Certified as a true copy, Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs,

THE HAGUE, January 31, 1900.

L. H. RUYSSENAERS.

In pursuance of a stipulation of the said Declaration, the ratifications thereof were deposited at the Hague on the 4th. day of September, 1900, by the Plenipotentiaries of the Governments of the United States of America, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Persia, Portugal, Roumania, Russia, Siam, Sweden and Norway, and Bulgaria; on the 6th. day of October, 1900, by the Plenipotentiary of the Government of Japan; on the 16th. day of October, 1900, by the Plenipotentiary of the Government of Montenegro; on the 29th. day of December, 1900, by the Plenipotentiary of the Government of Switzerland; on the 4th. day of April, 1901, by the Plenipotentiary of the Government of Greece; on the 17th. day of April, 1901, by the Plenipotentiary of the Government of Mexico; on the 11th. day of May, 1901, by the Plenipotentiary of the Government of Servia, and on the 12th. day of July, 1901, by the Plenipotentiary of the Government of Luxembourg.

1899.

CONVENTION FOR THE ADAPTATION TO MARITIME WARFARE OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE GENEVA CONVENTION OF AUGUST 22, 1864.

Concluded July 29, 1899; ratification advised by Senate May 4, 1900; ratified by the President August 3, 1900; ratifications deposited with the Netherlands Government September 4, 1900; proclaimed November 1, 1901.

CONVENTION FOR THE ADAPTATION TO MARITIME WARFARE OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE GENEVA CONVENTION OF August 22, 1864.

His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia; His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia etc. and Apostolic King of Hungary; His Majesty the King of the Belgians; His Majesty the Emperor of China; His Majesty the King of Denmark; His Majesty the King of Spain and in His Name Her Majesty the Queen Regent of the Kingdom; the President of the United States of America; the President of the United Mexican States; the President of the French Republic; Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India; His Majesty the King of the Hellenes; His Majesty the King of Italy; His Majesty the Emperor of Japan; His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Luxemburg, Duke of Nassau; His Highness the Prince of Montenegro; Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands; His Imperial Majesty the Shah of Persia; His Majesty the King of Portugal and of the Algarves etc.; His Majesty the King of Roumania; His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias; His Majesty the King of Servia; His Majesty the King of Siam; His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway; the Swiss Federal Council; His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans and his Royal Highness the Prince of Bulgaria.

a The convention of the Second International Peace Conference, signed October 18, 1907, for the adaption to naval war of the principles of the Geneva Convention, provides: "Article XXV. The present convention duly ratified shall replace as between contracting powers the convention of the 29th July, 1899, for the adaption to maritime warfare of the principles of the Geneva Convention "The convention of 1899 remains in force as between the powers which signed it, but which do not also ratify the present convention."

Adhered to by the Argentine Republic, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Salvador, Uruguay, Venezuela, Honduras, and Korea.

Alike animated by the desire to diminish, as far as depends on them the evils inseparable from warfare, and wishing with this object to adapt to maritime warfare the principles of the Geneva Convention of the 22nd August, 1864, have decided to conclude a convention to this effect:

They have, in consequence, appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, to wit:

His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia, His Excellency Count Munster, Prince of Derneburg, His Ambassador at Paris. His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, etc. and Apostolic King of Hungary: His Excellency Count R. de Welsersheimb, His Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary; Mr. Alexander Okolicsanyi d'Okolicsna, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at The Hague.

His Majesty the King of the Belgians: His Excellency Mr. Auguste Beernaert, His Minister of State, President of the Chamber of Deputies; Count de Grelle Rogier, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at The Hague; the Chevalier Descamps, Senator.

His Majesty the Emperor of China: Mr. Yang Yu, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at St. Petersburg.

His Majesty the King of Denmark: His Chamberlain Fr. E. de Bille, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at London.

His Majesty the King of Spain and in His Name, Her Majesty the Queen Regent of the Kingdom: His Excellency the Duke of Tetuan, formerly Minister for Foreign Affairs; M. W. Ramirez de Villa Urrutia, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Brussels; M. Arthur de Baguer, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at The Hague.

The President of the United States of America: Mr. Stanford Newel, Envoy Extraordinary and minister Plenipotentiary at The Hague.

The President of the United Mexican States: Mr. de Mier, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Paris; Mr. Zenil, Minister Resident at Brussels.

The President of the French Republic: M. Léon Bourgeois, formerly President of the Council, ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Member of the Chamber of Deputies; M. Georges Bihourd, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at The Hague; Baron d'Estournelles de Constant, Minister Plenipotentiary, Member of the Chamber of Deputies.

