As you were so good as to inform me verbally at Washington that it is not the
intention of the United States Government to be represented at the
conference, it is unnecessary for me to request to be informed, as I am
directed to do, whether the United States Government will give a similar
assurance to that which Her Majesty’s government have requested of the
Russian government, that their delegates at the conference shall be
instructed to confine themselves to the consideration of details of military
operations of the nature of those dealt with in the project of the Russian
government, and shall not entertain in any shape, directly or indirectly,
anything relating to maritime operations or naval warfare.
[Inclosure.]
The Earl of Derby to Lord
A. Loftus.
Foreign
Office, July 4,
1874.
No. 175.]
My Lord: Her Majesty’s government have
considered, with all the attention which so important a proposal
deserves, the project of the Emperor of Russia for a conference to be
held at Brussels to discuss the rules of military warfare.
Her Majesty’s government highly appreciate the humane motives by which
His Imperial Majesty is actuated in making this proposal, and concur in
the earnest desire evinced by His Imperial Majesty to mitigate the
horrors of war.
At the same time Her Majesty’s government are not convinced of the
practical necessity for such a scheme for the guidance of military
commanders in the field, and cannot but fear that, unless the discussion
is conducted in the most guarded manner, the examination of any such
project in a conference at the present juncture may re-open causes of
difference and lead to recrimination between some of the delegates
appointed to take part in it.
Nor do Her Majesty’s government fully understand the scope which is
intended to be given to the deliberations of the delegates.
The proposal of a conference at Brussels was first made by the Society
for the Amelioration of the Condition of Prisoners of War, and was
confined to that subject. Before, however, Her Majesty’s government had
expressed any opinion on the expediency of accepting the invitation thus
given, they were requested by the Russian government to suspend their
action in the matter until the draught project then in preparation by
that government was completed.
This project has proved to contain a detailed scheme for the conduct of
military operations, of which the treatment of prisoners of war occupies
but a small part. Prince Gortchakow, moreover, in his dispatch of the
17th April, states that “le projet que nous soumettons à l’examen des
cabinets n’est qu’un point de depart pour les délibérations ultéribures
qui, nous aimons à l’espérer, prepareront le terrain d’une entente
générale.”
That Her Majesty’s government would be happy to join with the government
of the Emperor of Russia in any measure for the prevention of
unnecessary suffering, is shown by Great Britain having already, with
that object, acceded to the declarations relating to the Geneva Cross
and the use of explosive bullets; and Her Majesty’s government would
not, therefore, now be prepared to take exception to a discussion in a
conference of delegates of such details of warlike operations in the
field as it might be found useful and practicable to advise upon, but
Her Majesty’s government are firmly determined not to enter into any
discussion of the rules of international law by which the relations of
belligerents are guided, or to undertake any new obligations or
engagements of any kind in regard to general principles.
Her Majesty’s government deem it to be of great importance that they
should frankly make this statement at the outset, and this has become
the more necessary since rumors are current that one government at least
has contemplated sending a naval delegate to the conference, under the
impression, apparently, that naval matters may be introduced as subjects
of consideration and discussion.
Her Majesty’s government feel assured that such an extension of the scope
of the conference would be fatal to any agreement on the particular
details of military regulations which it is the desire of the Emperor of
Russia to have considered, and they are certain, therefore, that in
protesting against it, in anticipation, they will only be acting in
accordance with His Imperial Majesty’s views and wishes for a successful
issue to the conference which he has proposed should be assembled.
I have accordingly to request your excellency to state to the Russian
government that, before agreeing to send a delegate to the conference,
Her Majesty’s government must request the most positive and distinct
assurance from that government, as well as from the governments of all
the powers invited to take part in the conference, that their delegates
at the conference shall be instructed to confine themselves to the
consideration of details of military operations of the nature of those
dealt with in the project of the Russian government, and shall not
entertain, in any shape, directly or indirectly, anything relating to
maritime operations or naval warfare.
I have to add that this dispatch will be communicated to the governments
of all the powers invited to take part in the conference, and a similar
assurance requested from each of them.
Your excellency will read this dispatch to Prince Gortchakow, or whoever
may be acting for him in his absence, and furnish him with a copy of
it.
I am, &c.,
