By the President of the United States of America.
A PROCLAMATION.
Whereas an Arbitration Convention between the United States of America and Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands was concluded and signed by their respective plenipotentiaries at Washington on the second day of May, one thousand nine hundred and eight, the original of which Convention being in the English and Dutch languages, is word for word as follows:
The Government of the United States of America and Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands, signatories of the Convention for the pacific settlement of international disputes, concluded at The Hague on July 29, 1899:
Taking into consideration that by Article XIX 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 appointed as their Plenipotentiaries to conclude the following agreement, to wit:
- The President of the United States of America, Elihu Root, Secretary of State of the United States; and
- Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands, Mr. W. A. Royaards, Counselor of Legation and Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Netherlands at Washington;
Who, after communicating to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed on the following articles:
Article I.
Differences which may arise of a legal nature or relating to the interpretation of treaties existing between the two Contracting Parties, and which it may not have been possible to settle by diplomacy, shall be referred to the Permanent Court of Arbitration established [Page 443] 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. It is understood that on the part of the United States such special agreements will be made by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and on the part of the Netherlands they will be subject to the procedure required by the constitutional laws of the Netherlands.
Article III.
This Convention is concluded for a period of five years, counting from the date of the exchange of ratifications, which shall take place as soon as possible.
Done in duplicate at Washington, in the English and Dutch languages, this second day of May, 1908.
Elihu Root. [seal]
W. A. Royaards. [seal]
And whereas the said Convention has been duly ratified on both parts, and the ratifications of the two governments were exchanged in the City of Washington, on the twenty-fifth day of March, one thousand nine hundred and nine.
Now, therefore, be it known that I, William Howard Taft, President of the United States of America, have caused the said Convention to be made public, to the end that the same and every article and clause thereof may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the citizens thereof.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
[seal.]
By the President:
P. C. Knox,
Secretary of State.