shared by the two
governments " wv
In faith whereof the undersigned have signed
the present agreement (declaration) and affixed
their seals TO it,
Done In duplicate al st. Petersburg. Novem
Der % 1904 " -