TABLE OF SIGNATURES AFFIXED UP TO DECEMBER 31, 1899, TO THE CONVENTIONS AND
DECLARATIONS OF JULY 29, 1899

[S=Signed]

Germany..

Austria-Hungary..

Belgium...

China.

Convention Convention Convention Declaration Declaration Declaration
for the pa- respecting for the prohibiting prohibiting prohibiting
cific settle the laws adaptation the dis- the employ- the em-
ment of in-and cu 8-to maritime charge of ment of ployment of
ternational tom s of warfare of projectiles projectiles bullets
disputes war on the princi- from bal- containing which
ples of the loons or by asphyxiat- pand
ing or de- flatten eas-
leterious ily in the

land

Geneva other new Convention methods of of April 22, similar 1864

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Denmark.

Spain...

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* Under reservation of declaration made in plenary session of Conference, July 25, 1899. (Pt. i, ante, p. 99.)

Under the reservations formulated in Articles 16, 17 and 18 of the present Convention (15, 16 and 18 of the draft presented by the committee of examination) and recorded in the minutes of the meeting of the Third Commission of July 20, 1899. (Pt. iv, post, pp. 650-2.) Under the reservations recorded in the minutes of the Third Commission of July 20, 1899. (Pt. iv, post, p. 650.)

Under reservation of the declaration made in the plenary session of the Conference, July 25, 1899. (Pt. i, ante, p. 100.)

PART II

FIRST COMMISSION

[1]

FIRST MEETING

MAY 23, 1899

His Excellency Mr. Beernaert presiding.

The President thanks the Commission for the honor it has done him by choosing him as its presiding officer. It is in order, says he, to proceed at once to the organization of the work of the Commission and he proposes, in consequence, its subdivision into two subcommissions, one to be military, the other naval.

This proposal having been accepted, he invites the members of the Commission to indicate to what subcommission they desire to belong.

He announces that the First Commission will meet Friday mornings in plenary meetings in the large hall of the Conference; from there, after having examined, if necessary, the questions of a general nature, they will divide between the two subcommissions the examination of the technical questions.

Mr. Bihourd asks whether certain delegates may be enrolled in the two subcommissions.

Mr. Raffalovich puts the same question.

It is decided that there shall be "military" members, "naval" members, and delegates who, not having special knowledge, may belong to either commission.

The President announces that the manner of reporting and communicating the proceedings of the Commission will be settled in the next meeting.

Mr. Rolin remarks that the substance of certain articles of the program is within the competence either of the military subcommission or of the naval subcommission. There is not, therefore, according to him, need of making the proposed subdivision.

The President answers that the question of principle will be discussed in plenary session.

Mr. Raffalovich, on the invitation of the PRESIDENT, states what he understands to be the duties of the secretariat in the commissions. There would eventually be need of having recourse to the kindness of some supplementary secretaries.

The meeting adjourns.