The vu which we hare mentioned indicates clearly the recognition
by the Cpnference of some of the serious draw- backg by which its deliberations have been hampered. It fails, however, to grapple with the radical defect of its con- stitution,—the equality of voting-power enjoyed by all the Powers convened, grea,t, minor, and infiniteeimally Thursday'e telegrams announced that the Comit4 d'Examen of the Fourth Committee had definitely abandoned all hope of arriving at any settlement of the question of absolute and conditional contraband. An informal meeting was, however, held on Wednesday to enable the representatives of the twenty-four - States who supported the British proposals to consider the desirability of giving effect to their views in a special Convention, but the decision of the meeting was adverse, though Sir Edward Fry strongly maintained that the principle of unanimity was not essential to the achievement of progress at the Hague Conference. The revised scheme dealing with submarine mines came before the Third Committee on Wednesday also, but the British amendments were all rejected, and the regulations were carried in a form far from illustrating the maxim advocated by one of the delegates,—La force comme la noblesse oblige.
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