re left to find out as best they may the meaning of the general words
"any acts in derogation of their duty as subjects of a neutral Power."

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
T. E. HOLLAND.
Oxford, October 31 (1911).

* * * * *

SECTION 4

_Neutral Hospitality_

The Hague Convention of 1907, No. xiii., not yet ratified by
Great Britain, suggests in Art. 12, with reference to the
question here raised, that "a defaut d'autres dispositions
speciales de la legislation de la Puissance neutre, il est
interdit aux navires de guerre des belligerants de demeurer
dans les ports et rades ou dans les eaux territoriales de la
dite Puissance pendant plus de 24 heures sauf dans les cas
prevues par la presente Convention."

BELLIGERENT FLEETS IN NEUTRAL WATERS

Sir,--A novel question as to belligerent responsibilities would be
suggested for solution if, as seems to be reported in Paris, Admiral
Rozhdestvensky over-stayed his welcome in the waters of Madagascar,
although ordered to leave them by his own Government in compliance with
"pressing representations" on the part of the Government of France.

A much larger question is, however, involved in the discussion which has
arisen as to the alleged neglect by France to prevent the use of her
Cochin-Chinese waters by the Russians as a base of operations against
Japan. We are as yet in the dark as to what is actually occurring in
those waters, and are, perhaps, for that very reason in a better
position for endeavouring to ascertain what are the obligations imposed
on a neutral in such a case by international law.

It is admitted on all hands that a neutral Power is bound not to permit
the "asylum" which she may grant to ships of war to be so abused as to
render her waters a "base of operations" for the belligerent to which
those ships belong. Beyond this, international law speaks at present
with an uncertain voice, leaving to each Power to resort to such
measures in detail as may be necessary to ensure the due performance of
a duty which, as expressed in general terms, is universally recognised.

The rule enforced since 1862 by Great Britain for this purpose limits
the stay of a belligerent warship, under ordinary circumstances, to a
period of twenty-four hours; and the same provision will be found in the
neutrality proclamations issued last year by, e.g. the United States,
Egypt, China, Denmark, Sweden and Norwa