By the royal proclamation of August 12, 1914, it was declared:

3. (1) In the order in council issued with reference to the departure from our ports of enemy vessels, which at the outbreak of hostilities were in any such port or which subsequently entered the same, the word "enemy," as applied to either ships or cargo, shall be deemed as from this date to include Austro-Hungarian ships or cargo.

(2) In the application of this article to Austro-Hungarian ships the date Saturday, the 15th day of August, shall be substituted for the date mentioned in article 2 of the said order in council, and the date Saturday, the 22d day of August, shall be substituted for the date mentioned in article 3 of the said order in council. (Ibid, p. 98.)

By the King.

GREAT BRITAIN AND BULGARIA.

A proclamation extending to the war with Bulgaria the proclamations and orders in council now in force relating to the war.

GEORGE R. I.

Whereas owing to the King of the Bulgarians, an ally of the central powers, being now in a state of war with the King of Serbia, our ally, a state of war now exists between us and the King of the Bulgarians;

And whereas on the 4th day of August, 1914, a state of war came into existence between us and the German Emperor;

And whereas we did on the same date and on certain other dates subsequent thereto issue certain proclamations and orders in council connected with such state of war;

And whereas on the 12th day of August, 1914, a state of war came into existence between us and the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary;

And whereas certain of the aforesaid proclamations and orders in council have since been extended so as to cover the state of war between us and the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary;

And whereas on the 5th day of November, 1914, a state of war came into existence between us and the Sultan of Turkey;

And whereas certain of the aforesaid proclamations and orders in council have since been extended so as to cover the state of war between us and the Sultan of Turkey;1

And whereas we have since the said 5th day of November, 1914, issued certain other proclamations and orders in council with reference

1 By the royal proclamation of Nov. 5, 1914, it was declared among other matters that

"Whereas the convention relating to the status of enemy merchant vessels at the outbreal of hostilities signed at The Hague on the 18th October, 1907, has not been ratified by the Sultan of Turkey, and therefore we do not think fit to extend to Turkish ships the order in council issued the 4th day of August, 1914, with reference to departure from our ports of enemy vessels, which at the outbreak of hostilities were in any such port or which su usequently entered the same," etc.

to the state of war between us and the German Emperor, the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the Sultan of Turkey;

And whereas it is desirable now to provide for the state of war between us and the King of the Bulgarians;

And whereas the convention relating to the status of enemy merchant vessels at the outbreak of hostilities, signed at The Hague on the 18th day of October, 1907, has not been ratified by the King of the Bulgarians, and therefore we do not think fit to extend to Bulgarian ships the order in council issued on the 4th day of August, 1914, with reference to the departure from our ports of enemy vessels, which at the outbreak of hostilities were in any such port or which subsequently entered the same:

Now, therefore, we have thought fit, by and with the advice of our privy council, to issue this our royal proclamation declaring, and it is hereby declared, as follows:

1. The proclamations and orders in council issued with reference to the state of war between us and the German Emperor, or with reference to the state of war between us and the German Emperor and the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, or with reference to the state of war between us and the German Emperor, the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the Sultan of Turkey, other than the order in council issued on the 4th day of August, 1914, with reference to the departure from our ports of enemy vessels, which at the outbreak of hostilities were in any such ports, or which subsequently entered the same, shall, if still in force, apply to the state of war between us and the King of the Bulgarians as from this 16th day of October, 1915.

2. The proclamation issued on the 5th day of August, 1914, warning all our subjects, and all persons resident or being in our dominions, from contributing to or participating in, or assisting in the floating of any loan raised on behalf of the German Government, or from advancing money to or entering into any contract or dealings whatsoever with the said Government, or otherwise aiding, abetting, or assisting the said Government, shall be deemed as from this 16th day of October, 1915, to apply to all loans raised on behalf of, or contracts or dealings entered into with, or to aiding, abetting, or assisting the Bulgarian Government. 3. The words "enemy country" in any of the proclamations or olders in council referred to in article 1 of this proclamation shall include the dominions of the King of the Bulgarians, and the words "persons of enemy nationality" in any of the said proclamations or orders in council shall include subjects of the King of the Bulgarians. Given at our court at Buckingham Palace, this 16th day of October, in the year of our Lord 1915, and in the sixth year of our reign. God save the King.

