1 A duly certified copy of the procès-verbal relative to the first 2 deposit of ratifications, of the notifications mentioned in the pre3 ceding paragraph, as well as of the instruments of ratification, 4 shall be at once sent by the Netherland Government, through the 5 diplomatic channel, to the Powers invited to the Second Peace 6 Conference, as well as to the other Powers which have adhered 7 to the Convention. In the cases contemplated in the preceding 8 paragraph, the said Government shall at the same time inform them of the date on which it received the notification. 10 11 12 ARTICLE VIII. Non-Signatory Powers may adhere to the present Convention. The Power which desires to adhere notifies in writing its inten13 tion to the Netherland Government, forwarding to it the act of 14 adhesion, which shall be deposited in the archives of the said Government. 15 16 The said Government shall at once transmit to all the other 17 Powers a duly certified copy of the notification as well as of the 18 act of adhesion, stating the date on which it received the noti19 fication. 20 21 ARTICLE IX. The present Convention shall come into force, in the case of the 22 Powers which were a party to the first deposit of ratifications, 23 sixty days after the date of the procès-verbal of that deposit, and, 24 in the case of the Powers which ratify subsequently or which 25 adhere, sixty days after the notification of their ratification or of 26 their adhesion has been received by the Netherland Government. ARTICLE X. 27 28 In the event of one of the Contracting Powers wishing to 29 denounce the present Convention, the denunciation shall be noti30 fied in writing to the Netherland Government, which shall at 31 once communicate a certified copy of the notification to all the 32 other Powers, informing them of the date on which it was 33 received. 34 The denunciation shall only have effect in regard to the notify35 ing Power, and one year after the notification has reached the 36 Netherland Government. 2 A register kept by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs shall give 3 the date of the deposit of ratifications made in virtue of Article 4 VII, paragraphs 3 and 4, as well as the date on which the notifi5 cations of adhesion (Article VIII, paragraph 2) or of denunciation 6 (Article X, paragraph 1) have been received. 7 Each Contracting Power is entitled to have access to this 8 register and to be supplied with certified extracts from it. 9 In faith whereof the Plenipotentiaries have appended to the 10 present Convention their signatures. 11 Done at The Hague, the 18th October, 1907, in a single copy, 12 which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Netherland 13 Government, and duly certified copies of which shall be sent, 14 through the diplomatic channel, to the Powers which have been 15 invited to the Second Peace Conference. [Executive L, Sixtieth Congress, first session-Confidential.] CONVERSION OF MERCHANT SHIPS INTO WAR SHIPS. [Not signed by the delegates of the United States-Not ratified by the Senate.] A CONVENTION ADOPTED BY THE SECOND INTERNATIONAL PEACE CONFERENCE HELD AT THE HAGUE FROM JUNE 15 TO OCTOBER 18, 1907, RELATIVE TO THE CONVERSION OF MERCHANT SHIPS INTO WAR SHIPS. FEBRUARY 27, 1908.-Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered to be printed in confidence for the use of the Senate. [Not reported.] 1 His Majesty the German Emperor, King of Prussia; the Presi2 dent of the United States of America; the President of the Argen3 tine Republic; His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of 4 Bohemia, &c., and Apostolic King of Hungary; His Majesty the 5 King of the Belgians; the President of the Republic of Bolivia; 6 the President of the Republic of the United States of Brazil; His 7 His Royal Highness the Prince of Bulgaria; the President of the 8 Republic of Chile; His Majesty the Emperor of China; the Presi9 dent of the Republic of Colombia; the Provisional Governor of 10 the Republic of Cuba; His Majesty the King of Denmark; the 11 President of the Dominican Republic; the President of the 12 Republic of Ecuador; His Majesty the King of Spain; the 13 President of the French Republic; His Majesty the King of the 14 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British 15 Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India; His Majesty 16 the King of the Hellenes; the President of the Republic of 17 Guatemala; the President of the Republic of Haïti; His Majesty 18 the King of Italy; His Majesty the