(f) Whether the claim was presented prior to the 1st of February, 1869, to the Department of State of either Government, or to the minister of the United States at Mexico, or that of the Mexican Republic at Washington, and to which and at what time.

4. All motions and arguments addressed to the commissioners shall be made in writing and filed with the secretaries, who shall note thereon the time when they are received.

Brief verbal explanations may be made after the opening of each day's session, by or on behalf of the agents of the respective Govern

ments.

5. All testimony and proofs hereafter taken, other than papers and documents referred by either Government, whether taken in support of or in opposition to pending claims, will be taken and filed subject to the following regulations:

(a) Proofs in support of claims shall be filed with the memorial; no proofs will be received subsequently, except such as may be responsive to proofs presented on the part of either Government, unless for special cause shown, and supported by affidavit or affirmation, according to the law of the respective countries.

(b) All testimony must be in writing, and upon oath or affirmation duly administered according to the laws of the place where the same is taken, by a magistrate competent by such laws to take depositions, having no interest in the claim to which the testimony relates, and not being the agent or attorney of any person having such interest, and it must be certified by him that such is the case. The credibility of the affiant or deponent, if known to such magistrate or other person authorized to take such testimony, must be certified by him, and if not known, must be certified on the same paper upon oath, by some other person known to such magistrate, having no interest in such claim, and not being the agent or attorney of any person having such interest, whose credibility must be certified by such magistrate. The deposition must be reduced to writing by the person taking the same, or by some person in his presence having no interest, and not being the agent or attorney of any person having an interest in the claim, and must be carefully read to the deponent by the magistrate before being signed by him, and must be signed by him in the presence of the officer, and this must be certified.

(c) Depositions taken in any city, port, or place, neither within the limits of the United States nor within those of the Mexican Republic, may be taken before any diplomatic or consular officer of either Government residing in such city, port, or place, he having no interest and not being agent or attorney of any person having an interest in the claim to which the testimony so taken relates. In all other cases, whether in the United States or in the Mexican Republic, or any other foreign place, the right of the person taking the same to administer oaths by the laws of the place must be proved.

(d) Every affiant or deponent is required to state in his deposition his age, place of birth, residence, and occupation, and where was his residence and what was his occupation at the time the events took place in regard to which he deposes, and must also state if he have any, and if any what, interest in the claim to support which his testimony is taken, and if he have any contingent interest in the same, to what extent, and upon the happening of what event he will be entitled

to receive any part of the sum which may be awarded by the Commissioners. He must also be required to state whether he be the agent or attorney of the claimant or of any person having an interest in the claim.

(e) Original papers or other documents exhibited in proof must be certified as required in the second of these rules; but when the fact is within the exclusive knowledge of the claimant, it may be verified by his own oath or affirmation. Papers in the handwriting of any person deceased, or whose residence is unknown to the claimant, may be verified by proof of such handwriting, and of the death of the party, or his removal to places unknown.

(f) When the claim arises from seizure or loss of any vessel, or cargo of any ship or vessel, a certified copy of the enrollment or registry of such ship or vessel must be produced, together with the original clearance, manifest, and all other papers and documents required by the laws of the United States or of the Mexican Republic, as the case may be, which she possessed on her last voyage, when the same are in the possession of the claimant, or can be obtained by him; and when not, certified copies of the same must be produced, together with oath or affirmation, according to the law of the respective countries, that the originals are not in his possession and can not be obtained by him.

(g) In all cases where property of any description, for the seizure or loss of which a claim has been presented, was at the time of such seizure or loss insured, the original policy of insurance or a certified copy thereof must be produced.

(h) If the claimant be a naturalized citizen of the United States or of the Mexican Republic, as the case may be, a copy of the record of his naturalization, duly certified, must be produced.

6. Of all memorials, twenty printed copies in quarto form in English and twenty in Spanish shall be filed with the respective secretaries. Citizens of the United States may file their documents and proofs in English, and citizens of the Mexican Republic may file theirs in Spanish, and in both cases in manuscript, subject to the further order of the commissioners in this respect.

7. When a claimant shall have filed his proofs in chief, and argument in support thereof, the adverse proofs and argument on the part of the United States, or of the Mexican Republic, shall be filed within the terms of four mouths; but upon good cause shown on either side this period may be extended in particular cases.

Ordered, That when the Commission shall close its present session it will adjourn to meet in this city on the first Monday of December next, and will then proceed to consider whether the memorials which shall then have been filed with the secretaries are in due form and proper to be received for examination; and all such papers are hereby set down for hearing at that time; and if any claimant desires a longer time in which to file a memorial, or present arguments, he must file a written motion to that effect, setting forth the reasons for the same on or before said day.

By order of the commissioners:

GEORGE G. GAITHER,
J. CARLOS MEXIA,

Secretaries.

ries.

CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CERTAIN POWERS FOR THE PACIFIC SETTLEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES.

Signed at The Hague July 29, 1899.

Ratification advised by the Senate February 5, 1900.

Ratified by the President of the United States April 7, 1900. Ratification deposited with the Netherlands Government September 4, 1900.

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas a Convention for the pacific settlement of international disputes was concluded and signed on July 29, 1899, by the Plenipotentiaries of the United States of America, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, China, Denmark, Spain, the United Mexican States, France, Great Britain and Ireland, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Persia, Portugal, Roumania, Russia, Servia, Siam, Sweden and Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and Bulgaria, the original of which Convention, in the French language, is word for word as follows: