initiative, en tant que les circonstances s'y prêtent, leurs
bons offices ou leur médiation aux États en conflit.

"Le droit d'offrir les bons offices ou la médiation appartient
aux Puissances étrangères au conflit, même pendant le cours
des hostilités.

"L'exercice de ce droit ne peut jamais être considéré par
l'une ou l'autre des parties en litige comme un acte peu
amical."

Several remarks are suggested by the presentation of this petition:--

(1) One might suppose from the glib reference here and elsewhere made to
The Hague Convention, that this convention is already in force, whereas
it is [1899], in the case of most, if not all, of the Powers represented
at the conference, a mere unratified draft, under the consideration of
the respective Governments.

(2) The article, if it were in force, would impose no duty of offering
good offices, but amounts merely to the expression of opinion that an
offer of good offices is a useful and unobjectionable proceeding, in
suitable cases (_en tant que les circonstances s'y prêtent_). It cannot
for a moment be supposed that the President would consider that an
opportunity of the kind contemplated was offered by the war in South
Africa.

(3) One would like to know at what date, if at all, the Prime Minister
of the British colony of the Cape was pleased, as is alleged, to follow
the lead of the Presidents of the two Boer Republics in bestowing his