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indemnity for the wrong done him。 The young savant told Munster
that he had not been badly treated； that he had been assigned a
very pleasant little cottage； and had perfect freedom to pursue
his scientific researches。
On my talking with the count about certain Russian abuses； and
maintaining that Russia； at least in court circles； had improved
greatly under Alexander III as regarded corruption； he said that
he feared she was now going back； and he then repeated a remark
made by the old Grand Duke Michael； brother of Alexander II； who
said that if any Russian were intrusted with the official care of
a canary he would immediately set up and maintain a coach and
pair out of it。
At six o'clock our American delegation met and heard reports；
especially from Captain Mahan and Captain Crozier； with reference
to the doings in the subcommittees。 Captain Mahan reported that
he had voted against forbidding asphyxiating bombs； etc。；
evidently with the idea that such a provision would prove to be
rather harmful than helpful to the cause of peace。
Captain Crozier reported that his subcommittee of committee No。 2
had； at its recent meeting； tried to take up the exemption of
private property from seizure on the high seas in time of war；
but had been declared out of order by the chairman； De Martens；
the leading Russian delegate； who seems determined to prevent the
subject coming before the conference。 The question before our
American delegation now was； Shall we try to push this American
proposal before the subcommittee of the second committee； or
before the entire conference at a later period？ and the general
opinion was in favor of the latter course。 It was not thought
best to delay the arbitration plan by its introduction at
present。
In the evening dined with Minister Newel； and had a very
interesting talk with Van Karnebeek； who had already favorably
impressed me by his clear…headedness and straightforwardness；
also with Messrs。 Asser； member of the Dutch Council of State；
and Rahusen； member of the Upper Chamber of the States General；
both of whom are influential delegates。
All three of these men spoke strongly in favor of our plan for
the exemption of private property on the high seas； Van Karnebeek
with especial earnestness。 He said that； looking merely at the
material interests of the Netherlands； he might very well favor
the retention of the present system； since his country is little
likely to go into war； and is certain to profit by the carrying
trade in case of any conflict between the great powers； that； of
course； under such circumstances； a large amount of commerce
would come to Holland as a neutral power； but that it was a
question of right and of a proper development of international
law； and that he； as well as the two other gentlemen above named；
was very earnestly in favor of joint action by the powers who are
in favor of our proposal。 He thought that the important thing
just now is to secure the cooperation of Germany； which seems to
be at the parting of the ways； and undecided which to take。
In the course of the evening one of my European colleagues； who
is especially familiar with the inner history of the calling of
the conference； told me that the reason why Professor Stengel was
made a delegate was not that he wrote the book in praise of war
and depreciating arbitration； which caused his appointment to be
so unfavorably commented upon； but because； as an eminent
professor of international law； he represented Bavaria； and that
as Bavaria； though represented at St。 Petersburg； was not
invited； it was thought very essential that a well…known man from
that kingdom should be put into the general German delegation。
On my asking why Brazil； though represented at St。 Petersburg；
was not invited； he answered that Brazil was invited； but showed
no desire to be represented。 On my asking him if he supposed this
was because other South American powers were not invited； he said
that he thought not； that it was rather its own indifference and
carelessness； arising from the present unfortunate state of
government in that country。 On my saying that the Emperor Dom
Pedro； in his time； would have taken the opportunity to send a
strong delegation； he said： 〃Yes； he certainly would have done
so； but the present government is a poor sort of thing。〃
I also had a talk with one of the most eminent publicists of the
Netherlands； on the questions dividing parties in this country；
telling him that I found it hard to understand the line of
cleavage between them。 He answered that it is； in the main； a
line between religious conservatives and liberals； the
conservatives embracing the Roman Catholics and high orthodox
Protestants； and the liberals those of more advanced opinions。 He
said that socialism plays no great part in Holland； that the
number of its representatives is very small compared with that in
many European states； that the questions on which parties divide
are mainly those in which clerical ideas are more or less
prominent； that the liberal party； if it keeps together； is much
the stronger party of the two； but that it suffers greatly from
its cliques and factions。
On returning home after dinner； I found a cipher despatch from
the Secretary of State informing us that President McKinley
thinks that our American commission ought not to urge any
proposal for 〃seconding powers〃； that he fears lest it may block
the way of the arbitration proposals。 This shows that imperfect
reports have reached the President and his cabinet。 The fact is
that the proposal of 〃seconding powers〃 was warmly welcomed by
the subcommittee when it was presented； that the members very
generally telegraphed home to their governments； and at once
received orders to support it； that it was passed by a unanimous
vote of the subcommittee； and that its strongest advocates were
the men who are most in favor of an arbitration plan。 So far from
injuring the prospects of arbitration； it has increased them； it
is very generally spoken of as a victory for our delegation； and
has increased respect for our country； and for anything we may
hereafter present。
June 2。
This morning we sent a cipher telegram to the Secretary of State；
embodying the facts above stated。
The shoals of telegrams； reports of proceedings of societies；
hortatory letters； crankish proposals； and peace pamphlets from
America continue。 One of the telegrams which came late last night
was pathetic； it declared that three millions of Christian
Endeavorers bade us 〃Godspeed；〃 etc。； etc。
During the morning De Martens； Low； Holls； and myself had a very
thoroughgoing discussion of the Russian； British； and American
arbitration plans。 We found the eminent Russian under very
curious misapprehensions regarding some minor points； one of them
being that he had mistaken the signification of our word
〃publicist〃； and we were especially surprised to find his use of
the French word 〃publiciste〃 so broad that it would include M。
Henri Rochefort； Mr。 Stead； or any newspaper writer； and he was
quite as surprised to find that with us it would include only
such men as Grotius； Wheaton； Calvo； and himself。
After a long and intricate discussion we separated on very good
terms； having made； I think； decided progress toward fusing all
three arbitration plans into one which shall embody the merits of
all。
One difficulty we found； of which neither our State Department
nor ourselves had been fully aware。 Our original plan required
that the judges for the arbitration tribunal should be nominated
by the highest courts of the respective nations； but De Martens
showed us that Russia has no highest court in our sense of the
word。 Then； too； there is Austria…Hungary； which has two supreme
courts of equal authority。 This clause； therefore； we arranged to
alter； though providing that the original might stand as regards
countries possessing supreme courts。
At lunch we had Baron de Bildt； Swedish minister at Rome and
chief of the Swedish delegation at the conference； and Baron de
Bille； Danish minister at London and chief delegate from Denmark。
De Bille declared himself averse to a permanent tribunal to be in
constant session； on the ground that； having so little to do； it
would