Perhaps you will find space for a few words upon the question whether the employment for this purpose of a severer form of projectile, such as the Dum Dum bullet, would be a contravention of the "laws of war." The law of the subject, as embodied in general international national agreements, is to be found in four paragraphs; to which, be it observed, nothing is added by the unwritten, or customary, law of nations.

Of these paragraphs, which I shall set out textually, three affirm general principles, while the fourth contains a specific prohibition.

The general provisions are as follows:-- "The progress of civilisation should have the effect of alleviating as much as possible the calamities of war.

The only legitimate object which States should set before themselves during war is to weaken the military forces of the enemy.

For this purpose it is sufficient to disable the greatest possible number of men.