(London Gazette, Supplement, Oct. 15, 1915.)

GERMANY AND FRANCE.

DÉCLARATION DE GUERRE DE L'ALLEMAGNE À LA FRANCE DU 3 AOÛT

1914.

Lettre de M. Schoen, ambassadeur d'Allemagne en France, à M. René Viviani, président du conseil des ministres, ministre des affaires étrangères.

"MONSIEUR LE PRÉSIDENT:

'Les autorités administratives et militaires allemandes ont constaté un certain nombre d'actes d'hostilité caractérisée commis sur territoire allemand par des aviateurs français. Plusieurs de ces derniers ont manifestement violé la neutralité de la Belgique survolant le territoire de ce pays. L'un a essayé de détruire des constructions près de Wesel, d'autres ont été aperçus sur la région de l'Eiffel, un autre a jeté des bombes sur le chemin de fer près de Karlsruhe et de Nuremberg.

"Je suis chargé et j'ai l'honneur de faire connaître à Votre Excellence qu'en présence de ces agressions, l'Empire allemand se considère en état de guerre avec la France du fait de cette dernière puissance.

"J'ai en mème temps l'honneur de porter à la connaissance de Votre Excellence que les autorités allemandes retiendront les navires marchands français dans des ports allemands, mais qu'elles les relâcheront si, dans les quarante-huit heures, la réciprocité complète est assurée. "Ma mission diplomatique ayant ainsi pris fin, il ne me reste plus qu'à prier Votre Excellence de vouloir bien me munir de mes passeports et de prendre les mesures qu'elle jugerait utiles pour assurer mon retour en Allemagne avec le personnel de l'ambassade ainsi qu'avec le personnel de la légation de Bavière et du consulat général d'Allemagne à Paris.

"Veuillez agréer, Monsieur le Président, l'expression de ma très haute considération.

Décret du 4 août 1914 relatif aux navires de commerce allemands se trovant actuellement dans les ports français.

ART. 1. Les navires de commerce allemands se trouvant actuellement dans les ports français depuis et y compris le 3 août 1914, à dixhuit heures quarante-cinq minutes, ou y entrant sans connaître les hostilités, auront, à partir de la date du présent décret, un délai de sept jours francs pour en sortir librement, et gagner directement, après avoir été munis d'un laissez-passer, leur port de destination ou tel autre port qui leur sera désigné par les autorités maritimes du port français où ils se trouvent.

Par suite de la reserve faite par le gouvernement allemand aux articles 3 et 4, alinéa 2, de la convention VI de la Haye de 1907, le bénéfice de la disposition précédente ne s'applique pas aux navires allemands qui ont quitté leur dernier port de départ avant le 3 août 1914, à dix-huit heures quarante-cinq minutes, et qui sont rencontrés en mer, ignorant les hostilités.

ART. 2. Ne bénéficieront pas de la faveur accordée par l'article 1er tous navires dont la construction, l'armement ou l'affectation indiqueront qu'ils sont susceptibles d'être transformes en bâtiments de guerre ou affectés à un service public.

Dans le cas où ces navires seraient chargés d'un service postal, l'administration des postes pourvoira a l'expédition, par la voie la plus rapide, des sacs et colis postaux embarqués sur lesdits navires.

ART. 3. Les ministres des affaires étrangères, de la marine, des travaux publics, du commerce, des postes es des télégraphes et des colonies sont chargés, etc. (Journ. off. du 6 août 1914.)

FRANCE AND AUSTRIA.

Décret du 13 août 1914 relatif aux navires de commerce autrichiens ou hongrois se trouvant dans les ports français depuis et y compris le 12 août 1914.

