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be the sooner ready for peace； but this argument proves too much；
since it would oblige us； if logically carried out； to go back to
the marauding and atrocities of the Thirty Years' War。
June 20。
Went to the session of one of the committees at the 〃House in the
Wood；〃 and showed Mr。 van Karnebeek our private…property
memorial； which he read； and on which he heartily complimented
us。
I then made known to him our proposal to lay a wreath on the tomb
of Grotius； and with this he seemed exceedingly pleased； saying
that the minister of foreign affairs； M。 de Beaufort； would be
especially delighted； since he is devoted to the memory of
Grotius； and delivered the historical address when the statue in
front of the great church at Delft was unveiled
A little later submitted the memorial； as previously agreed upon；
to Count Munster； who also approved it。
Holls telegraphs me from Berlin that he has been admirably
received by the chancellor； Prince Hohenlohe； and by Baron von
Bulow； and that he is leaving for Hamburg to see the Emperor。
At four P。M。 to a meeting of the full conference to receive
report on improvements and extension of the Red Cross rules； etc。
This was adopted in a happy…go…lucky unparliamentary way； for the
eminent diplomatist who presides over the conference still
betrays a Russian lack of acquaintance with parliamentary
proceedings。 So begins the first full movement of the conference
in the right direction； and it is a good beginning。
Walked home through the beautiful avenues of the park with Mr。
van Karnebeek and Baron d'Estournelles； who is also a charming
man。 He has been a minister plenipotentiary； but is now a member
of the French Chamber of Deputies and of the conference。
June 21。
Early in the morning received a report from Holls； who arrived
from Hamburg late last night。 His talks with Bulow and Prince
Hohenlohe had been most encouraging。 Bulow has sent to the
Emperor my long private letter to himself； earnestly urging the
acceptance by Germany of our plan of arbitration。 Prince
Hohenlohe seems to have entered most cordially into our ideas；
giving Holls a card which would admit him to the Emperor； and
telegraphing a request that his Majesty see him。 But the Emperor
was still upon his yacht； at sea； and Holls could stay no longer。
Bulow is trying to make an appointment for him to meet the
Emperor at the close of the week。
Early in the afternoon went with Minister Newel and Mr。 Low to
call on M。 de Beaufort regarding plans for the Grotius
celebration； on July 4； at Delft。 It was in general decided that
we should have the ceremony in the great church at eleven o
'clock； with sundry speeches； and that at half…past twelve the
American delegation should give a luncheon to all the invited
guests in the town hall opposite。
Holls tells me that last night； at the dinner of the president of
the Austrian delegation； he met Munster； who said to him； 〃I can
get along with Hohenlohe； and also with Bulow； but not with those
dd lawyers in the Foreign Office〃 （〃Mit Hohenlohe kann tch
auskommen； mit Bulow auch； aber mit diesen verdammten Juristen im
Auswartigen Amt； nicht〃）。
June 22。
Up at four o'clock and at ten attended a session of the first
section at the 〃House in the Wood。〃 Very interesting were the
discussions regarding bullets and asphyxiating bombs。 As to the
former； Sir John Ardagh of the British delegation repelled
earnestly the charges made regarding the British bullets used in
India； and offered to substitute for the original proposal one
which certainly would be much more effective in preventing
unnecessary suffering and death； but the Russians seemed glad to
score a point against Great Britain； and Sir John's proposal was
voted down； its only support being derived from our own
delegation。 Captain Crozier； our military delegate； took an
active part in supporting Sir John Ardagh； but the majority
against us was overwhelming。
As to asphyxiating bombs； Captain Mahan spoke at length against
the provision to forbid them： his ground being that not the
slightest thing had yet been done looking to such an invention；
that； even if there had been； their use would not be so bad as
the use of torpedoes against ships of war； that asphyxiating men
by means of deleterious gases was no worse than asphyxiating them
with water； indeed； that the former was the less dangerous of the
two； since the gases used might simply incapacitate men for a
short time； while the blowing up of a ship of war means death to
all or nearly all of those upon it。
To this it was answeredand； as it seemed to me； with
forcethat asphyxiating bombs might be used against towns for
the destruction of vast numbers of non…combatants； including
women and children； while torpedoes at sea are used only against
the military and naval forces of the enemy。 The original proposal
was carried by a unanimous vote； save ours。 I am not satisfied
with our attitude on this question； but what can a layman do when
he has against him the foremost contemporary military and naval
experts？ My hope is that the United States will yet stand with
the majority on the record。
I stated afterward in a bantering way to Captain Mahan； as well
as others； that while I could not support any of the arguments
that had been made in favor of allowing asphyxiating bombs； there
was one which somewhat appealed to menamely； that the dread of
them might do something to prevent the rush of the rural
population to the cities； and the aggregation of the poorer
classes in them； which is one of the most threatening things to
modern society； and also a second argument that such bombs would
bring home to warlike stay…at…home orators and writers the
realities of war。
At noon received the French translation of our memorial to De
Staal； but found it very imperfect throughout； and in some parts
absolutely inadmissible； so I worked with Baron de Bildt；
president of the Swedish delegation here； all the afternoon in
revising it。
At six the American delegation met and chose me for their orator
at the approaching Grotius festival at Delft。 I naturally feel
proud to discharge a duty of this kind； and can put my heart into
it； for Grotius has long been to me almost an object of idolatry；
and his main works a subject of earnest study。 There are few men
in history whom I so deeply venerate。 Twenty years ago； when
minister at Berlin； I sent an eminent American artist to Holland
and secured admirable copies of the two best portraits of the
great man。 One of these now hangs in the Law Library of Cornell
University； and the other over my work…table at the Berlin
Embassy。
June 23。
At work all the morning on letters and revising final draft of
memorial on immunity of private property at sea； and lunched
afterward at the 〃House in the Wood〃 to talk it over with Baron
de Bildt。
At the same table met M。 de Martens； who has just returned by
night to his work here； after presiding a day or two over the
Venezuela arbitration tribunal at Paris。 He told me that Sir
Richard Webster； in opening the case； is to speak for sixteen
days； and De Martens added that he himself had read our entire
Venezuelan report； as well as the other documents on the subject
which form quite a large library。 And yet we do not include men
like him in 〃the working…classes〃！
In the evening to a reception at the house of M。 de Beaufort；
minister of foreign affairs； and was cordially greeted by him and
his wife； both promising that they would accept our invitation to
Delft。 I took in to the buffet the wife of the present Dutch
prime minister； who also expressed great interest in our
proposal； and declared her intention of being present。
Count Zanini； the Italian minister and delegate here； gave me a
comical account of two speeches in the session of the first
section this morning； one being by a delegate from Persia； Mirza
Riza Khan； who is minister at St。 Petersburg。 His Persian
Excellency waxed eloquent over the noble qualities of the Emperor
of Russia； and especially over his sincerity as shown by the fact
that when his Excellency tumbled from his horse at a review； his
Majesty sent twice to inquire a