Two crucibles each containing 700 pounds of
the thermit mixture are seen on the sides of the vessel. From the bottom
of these the melted steel flowed down to fill the fracture]
In spite of the opposition of the American and British delegates the
First Hague Conference adopted the clause, "The contracting powers agree
to abstain from the use of projectiles the [sole] object of which is the
diffusion of asphyxiating or deleterious gases." The word "sole"
(_unique_) which appears in the original French text of The Hague
convention is left out of the official English translation. This is a
strange omission considering that the French and British defended their
use of explosives which diffuse asphyxiating and deleterious gases on
the ground that this was not the "sole" purpose of the bombs but merely
an accidental effect of the nitric powder used.
The Hague Congress of 1907 placed in its rules for war: "It is expressly
forbidden to employ poisons or poisonous weapons." But such attempts to
rule out new and more effective means of warfare are likely to prove
futile in any serious conflict and the restriction gives the advantage
to the most unscrupulous side.
Pages:
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357