The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-18
ACTIVITY IS
 MANIFESTED Inquiry Into North Sea
 Affair. PREPARATIONS ARE MADE Rear Admiral Davis Arrives
 Monday.
PREPARATIONS ARE MADE
Burden of Proof May Be Fixed en Eng land, Though Procedure Win Not Be Known Undl
 Court Convenes.

Paris, Dec. 17.--Great activity is manifested in official and diplomatic quarters in connection with the open- ing next Tuesday of the session of the international commission which is to inquire into the North Sea incident.
 The meeting will bring together some of the leading naval and legal figures of the foremost maritime pow CTS. Besides the Anglo Russian crisis which the appointment of the commits sion has avoided, it is expected that the meeting will establish number of precedents affecting international naval conditions and the rights and responsibilities of belligerents and neutrals in time of war. The British and Russian members of the commits sion will arrive here Monday.
 Rear Admiral Charles H. Davis. the American representative, Is expected Monday. Quarters have been engaged for him at the Hotel Brighton over looking the Tuileries gardens. in- cluding private dining room and sa- loon and suit of apartments. The To- cation is convenient to the commits sioners' headquarters.
 The various delegations include number of interesting personages. The Russian Embassy said today that their party included Admiral Kasonakoff, the Russian member of the commis- sion; Lieutenant Colonel Stenger, Ba- ron Taube, the Russian judicial ad- visor; Captain Clado and Lieutenants Ellis, Ott and Schremtchenko. Special interest attaches to Captain Clado owing to his sensational arrest for en- gazing in a newspaper campaign with the object of having tho Black Sea fleet pass the Dardanelles to reinforce Vice. A Clado is considered the ablest tacticiap In Russia.
 The British party is made up of Rear Admiral Sir Lewis A. Redmond, Great Britain's representative on the com mission: Sir Edward Frey. counsel and Hugh O'Beirn, agent. Sir Edward. who is past seventy years, of age. Is one the ablest jurists of England. He will be pitted against Baron Taubs; an equally eminent Russian 5urist.
 Admiral Fournier, the French mem her of the commission, made many American friends in connection with the visit of the Rochambeau mission, of which he was member.
 Besides the main psrsonages.. the witnesses may include fishermen and sailors, thus giving truly pictur- esque stage setting. tt
 Where Communication Will Set.
 Final arrangement have been made for the opening session, to take place Tuesday, December 20. Instead of the gorgeous hall of the Ambassadors as first contemplated, the commission will be installed in more convenient business quarters on the first floor of the palace on the Quai d'Orsay. The meeting room is beautiful apartment in white and gold. with Louis XIV dec- orations. mirrors and rich kcescoeS. There the commission will first meet informally and privately as the pro- ceedings will be private until it is formally decided to make them pub lie. Moreover. the Russian Embas- sy was quite sure today that the ses- sions will remain private throughout. It is expected that Foreign Minister Delcasse will make the address of well come. Thereafter the admirals will choose a fifth admiral, determine questions of prodcedure and adjourn until after the holidays.
 It is understood that the British side of the case is practically made up. It is the expectation that Sir Edward will bear the burden of presenting and proving the case, as 1t is assumed that English law principles will prevail: that the burden of proof Is upon Great Britain to prove in the affirmative, and not upon Russia to disprove in the negative. This principle assumes that persons charged with wrong-doing are innocent until proved guilty, hence it is probable that Sir Edward will seek to prove a series of counts. or charges similar to those of a courtmartial, ir indictment.
 This procedure permits Russia to re- main on the defensive while Great Britain endeavors to prove her case {. However, the protocol provides that the commission can establish its own procedure and owing to the mixed na- tionalities of the admirals. 1t Is not certain whether English common law, the French civil code, or the Russian Greek procedure will prevail.