§ 1. Mr. MORRELLasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the suggestions made by the United States of America for the formation of an International Committee to prepare for the third Hague Conference have yet been finally approved by His Majesty's Government; whether they have received the assent of any other Powers; whether the proposed Inter-departmental Committee to advise His Majesty's Government as to the views to be put forward at the Conference on behalf of this country has yet been formed; what Member of the Cabinet is to preside over it; and whether the date of the Conference has yet been fixed?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir E. Grey)His Majesty's Government expressed themselves as favourable to the object of the proposals of the United States Government some time ago, but intimated that it was in their opinion essential, in order that the Committee might be able to cope satisfactorily with the work entrusted to it, that its members should not be too numerous. We have not heard what views other Powers have expressed on 1680 the proposals of the United States Government, but on the 29th ultimo we received an invitation from the Netherland Government to send a representative to an International Committee to meet at The Hague on 1st June, 1915. We are accepting this invitation, but with the same comment as we made respecting the proposal of the United States Government. In accordance with the resolution passed by The Hague Conference of 1907, the next Conference should meet not earlier than two years after the assembly of the International Committee. The constitution of the British Committee has now been settled. It will be presided over by the Attorney-General, and commence its labours very shortly.