FINLAND.

Law declaring for national autonomy, July 19, 1917.

[New York Times, Current History, 7 (pt. 2); 439.]

1. The Diet of Finland alone decides, confirms, and executes all Finnish laws, including those relating to home affairs, taxation, and customs. The Diet also makes the final decision regarding all other affairs which the Emperior-Grand Duke decided according to the law hitherto in force. The provisions of this law do not relate to matters of foreign policy, military legislation, and military administration.

2. The Diet meets for regular sessions without special summons and decides when they are to be closed. Until Finland's new form of government is decided upon, the Diet exercises the right of deciding upon new elections and the dissolution of the Diet.

3. The Diet controls the executive power of Finland. The supreme executive power is exercised by the economic department of the Finnish Senate, whose members are nominated and dismissed by the Diet.

FRANCE.

Proclamation putting in force decree relating to sojourn of vessels in territorial waters, August 9, 1914.

[Journal Officiel, Aug. 9, 1914, p. 7285.]

In consequence of the existence of a state of war the decree of May 26, 1913,2 relative to the conditions of access and sojourn in time of war of vessels other than French war vessels in territorial waters of France and of protected countries comes into force.

Law restricting transfer of national vessels during war, November 11, 1915.

[Journal Officiel, Nov. 14, 1915.]

ARTICLE 1. For the duration of the war and until the expiration of a delay of six months following the end of hostilities, the voluntary sale of a French seagoing ship to a foreigner, either in France or abroad, is prohibited.

The Independence of Finland was proclaimed Dec. 7, 1917, following the Manifesto of the People's Commissaries of Russia, Nov. 23, 1917, that "this right of the Russian peoples to their self-determination is to be extended even as far as separation and the forming of in dependent States." (New York Times, Current History, 7 (pt. 2): 440.) Finland was recognized by Sweden, Jan. 3, 1918; by France, Jan. 7; by Germany, Jan. 7; by Denmark and Norway, Jan. 10; by Switzerland, Jan. 17; and by Russia, Mar. 1, 1918. Finland signed a treaty of peace with Germany Mar. 7, 1918 (The New Europe, Apr. 4, 1918; New York Times, Current History, & (pt. 1); 445), and with Russia, Mar. 1, 1918, carried out by a treaty of evacuation, Mar. 11, 1918.

2 Journal Officiel, June 14, 1913, p. 5097. The sojourn of vessels in time of peace is regulated by a decree of May 21, 1913 (J. O., June 13, 1913, p. 5066, correction, p. 5099, and in time of neutrality by decree of Oct. 18, 1912, putting in effect articles 11 to 15, 19, and 23 of XIII, Hague, 1907.

However, exceptions to this prohibition may be authorized under conditions that may be determined by the Minister of Marine.

ART. 2. Any act committed fraudulently contrary to the preceding disposition is null and renders the seller liable to imprisonment from one to six months and to a fine of 16 to 500 francs (16 to 500 francs) or to one of these two penalties only. Furthermore, the ship will be confiscated; should it not be possible to seize same, the court will condemn the defendant, in lieu of confiscation, to the payment of a supplementary fine equal to the value of the ship, as will be fixed by the court.

Article 463 of the penal code on attenuating circumstances may be applied even concerning confiscation, which may be replaced by a fine inferior to the value of the ship.

The present law, discussed and adopted by the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, will be cxecuted as a law of the State.

Paris, November 11, 1915.

By the President of the Republic;

L. LACAZE,

Minister of Marine,

RENE VIVIANI,

Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice.

R. POINCARE.

Notice of mine fields on Turkish coasts, March 4, 1916.

[Moniteur de la Flotte, Mar. 4, 1916.]

By reason of the presence of submarine mines, the navigation, until further notice, is dangerous on the coasts of Turkey in Asia Minor and Syria.

