File No. 500.A 1 B/64.
The American Minister to the Secretary of State.
The Hague, September 3, 1913.
Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department that on the 28th ultimo the Palace of Peace at The Hague was dedicated. His Excellency Jhr. A. P. C. van Karnebeek, President of the Carnegie Foundation, in an appropriate address tendered the palace to the Administrative Council of the Court of Arbitration, which was formally accepted for the Nations in an address by His Excellency Jhr. R. de Marees van Swinderen, Minister for Foreign Affairs, ex officio President of the Administrative Council.
The ceremony, which was of a formal, dignified, impressive character, was attended by the Queen, the Queen Mother, the Prince of the Netherlands, with their full suites, the Diplomatic Corps, Mr. and Mrs. Carnegie, the Carnegie Foundation Committee, about 40 members of the Court of Arbitration, the Secretary General of the Court of Arbitration with all the other functionaries, the Cabinet Ministers, members of the States General and other high dignitaries, all with their ladies. In all there were about 400 persons assembled in the large hall of the Palace of Peace, when the Chairman of the Carnegie Foundation, at 3.30 p.m., delivered his address, setting forth the history of the peace movement and the constitution of the Carnegie Foundation for the purpose of erecting the Palace of Peace at The Hague.
These official proceedings lasted fully an hour, after which the Queen, escorted by Messrs van Karnebeek and van Swinderen, and followed by the entire audience, made a general inspection of the building and the beautifully laid out gardens surrounding the palace.
Both on his approach and his return to the Legation, where he was a guest during his entire stay in The Hague, Mr. Carnegie was the recipient of a great popular demonstration.
I have [etc.]