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India: Sir Henry Howard, Her Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at The Hague.

His Majesty the King of the Hellenes: Mr. N. Delvanni, formerly President of the Council, ex-Minister for Foreign Affairs, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Paris.

His Majesty the King of Italy: His Excellency Count Nigra, His Ambassador at Vienna, Senator of the Kingdom; Count A. Zannini, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at The Hague; Commander Guido Pompilj, Deputy in the Italian Parliament.

His Majesty the Emperor of Japan: Mr. I. Motono, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Brussels.

His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Luxemburg, Duke of Nassau: His Excellency Mr. Eyschen, His Minister of State, President of the Grand Ducal Government.

His Highness the Prince of Montenegro: His Excellency Mr. de Staal, Privy Councillor, Ambassador of Russia at London.

Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands: Jonkheer A. P. C. van Karnebeek, formerly Minister for Foreign Affairs, Member of the Second Chamber of the States General; General J. C. C. den Beer Poortugael, formerly Minister of War, Member of the Council of State; Mr. T. M. C. Asser, Member of the Council of State; Mr. E. N. Rahusen, Member of the First Chamber of the States General.

His Imperial Majesty the Shah of Persia: His Aid-de-camp General Mirza Riza Khan, Arfa-ud-Dovleh, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at St. Petersburg and Stockholm.

His Majesty the King of Portugal and of the Algarves, etc: Count Macedo, Peer of the Kingdom, formerly Minister of the Navy and of the Colonies, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Madrid; Mr. d'Ornellas and Vasconcellos, Peer of the Kingdom, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at St. Petersburg; Count de Selir, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at The Hague.

His Majesty the King of Roumania: Mr. Alexander Beldiman, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Berlin; Mr. Jean N. Papiniu, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at The Hague.

His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias: His Excellency Mr. de Staal, Privy Councillor, His Ambassador at London; Mr. de Martens, Permanent Member of the Council of the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs, His Privy Councillor; Mr. de Basily, His Councillor of State, Chamberlain, Director of the First Department of the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

His Majesty the King of Servia: Mr. Miyatovitch, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at London and at The Hague.

His Majesty the King of Siam: M. Phya Suriya Nuvatr, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at St. Petersburg and at Paris; M. Phya Visuddha Suriyasakti, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at The Hague and at London.

His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway: Baron de Bildt, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Rome.

The Swiss Federal Council: Dr. Arnold Roth, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at Berlin.

His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans: His Excellency Turkhan Pasha, formerly Minister of Foreign Affairs, Member of His Council of State; Noury Bey, Secretary-General in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Bulgaria: Dr. Dimitri Stancioff, Diplomatic Agent at St. Petersburg; Major Christo Hessaptchieff, Military Attaché at Belgrade;

Who, after communication of their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed on the following provisions:

ARTICLE I.

Military hospital ships, that is to say, ships constructed or assigned by States specially and solely for the purpose of assisting the wounded, sick or shipwrecked, and the names of which shall have been communicated to the belligerent Powers at the beginning or during the course of hostilities, and in any case before they are employed, shall be respected and cannot be captured while hostilities last.

These ships, moreover, are not on the same footing as men-of-war as regards their stay in a neutral port.

ARTICLE II.

Hospital ships, equipped wholly or in part at the cost of private individuals or officially recognized relief Societies, shall likewise be respected and exempt from capture, provided the belligerent Power to whom they belong has given them an official commission and has notified their names to the hostile Power at the commencement of or during hostilities, and in any case before they are employed.

These ships should be furnished with a certificate from the competent authorities, declaring that they had been under their control while fitting out and on final departure.

ARTICLE III.

Hospital-ships, equipped wholly or in part at the cost of private individuals or officially recognized Societies of neutral countries, shall be respected and exempt from capture, if the neutral Power to whom they belong has given them an official commission and notified. their names to the belligerent powers at the commencement of or during hostilities, and in any case before they are employed.

ARTICLE IV.

The ships mentioned in Articles I, II, and III shall afford relief and assistance to the wounded, sick, and shipwrecked of the belligerents independently of their nationality.

The Governments engage not to use these ships for any military purpose.

These ships must not in any way hamper the movements of the combatants.

During and after engagement they will act at their own risk and peril.

The belligerents will have the right to control and visit them; they can refuse to help them, order them off, make them take a certain course, and put a Commissioner on board; they can even detain them, if important circumstances require it.

As far as possible the belligerents shall inscribe in the sailing papers of the hospital-ships the orders they give them.

ARTICLE V.

The military hospital-ships shall be distinguished by being painted white outside with a horizontal band of green about a metre and a half in breadth.