Those mines which have been anchored by the French naval forces are in accord with the provisions prescribed by the VIII convention of The Hague, 1907. Notice is hereby given to those interested, in -conformity to Article 3, paragraph 2, of the said convention.

Ministerial decision for the application of the law of November 11, 1915, restricting transfer of national vessels during war, March 16, 1916. [Bulletin Officiel de la Marine, Apr. 1, 1916, p. 483; Journal Officiel, Mar. 22, 1916.] ARTICLE 1. French shipowners who desire to sell a ship to a foreigner must address a request mentioning the reasons upon which it is based to the Under Secretary of State for the Navy.

ART. 2. After an investigation, the Under Secretary of State shall state his opinion from the point of view of the interests of the Merchant Marine and shall transmit the papers to the Chief of the General Staff (first section), whose duty it is to formulate an opinion as regards the navy.

ART. 3. The Minister will decide.

The Under Secretary of State will notify the decision to the parties concerned and the papers in the case will be transmitted through the

delegate of the Minister of Marine to the commission on the modification of prohibitions of export. This commission will give the authority for the transfer of flag.

L. LACAZE, Minister of Marine.

Recognition of independence of Czecho-Slovaks, June 30, 1918.1

[New York Times, Current History, 8 (pt. 2), 489.]

*

*

M. Pichon, French Minister of Foreign Affairs to Czecho-Slovak National Council. At the moment when the first unity of the autonomous Czecho-slovak Army of France is preparing to quit its quarters and, having received its flag, to proceed to man a sector amidst its French brothers in arms, the Government of the Republic deems it equitable and necessary to proclaim the rights of your Nation to independence. * For long centuries the Czecho-Slovak Nation possessed the incomparable blessing of independence. It was deprived of it by the violence of the Hapsburgs allied with Germanic princes. The historic rights of nations are imprescriptible. It is for the defense of these rights that France, attacked, is fighting to-day, together with her allies. The cause of the Czechs is specially dear to it.

*
* *

In the name of the Government of the Republic, I express the sincerest and warmest wishes that the Czecho-Slovak State may soon become by the common efforts of all the allies, in close union with Poland and the Jugo-Slav State, an impassable barrier to Germanic aggression and a factor of peace in a Europe reconstructed according to the principles of justice and the right of nationalities.

GERMANY.

SOJOURN OF VESSELS.

Regulations regarding the admission and treatment of war vessels and prizes of belligerents in the harbors and waters of the German coast and the German colonies, May 14, 1913.

1. With reference to the admission of warships, there shall apply articles 1 to 3 of the "Regulations regarding the admission and treatment of foreign warships in the harbors and waters of the German coast" of May 24, 1910.

ARTICLE 1.

War vessels (warships and war craft) of foreign powers require no special permission for calling at fortified and unfortified German harbors and river mouths and for the navigation of inland waters. Nevertheless a notice of the impending visit must be transmitted in good time through diplomatic channels.

Without this, foreign war vessels, with the exception of the cases given in article 2, may neither cross the outermost line of defense (fortification) nor stop in roads, harbors, river mouths, or inland waters. (With reference to the use of the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal, see article 3.)

1 Recognition by United States, Sept. 3, 1918, infra p. 209. 116506-19

The number of war vessels belonging to the same foreign nation that are permitted to stop at the same time in a fortified or unfortified harbor, etc., is, as a rule, limited to three. Exceptions require permission requested through diplomatic channels.

ARTICLE 2.

The foregoing regulations do not apply.

(a) To vessels that have on board sovereigns, members of families of sovereigns, presidents of republics or their suites, or ambassadors or envoys to the courts of His Majesty the Kaiser;

(b) To vessels which have been obliged by danger of sea or by accident to stop in a German harbor, etc.

ARTICLE 3.

For passage through the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal foreign war vessels require previous permission transmitted through diplomatic channels. In case a previous notice through diplomatic channels is not possible, it is to be communicated without delay through the local authorities.

