[Inclosure.]
Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands and His Majesty the King of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British
Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India, signatories of the
convention for the pacific settlement of international disputes,
concluded at The Hague on the 29th July, 1899:
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Taking into consideration that by Article XLX of that convention the
high contracting parties have reserved to themselves the right of
concluding agreements, with a view to referring to arbitration all
questions which they shall consider possible to submit to such
treatment, have named as their plenipotentiaries to conclude the
following arrangement:
Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands, Karel Willem Paul Frans
Baron Gericke van Herwijnen, her envoy extraordinary and minister
plenipotentiary at London, chamberlain extraordinary; and
His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of
India, the Most Honorable Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice,
Marquess of Lansdowne, His Majesty’s principal secretary of state
for foreign affairs;
Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full
powers, found in good and due form, have agreed as follows:
Article I.
Differences which may arise of a legal nature, or relating to the
interpretation of treaties existing between the high contracting
parties, and which it may not have been possible to settle by
diplomacy, shall be referred to the Permanent Court of Arbitration
established at The Hague by the convention of the 29th July, 1899,
provided, nevertheless, that they do not affect the vital interests,
the independence, or the honor of the two contracting states and do
not concern the interests of third parties.
Article II.
In each individual case the high contracting parties, before
appealing to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, shall conclude a
special agreement defining clearly the matter in dispute, the scope
of the powers of the arbitrators, and the periods to be fixed for
the formation of the arbitral tribunal and the several stages of the
procedure.
Article III.
The present convention, which shall be ratified, is concluded for a
period of five years, dating from the exchange of the ratifications,
which shall take place at London as soon as possible.
Done in duplicate at
London
the 15th day of
February, 1905.