Emperor of Japan; His Royal 19 Highness the Grand Duke of Luxemburg, Duke of Nassau; the 20 President of the United States of Mexico; His Royal Highness 21 the Prince of Montenegro; the President of the Republic of Nica22 ragua; His Majesty the King of Norway; the President of the 23 Republic of Panamá; the President of the Republic of Paraguay; 24 Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands; the President of the 40172-S. Doc. 444, 60-1-11 161 1 Republic of Peru; His Imperial Majesty the Shah of Persia; His 2 Majesty the King of Portugal and of the Algarves, &c.; His 3 Majesty the King of Roumania; His Majesty the Emperor 4 of All the Russias; the President of the Republic of Salvador; His Majesty the King of Servia; His Majesty the King of Siam; 6 His Majesty the King of Sweden; the Swiss Federal Council; 7 His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans; the President of the 8 Oriental Republic of Uruguay; the President of the United States of Venezuela: 5 10 11 Whereas it is desirable, in view of the incorporation in time of war of merchant-ships in the fighting fleet, to define the condi12 tions subject to which this operation may be effected; 13 Whereas, however, the Contracting Powers have been unable to come to an agreement on the question whether the conversion 15 of a merchant-ship into a war-ship may take place upon the high 16 seas, it is understood that the question of the place where such 17 conversion is effected remains outside the scope of this Agree18 ment and is in no way affected by the following rules; 19 Being desirous of concluding a Convention to this effect, have 20 appointed the following as their Plenipotentiaries: 21 22 23 24 [For names of Plenipotentiaries, see Final Act, supra.] Who, after having deposited their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following provisions: ARTICLE I. 25 A merchant-ship converted into a war-ship cannot have the 26 rights and duties accruing to such vessels unless it is placed 27 under the direct authority, immediate control, and responsibility 28 of the Power whose flag it flies. 29 30 ARTICLE II. Merchant-ships converted into war-ships must bear the 31 external marks which distinguish the war-ships of their nation32 ality. 33 34 ARTICLE III. The commander must be in the service of the State and duly 35 commissioned by the competent authorities. His name must 36 figure on the list of the officers of the fighting fleet. 37 ARTICLE IV. 38 The crew must be subject to military discipline. 1 23 ARTICLE V. Every merchant-ship converted into a war-ship must observe 3 in its operations the laws and customs of wars. 5 A belligerent who converts a merchant-ship into a war-ship 6 must, as soon as possible, announce such conversion in the list 7 of war-ships. 8 9 ARTICLE VII. The provisions of the present Convention do not apply except 10 between Contracting Powers, and then only if all the belligerents are parties to the Convention. 11 12 13 14 15 18 21 ARTICLE VIII. The present Convention shall be ratified as soon as possible. The first deposit of ratifications shall be recorded in a procès16 verbal signed by the Representatives of the Powers who take 17 part therein and by the Netherland Minister for Foreign Affairs. The subsequent deposits of ratifications shall be made by 19 means of a written notification, addressed to the Netherland 20 Government and accompanied by the instrument of ratification. A duly certified copy of the procès-verbal relative to the first 22 deposit of ratifications, of the notifications mentioned in the 23 preceding paragraph, as well as of the instruments of ratification, 24 shall be at once sent by the Netherland Government, through 25 the diplomatic channel, to the Powers invited to the Second 26 Peace Conference, as well as to the other Powers which have 27 adhered to the Convention. In the cases contemplated in the 28 preceding paragraph the said Government shall at the same time 29 inform them of the date on which it received the notification. 30 31 ARTICLE IX. Non-Signatory Powers may adhere to the present Convention. 32 The Power which desires to adhere notifies its intention in 33 writing to the Netherland Government, forwarding to it the act 34 of adhesion, which shall be deposited in the archives of the said 35 Government. 36 That Government shall at once transmit to all the other 37 Powers a duly certified copy of the notification as well as of the 38 act of adhesion, stating the date on which it received the 39 notification. |