2. Commissioned pilots may be granted (“zugestanden") only for a direct trip from the sea into a harbor, or for a direct trip from the harbor to the open sea.

3. In the waters under German sovereignty war vessels of belligerents are obliged to refrain from all hostilities including capture, interception, and the practice of the right of search. Neither may they hold any prize court therein.

4. Within the ports and roads they may repair injuries only to such an extent as is necessary for their safety of navigation, but they may neither repair, strengthen, or increase their military stores or armament, nor enlarge their complements, nor in any other way heighten their military power.

5. At each visit they may replenish their supplies of coal to the full capacity of their bunkers. They may also increase their stores of food and drink and of anything else necessary for their peaceable operation of the ship.

6. They must leave waters under German sovereignty 14 days at the latest after their arrival therein or, in case they have to remain longer in order to carry out such work as is specified in article 4, immediately after the completion of the said work.

In case the weather should make it impossible for them to leave then, or in case the conditions set forth in article 9 should come into effect, permission to remain will be extended for the necessary length of time.

7. In the harbors which are situated in the immediate neighborhood of the seat of war,' article 6 applies with the sole change that the words "24 hours" shall be substituted for "14 days."

8. The provisions of articles 6 and 7 do not apply to war vessels which are engaged exclusively in religious, scientific, or philanthropic work.

9. If there should be present simultaneously in the harbor or roadstead war vessels of both belligerents, at least 24 hours must elapse

1 When the case arises the Imperial Chancellor will enumerate the ports here indicated.

between the departure of ships of one belligerent and that of ships of the other. In case both parties have at the outset chosen the same day for departure, the order of their departure shall be determined by that of their arrival.

Warships of a belligerent may not leave a harbor or a roadstead less than 24 hours after the departure of a merchant vessel flying the flag of the enemy of the said belligerent.

10. Prizes may put in only:

(a) On account of unseaworthiness, or bad weather, or on account of deficiency in fuel or supplies, in which cases they must leave again as soon as the cause that justified their putting in has been removed.

(b) When they are to be allowed to remain in the harbor until the prize court has made its decision, in which case they must be given over to the neutral German authorities for safekeeping. Issued at the New Palace, May 14, 1913.

WILHELM I. R.

VON BETHMANN HOLLWEG.

WAR MEASURES.

War zone declaration, November 23, 1917.1

[Official.]

BERLIN, November 20, 1917.

The following communication has been sent to the allied, neutral, and enemy States:

Supplement to the German blockade declaration of January 31, 1917.

I. In complementing the declaration of blockade of January 31, 1917, the barred waters will be extended from the 22d of November as follows: 1. Barred waters around England.-The border of the barred waters around England and France runs from the end of points of the BelgianDutch boundary line over point 51° 35′ north, 2° 57′ east to 52° 2′ north, 3° 52′ east to 52° 28' north, 4° 22' east to 52° 40′ north, 4° 25' east to 52° 40′ north, 3° 40′ east to 54° 45′ north, 3° 40′ east to 55° 10′ north, 4° east to 56° north, 4° 50′ east, further along on the longitude degree 4° 50′ east along to the point in 10 miles distance from the Utfire Lighthouse, then on a circle at 10 sea miles distance west around the said lighthouse to the intersecting point of the connecting line, Utfire Lighthouse, to the point 62° north 0° 0' eastern longitude and 62° north 5° west to a point 3 sea miles south of the south point of the Faroe Islands. From there over 62° north, 10° west to 61° north, 15° west to 55° north, 30° west to 47° north, 30° west to 43° north, 15° west, then on the degree of latitude 43° north along to a point 20 sea miles along the Spanish north coast to the French-Spanish border. 2. New barred waters.-On the enemy bases at the Azores, the boundary runs over the following points: From 39° north, 17° west to 44° north, 27° 45′ west to 44° north, 34° west to 42° 30′ north, 37°

1 For other war zone declarations, see International Law Documents, 1917, p. 107