Washington May Protest.

New York Times 100 years ago today, May 26, 1913:
The Hague Convention Prohibits the Use of Automatic Contact Mines.
Special to The New York Times.
    WASHINGTON, May 25.— As a result of the sinking of the Turkish-American steamship Nevada yesterday in the Gulf of Smyrna through contact with a mine Turkey is likely to hear from the powers signatory to the conventions signed at the third Peace Conference, held at The Hague in 1907. This conference concluded a special convention relative to the laying of automatic submarine contact mines. It was signed by the representatives of forty-four powers, including Turkey, and the question has already been informally raised here as to whether the sinking of foreign commercial vessels by Turkish mines has involved a violation of this convention. The Nevada was flying the American flag, although owned by a Turkish company. She belonged to a fleet of eight vessels, of which seven were renamed in 1910 and transferred to American register. Since she was flying the American flag, the United States Government is in position to institute inquiries into the circumstances under which the steamship was lost, and it may be able to file a protest with Turkey in the event of a violation of The Hague convention.
    By the first article of this convention it is forbidden:
    "First— To lay unanchored automatic contact mines except when they are so constructed as to become harmless one hour, at most, after the person who laid them ceases to control them.
    "Second— To lay anchored automatic contact mines which do not become harmless as soon as they have broken loose from their moorings.
    "Third— To use torpedoes which do not become harmless when they have missed their mark."
    Should it be shown that the steamship Nevada was sunk through contact with an anchored mine which had broken loose from its moorings and had not become harmless after becoming detached, a violation of The Hague convention would be involved. So also would it prove to be a violation of the international agreement if it should develop that the mine was one of the unanchored type which failed to become harmless within an hour after it had been placed in the water and left beyond control.