necessary for the immediate use of the naval force present, is, after a formal summons to the local authorities, refused. The provisions contained in Article 52 of the Regulations concerning the laws and customs of war on land have an analogous application with respect to the requisitions mentioned in paragraph 1. ARTICLE 4 The bombardment of undefended ports, towns, villages, dwellings or buildings for non-payment of a money contribution is forbidden. CHAPTER II.-General provisions ARTICLE 5 In bombardments by naval forces all the necessary measures must be taken by the commander to spare as far as possible historic monuments, sacred edifices, buildings used for artistic, scientific, or charitable purposes, hospitals, and places where the sick or wounded are collected, on the understanding that they are not used at the same time for military purposes. It is the duty of the inhabitants to indicate such monuments, edifices, or places by visible signs, which shall consist of large rectangular panels of wood or of cloth, divided diagonally into two colored triangular portions, the upper portion black, the lower portion white. ARTICLE 6 The commander of the attacking naval forces, before commencing the bombardment, shall do his utmost to warn the authorities, if the military situation permits. ARTICLE 7 It is forbidden to give over to pillage a town or place even when taken by storm. [660] LAYING OF AUTOMATIC SUBMARINE CONTACT MINES Annex 9 PROPOSITION OF THE BRITISH DELEGATION ARTICLE 1 The use of unmoored automatic submarine contact mines is forbidden. ARTICLE 2 Automatic submarine contact mines which on leaving their mooring-place do not become harmless are prohibited. ARTICLE 3 The use of automatic submarine contact mines to establish or maintain a commercial blockade is forbidden. ARTICLE 4 Belligerents can make use of automatic submarine contact mines only in their territorial waters or those of their enemies. Nevertheless, before fortified military ports this zone may be extended to a distance of ten miles from shore batteries, with the responsibility for the belligerent which places these mines to give notice thereof to neutrals and moreover to take the steps that circumstances permit in order to prevent, so far as possible, merchant ships that could not have received this notice from being exposed to destruction. Only ports possessing at least a large graving-dock and equipped with the apparatus necessary for construction and repair of war vessels, and in which a staff of workmen paid by the State to effect the construction and repair of war vessels is maintained in time of peace, shall be considered as within the category of military ports. ARTICLE 5 In a general way the necessary precautions shall be taken to safeguard neutral vessels engaged in a legitimate trade; and it is desirable that by reason of the very measures taken in the construction of automatic submarine contact mines these engines cease to be dangerous at the end of a suitable period of time. ARTICLE 6 At the end of the war the belligerents shall mutually communicate so far as possible the necessary information as to the location of the automatic contact mines that each may have placed along the coasts of the other, and each belligerent must proceed with the utmost speed to remove the mines found in these territorial waters. [661] Annex 10 PRELIMINARY MOTION OF THE ITALIAN DELEGATION ARTICLE 1 Unanchored automatic submarine contact mines must be furnished with an apparatus rendering them harmless one hour at the most after their placement. ARTICLE 2 Anchored automatic contact mines must be constructed in such a way as to become harmless when, having broken their moorings, they are adrift on the sea. Annex 11 AMENDMENT OF THE JAPANESE DELEGATION TO THE BRITISH PROPOSITION 1 Replace Article 1 with the following provision: ARTICLE 1 Unmoored automatic submarine contact mines are forbidden, with the exception of those manufactured in a way to become absolutely harmless after a limited time of submersion so as to offer no danger to neutral vessels outside the immediate sphere of hostile actions. Annex 12 AMENDMENTS OF THE NETHERLAND DELEGATION TO THE PROPOSITION OF THE BRITISH DELEGATION 1 ARTICLE 4 Omit the part of the article after the words Insert the following phrases: 66 guns on land." The same applies to neutrals wishing to place mines in their territorial waters to prevent access to their territory. In all cases straits uniting two open seas cannot be barred. 1 Annex 9. [660] LAYING OF AUTOMATIC SUBMARINE CONTACT MINES Annex 9 PROPOSITION OF THE BRITISH DELEGATION ARTICLE 1 The use of unmoored automatic submarine contact mines is forbidden. ARTICLE 2 Automatic submarine contact mines which on leaving their mooring-place do not become harmless are prohibited. ARTICLE 3 The use of automatic submarine contact mines to establish or maintain a commercial blockade is forbidden. ARTICLE 4 Belligerents can make use of automatic submarine contact mines only in their territorial waters or those of their enemies. Nevertheless, before fortified military ports this zone may be extended to a distance of ten miles from shore batteries, with the responsibility for the belligerent which places these mines to give notice thereof to neutrals and moreover to take the steps that circumstances permit in order to prevent, so far as possible, merchant ships that could not have received this notice from being exposed to destruction. Only ports possessing at least a large graving-dock and equipped with the apparatus necessary for construction and repair of war vessels, and in which a staff of workmen paid by the State to effect the construction and repair of war vessels is maintained in time of peace, shall be considered as within the category of military ports. ARTICLE 5 In a general way the necessary precautions shall be taken to safeguard neutral vessels engaged in a legitimate trade; and it is desirable that by reason of the very measures taken in the construction of automatic submarine contact mines these engines cease to be dangerous at the end of a suitable period of time. ARTICLE 6 At the end of the war the belligerents shall mutually communicate so far as possible the necessary information as to the location of the automatic contact mines that each may have placed along the coasts of the other, and each belligerent must proceed with the utmost speed to remove the mines found in these territorial waters. [661] Annex 10 PRELIMINARY MOTION OF THE ITALIAN DELEGATION ARTICLE 1 Unanchored automatic submarine contact mines must be furnished with an apparatus rendering them harmless one hour at the most after their placement. ARTICLE 2 Anchored automatic contact mines must be constructed in such a way as to become harmless when, having broken their moorings, they are adrift on the sea. Annex 11 AMENDMENT OF THE JAPANESE DELEGATION TO THE BRITISH PROPOSITION 1 Replace Article 1 with the following provision: ARTICLE 1 Unmoored automatic submarine contact mines are forbidden, with the exception of those manufactured in a way to become absolutely harmless after a limited time of submersion so as to offer no danger to neutral vessels outside the immediate sphere of hostile actions. Annex 12 AMENDMENTS OF THE NETHERLAND DELEGATION TO THE PROPOSITION OF THE BRITISH DELEGATION 1 ARTICLE 4 Omit the part of the article after the words Insert the following phrases: 66 guns on land.” The same applies to neutrals wishing to place mines in their territorial waters to prevent access to their territory. In all cases straits uniting two open seas cannot be barred. 1 Annex 9. |