ART. 1. Les navires de commerce autrichiens ou hongrois se trouvant actuellement dans les port français depuis et y compris le 12 août 1914, minuit, ou y entrant sans connaître les hostilités, auront à partir de la date du présent décret, un délai de sept jours francs pour en sortir librement et gagner directement, après avoir été munis d'un laissez-passer, leur port de destination ou tel autre port qui leur sera désigné par les autorités maritimes du port français où ils se trouvent.

ART. 2. Ne bénéficieront pas de la faveur accordée par l'article 1er tous navires dont la construction, l'armement ou l'affectation indiqueront qu'ils sont susceptibles d'être transformés en bâtiments de guerre ou affectés à un service public, non plus que ceux qui se trouveraient actuellement saisis ou capturés pour violation de neutralité.

Dans le cas où ces navires seraient chargés d'un service postal, l'administration des postes pourvoira a l'expédition, par la voie la plus rapide, des sacs et colis postaux embarqués sur lesdits navires.

ART. 3. Les ministres des affaires étrangères, de la marine, des travaux publics, du commerce, des postes et des télégraphes et des colonies sont chargés, etc. (Journ. off. du 14 août 1914.)

ITALY AND AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

ROYAL DECREE OF MAY 30, 1915 (NO. 814).

[Translation.]

Thomas of Savoy, Duke of Genoa, Lieutenant-General of His Majesty Victor Emanuel III, by the Grace of God and the will of the Nation, King of Italy.

In virtue of the authority delegated to us;

Whereas the royal decree of the 16th May, 1915, No. 659, suspends the application of articles 211 and 243 of the mercantile marine code in the event of the participation of Italy in the present international conflict;

Having regard to the Sixth and Eleventh Convention signed at The Hague, on the 18th October, 1907, which Italy declares she will observe so far as the laws in force in the Kingdom and the other measures taken by the Government of the King permit;

Whereas a state of war exists;

In virtue of the extraordinary powers conferred on the Government of the King by the law of the 22d May, 1915, No. 671;

The council of ministers having been consulted;

On the motion of the minister of marine, acting in concert with the ministers for foreign affairs, of the colonies, and of finance;

We have decreed and decree:

ARTICLE 1. All enemy ships lying in the ports and territorial waters of the kingdom and of its colonies at the outbreak of hostilities shall be sequestered by the local naval authorities.

ART. 2. Special technical commissions, assisted by the naval authorities, shall visit enemy merchant ships thus sequestered, with the object of ascertaining which among them are so constructed or built, or contain such internal arrangements or fittings, as may justify the assumption that they are intended to be converted eventually into warships.

ART. 3. In all cases in which it shall be found that vessels were intended for conversion into warships, these vessels shall be captured and placed under the jurisdiction of the prize court for a decision as to their ultimate disposal.

ART. 4. The vessels which shall not be found to have been intended for conversion into warships shall remain under sequestration. They may be requisitioned by the minister of marine for the whole duration of the present war, in accordance with rules to be laid down in another decree.

ART. 5. Enemy goods found on board all merchant vessels referred to in article 1 above mentioned shall be sequestered and restored after the war, without an indemnity, or else requisitioned with an indemnity.

Perishable goods shall be sold on special conditions which shall be laid down by our ministry of marine.

ART. 6. Neutral goods found on board any merchant ship referred to under article 1 shall be released subject to an option of requisitioning them with an indemnity which the Government of the King may exercise.1

ART. 7. The decision as to the nationality of the goods referred to under the preceding articles 5 and 6, and the consequent verdict as

1 Foreign office notification, August 9, 1915, as to British-owned cargo in Austrian vessels detained in Italy.

His Majesty's ambassador at Rome is informed by the Italian Government that in order to obtain release of British-owned goods on Austrian vessels detained in Italy the interested parties should present their applications for release of sucn goods direct to the Italian minister of marine, together with all documents available in support of their claim to ownership. The minister of marine will then determine which goods can be released without further formalities, and which it will be necessary to submit to the decision of the Italian prize court. (London Gazette, Aug. 10, 1915.)