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  4. Document 497

The Minister of the Netherlands to the Secretary of State.

[Translation.]
Royal Legation of the Netherlands,
Washington, D. C. , May 7, 1907 .
No. 259.]

Mr. Secretary of State: By order of my Government, I have the honor to advise your excellency that the Cabinet of St, Petersburg has notified the Government of the Queen that all the Governments which took part in the First Peace Conference have accepted the proposition, addressed to them by the Imperial Government, that they sign, before the opening of the forthcoming Peace Conference, a special protocol [Page 1124] concerning the mode of adhesion to the convention for the peaceful settlement of international disputes on the part of the powers which did not take part in the First Conference, but have been invited to the Second Conference.

The protocol, of which the text is appended hereto, shall be signed at The Hague, at 2 p.m. on June 14 next, in the Hall of Truce.

I am instructed by my Government to ask that the American Government will supply its representatives at The Hague with the requisite full powers to sign the protocol on the above-indicated date.

Hereby complying with my orders, I beg that your excellency will kindly let me know what reception is to be given to this request, and embrace the opportunity to renew to your excellency the assurance of my highest consideration.

Van Swinderen.

[Inclosure 1.]

Les Représentants à la deuxième Conférence de la Paix des Etats signataires de la convention de 1899 relative du règlement pacifique des conflits inter-nationaux, dûment autorisés à cet effet, sont tombés d’accord que, dans le cas, où les Etats qui n’avaient pas été représentés à la Première Conférence de la Paix, mais qui ont été convoqués à la Conférence actuelle, notifieraient au Gouvernement Néerlandais leur adhésion a la convention susmentionnée, ils seraient aussitôt considérés comme y ayant accédé.

[Inclosure 2.]

Translation of Protocol.

The Representatives, at the Second Peace Conference, of the States signatory to the convention of 1899 relative to the pacific settlement of international disputes, authorized to that effect, have agreed that in case the States which were not represented at the First Peace Conference but have been invited to the present conference should notify the Netherlands Government of their adhesion to the above-mentioned convention they would forthwith be considered as having acceded thereto.