national discussion of the ideas set forth in the Chapter I Circular of August 12 (24, O. S.).

"In the hope, however, that the elements of trouble agitating political centres will soon give place to a calmer disposition of a nature to favor the success of the proposed Conference, the Imperial Government is of opinion that it would be possible to proceed forthwith to a preliminary exchange of ideas between the Powers, with the object:

"(a) Of seeking without delay means for putting a limit to the progressive increase of military and naval armaments, a question the solution of which becomes evidently more and more urgent in view of the fresh extension given to these armaments; and

"(b) Of preparing the way for a discussion of the questions relating to the possibility of preventing armed conflicts by the pacific means at the disposal of international diplomacy.

"In the event of the Powers considering the present moment favorable for the meeting of a Conference on these bases, it would certainly be useful for the Cabinets to come to an understanding on the subject of the programme of their labors.

"The subjects to be submitted for international discussion at the Conference could, in general terms, be summarized as follows:

"1. An understanding not to increase for a fixed period the present effective of the armed military and naval forces, and at the same time not to increase the Budgets pertaining thereto; and a preliminary examination of the means by which a reduction

Chapter I

Text of the

second

circular of Count

might even be effected in future in the forces and Budgets above mentioned.

"2. To prohibit the use in the armies and fleets of Mouravieff, any new kind of fire-arms whatever, and of new exDec. 30, 1898, plosives, or any powders more powerful than those now in use, either for rifles or cannon.

Jan. 11, 1899.

"3. To restrict the use in military warfare of the formidable explosives already existing, and to prohibit the throwing of projectiles or explosives of any kind from balloons or by any similar means.

"4. To prohibit the use, in naval warfare, of submarine torpedo-boats or plungers, or other similar engines of destruction; to give an undertaking not to construct, in the future, vessels with rams.

"5. To apply to naval warfare the stipulations of the Geneva Convention of 1864, on the basis of the additional Articles of 1868.

"6. To neutralize ships and boats employed in saving those overboard during or after an engagement. "7. To revise the Declaration concerning the laws and customs of war elaborated in 1874 by the Conference of Brussels, which has remained unratified to the present day.

"8. To accept in principle the employment of good offices, of mediation and facultative arbitration in cases lending themselves thereto, with the object of preventing armed conflicts between nations; to come to an understanding with respect to the mode of applying these good offices, and to establish a uniform practice in using them.

"It is well understood that all questions concern

ing the political relations of States, and the order of Chapter I things established by Treaties, as in general all questions which do not directly fall within the programme adopted by the Cabinets, must be absolutely excluded from the deliberations of the Conference.

"In requesting you, Sir, to be good enough to apply to your Government for instructions on the subject of my present communication, I beg you at the same time to inform it that, in the interest of the great cause which my August Master has so much at heart, His Imperial Majesty considers it advisable that the Conference should not sit in the capital of one of the Great Powers, where so many political interests are centred which might, perhaps, impede the progress of a work in which all the countries of the universe are equally interested.

"I have, etc.,
(Signed)

"COMTE MOURAVIEFF."

from the

In communicating this circular note to Lord Salis- Despatch bury, Sir Charles Scott, the British Ambassador at British St. Petersburg, in a despatch dated January 12, Ambassador 1899, and printed in the British Blue Book, mis- Petersburg. cellaneous, No. 1, 1899, states:

"It will be observed that, in this note, after acknowledging the sympathetic reception which the Emperor's original suggestion has met with on the part of most of the foreign Governments and nations, the Russian Government refers to the change which has since been remarked in the aspect of the political horizon, and to increased armaments by certain

Chapter I Despatch from the British Ambassador

in St. Petersburg.

Powers as having possibly suggested a doubt whether the present moment was an opportune one for holding such a Conference as His Majesty had contemplated.

"As I was reading this paragraph of the note, Count Moura vieff remarked that Great Britain had been one of the Powers which had been recently arming. I replied that I had seen this stated in irresponsible organs of the public press, but that I was not aware that any unusual or alarming military preparations or armaments had been made in England, and that I thought that all such reports should be received with a considerable amount of distrust.

"The note goes on to state the Emperor's opinion, that, if the Powers agree, an exchange of views might at once take place between the Governments on the subject of a programme for the deliberations of a Conference, the aims of which should be twofold:

"1. To check the progressive increase of military and naval armaments, and study any possible means of effecting their eventual reduction.

"2. To devise means for averting armed conflicts between States by the employment of pacific methods of international diplomacy.

"With this object, the note suggests several themes as possibly suitable for discussion, and Count Mouravieff begged me to observe that the various points which the note enumerates are not to be regarded as put forward by the Russian Government, as prop

ositions to which they are definitely committed, as Chapter I they might possibly find themselves unable to support some of them in the Conference, but as mere indications of the class of subjects on which an exchange of views is invited.

meeting.

"While requesting me to seek the instructions of The place of Her Majesty's Government on this communication, the note adds that, in the Emperor's opinion, the proposed Conference should not be held in the capital of any of the Great Powers.

"On this point, Count Mouravieff said, in reply to my inquiry, that the Emperor had no particular capital of a smaller Power in view, but that a suggestion might be made later on, if the Powers shared His Majesty's view of the unsuitableness of a capital where large political interests might be unavoidably influenced by the presence of the Conference. In any case, he said, it was not desired that the Conference should be held in St. Petersburg."

The reply of Lord Salisbury to this despatch is dated London, February 14, 1899 (Blue Book, p. 4), as follows:

from Lord

second

"FOREIGN OFFICE, February 14, 1899. "SIR-I have duly laid before the Queen your Despatch Excellency's despatch of the 12th ultimo, forward-Salisbury in ing copy of a further note from the Russian Minister reply to the for Foreign Affairs with regard to the Conference circular. proposed by His Majesty the Emperor of Russia to consider the means of insuring the general peace and of putting a limit to the progressive increase of armaments.