International Law. A Treatise Volume I Part 64

[Sidenote: International Telegraph Offices.]

-- 464. In 1868 the international telegraph office of the International Telegraph Union was created at Berne. It is administered by four functionaries under the supervision of the Swiss Bundesrath. It edits the _Journal Telegraphique_ in French.[813] Connected with this office is, since 1906, the International Office for Radiotelegraphy.[814]

[Footnote 813: See below, -- 582, No. 2.]

[Footnote 814: See below, -- 582, No. 4.]

[Sidenote: International Post Office.]

-- 465. The pendant of the international telegraph office is the international post office of the Universal Postal Union created at Berne in 1874. It is administered by seven functionaries under the supervision of the Swiss Bundesrath, and edits a monthly, _L'Union Postale_, in French, German, and English.[815]

[Footnote 815: See below, -- 582, No. 1.]

[Sidenote: International Office of Weights and Measures.]

-- 466. The States which have introduced the metric system of weights and measures created in 1875 the international office of weights and measures in Paris. Of functionaries there are a director and several a.s.sistants. Their task is the custody of the international prototypes of the metre and kilogramme and the comparison of the national prototypes with the international.[816]

[Footnote 816: See below, -- 588, No. 1.]

[Sidenote: International Office for the Protection of Works of Literature and Art and of Industrial Property.]

-- 467. In 1883 an International Union for the Protection of Industrial Property, and in 1886 an International Union for the Protection of Works of Literature and Art, were created, with an international office in Berne. There are a secretary-general and three a.s.sistants, who edit a monthly, _Le Droit d'Auteur_, in French.[817]

[Footnote 817: See below, ---- 584 and 585, No. 2.]

[Sidenote: The Pan-American Union.]

-- 467_a_. The first Pan-American Conference of 1889 created "The American International Bureau," which, since the fourth Conference of 1910, bears the name "The Pan-American Union." There are a director, an a.s.sistant director, and several secretaries. This office[818] publishes a "Monthly Bulletin."

[Footnote 818: See below, -- 595.]

[Sidenote: Maritime Office at Zanzibar, and Bureau Special at Brussels.]

-- 468. In accordance with the General Act of the Anti-Slavery Conference of Brussels, 1890, the International Maritime Office at Zanzibar and the "Bureau Special" at Brussels were established; the latter is attached to the Belgian Foreign Office at Brussels.[819]

[Footnote 819: See below, -- 592, No. 1.]

[Sidenote: International Office of Customs Tariffs.]

-- 469. The International Union for the Publication of Customs Tariffs, concluded in 1890, has created an international office[820] at Brussels.

There are a director, a secretary, and ten translators. The office edits the _Bulletin des Douanes_ in French, German, English, Italian, and Spanish.

[Footnote 820: See below, -- 585, No. 1.]

[Sidenote: Central Office of International Transports.]

-- 470. Nine States--namely, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Luxemburg, Russia, Switzerland--entered in 1890 into an international convention in regard to transports and freights on railways and have created the "Office Central des Transports[821]

Internationaux" at Berne.

[Footnote 821: See below, -- 583, No. 1.]

[Sidenote: Permanent Office of the Sugar Convention.]

-- 471. The States which concluded on March 5, 1902, at Brussels the Convention concerning bounties on sugar[822] have, in compliance with article 7 of this Convention, inst.i.tuted a permanent office at Brussels.

The task of this office, which is attached to the permanent commission,[823] also inst.i.tuted by article 7, is to collect, translate, and publish information of all kinds respecting legislation on and statistics of sugar.

[Footnote 822: See below, -- 585, No. 3.]

[Footnote 823: See above, -- 462.]

[Sidenote: Agricultural Inst.i.tute.]

-- 471_a_. In 1905 the Agricultural Inst.i.tute[824] was established at Rome. It consists of a General a.s.sembly and a Permanent Committee with a general secretary.

[Footnote 824: See below, -- 586, No. 1.]

[Sidenote: International Health Office.]

-- 471_b_. In 1907 the International Health Office[825] was established at Paris. It consists of a director, a general secretary, and a number of clerks. It publishes at least once a month a bulletin in French.

[Footnote 825: See below, -- 590, No. 6.]

VI

THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF ARBITRATION

Lawrence, -- 221--Bonfils, No. 970[8]--Despagnet, Nos. 736-740.

[Sidenote: Organisation of Court in general.]

-- 472. In compliance with articles 20 to 29 of the Hague Convention for the peaceful adjustment of international differences, the signatory Powers in 1900 organised the International Court of Arbitration at the Hague. This organisation comprises three distinct bodies--namely, the Permanent Administrative Council of the Court, the International Bureau of the Court, and the Court of Arbitration itself. But a fourth body must also be distinguished--namely, the tribunal to be const.i.tuted for the decision of every case. Articles 20 to 29 are now replaced by articles 41 to 50 of the Convention for the peaceful adjustment of international differences produced by the second Hague Peace Conference of 1907.

[Sidenote: The Permanent Council.]

-- 473. The Permanent Council (article 49) consists of the diplomatic envoys of the contracting Powers accredited to Holland and the Dutch Secretary for Foreign Affairs, who acts as president of the Council. The task of the Council is the control of the International Bureau of the Court, the appointment, suspension, and dismissal of the _employes_ of the bureau, the fixing of the payments and salaries, the control of the general expenditure, and the decision of all questions of administration with regard to the business of the Court. The Council has, further, the task of furnis.h.i.+ng the signatory Powers with a report of the proceedings of the Court, the working of the administration, and the expenses. At meetings duly summoned, the presence of nine members is sufficient to give the Council power to deliberate, and its decisions are taken by a majority of votes.

[Sidenote: The International Bureau.]

-- 474. The International Bureau (article 43) serves as the Registry for the Court. It is the intermediary for communications relating to the meetings of the Court. It has the custody of the archives and the conduct of all the administrative business of the Court. The contracting Powers have to furnish the Bureau with a certified copy of every stipulation concerning arbitration arrived at between them, and of any award concerning them rendered by a special tribunal. They likewise have to communicate to the Bureau the laws, regulations, and doc.u.ments, if any, showing the execution of the awards given by the Court. The Bureau is (article 47) authorised to place its premises and its staff at the disposal of the contracting Powers for the work of any special[826]

tribunal of arbitration not const.i.tuted within the International Court of Arbitration. The expense (article 50) of the Bureau is borne by the signatory Powers in the proportion established for the International Office of the International Postal Union.

[Footnote 826: See below, vol. II. -- 20.]

[Sidenote: The Court of Arbitration.]

-- 475. The Court of Arbitration (article 44) consists of a large number of individuals "of recognised competence in questions of International Law, enjoying the highest moral reputation," selected and appointed by the contracting Powers. No more than four members may be appointed by one Power, but two or more Powers may unite in the appointment of one or more members, and the same individual may be appointed by different Powers. Every member is appointed for a term of six years, but his appointment may be renewed. The place of a resigned or deceased member is to be refilled by the respective Powers, and in this case the appointment is made for a fresh period of six years. The names of the members of the Court thus appointed are enrolled upon a general list, which is to be kept up to date and communicated to all the contracting Powers. The Court thus const.i.tuted has jurisdiction over all cases of arbitration, unless there shall be an agreement between the parties for a special tribunal of arbitrators not selected from the list of the members of the Court (article 42).