On Sunday last at the Hague Conference General Porter, one
of the American delegates, unexpectedly demanded a vote on the American proposals with regard to arbitration and the recovery of debts. According to these proposals, the Powers would take no forcible action to recover debts owed by the Government of one country to the subjects of another until arbitration bad been offered by the creditor and refused or ignored, or until arbitration had been called in and the debtor had failed to conform to it. The representatives of minor Powers explained their opinions at length, perhaps on the principle that a debtor has generally more grievances than a creditor, and eventually General Porter made a vigorous appeal to the Committee to vote without further delay. Five weeks of pourparters were enough. Nothing could be gained by more discussion. M. Bourgeois, the President of the Committee, pointed out that the two ques- tions of recovery of debts and obligatory arbitration must not be confounded. By a large majority the American proposals were accepted provisionally, and referred for revision to the comae de redaction,. Great Britain expressly associated herself with the American proposals.
