§ 230. That capitulations must be scrupulously adhered to is an old customary rule, now enacted by article 35 of the Hague Regulations. Any act contrary to a capitulation would constitute an international delinquency if ordered by the belligerent Government concerned, and a war crime if committed without such order. Such violation may be met with reprisals or punishment of the offenders as war criminals. VI ARMISTICES Grotius, III. c. 21, §§ 1-13, c. 22, § 8--Pufendorf, VIII. c. 7, §§ 3-12--Vattel, III. §§ 233-260--Hall, § 192--Lawrence, § 216--Westlake, p. 82--Phillimore, III. §§ 116-121--Halleck, II. pp. 311-319--Moore, VII. § 1162--Taylor, §§ 513 and 516--Wheaton, §§ 400-404--Bluntschli, §§ 688-699--Heffter, § 142--Lueder in Holtzendorff, IV. pp. 531-544--Ullmann, § 186--Bonfils, Nos. 1248-1258--Despagnet, Nos. 563-566--Pradier-Fodéré, VII. Nos. 2889-2918--Rivier, II. pp. 362-368--Nys, III. pp. 518-520--Calvo, IV. §§ 2433-2449--Fiore, III. Nos. 1484-1494, and Code, Nos. 1750-1763--Martens, II. § 127--Longuet, §§ 145-149--Mérignhac, pp. 230-239--Pillet, pp. 364-370--Zorn. pp. 201-206--Bordwell, p. 291--Meurer, II. §§ 43-44--Spaight, pp. 232-248--_Kriegsbrauch_, pp. 41-44--Holland, _War_, Nos. 93-99--_Land Warfare_, §§ 256-300. [Sidenote: Character and Kinds of Armistices.] § 231. Armistices or truces, in the wider sense of the term, are all agreements between belligerent forces for a temporary cessation of hostilities. They are in no wise to be compared with peace, and ought not to be called temporary peace, because the condition of war remains between the belligerents themselves, and between the belligerents and neutrals on all points beyond the mere cessation of hostilities. In spite of such cessation the right of visit and search over neutral merchantmen therefore remains intact, as does likewise the right to capture neutral vessels attempting to break a blockade, and the right to seize contraband of war. However, although all armistices are essentially alike in so far as they consist of cessation of hostilities, three different kinds must be distinguished--namely, (1) suspensions of arms, (2) general armistices, and (3) partial armistices.[453] It must be emphasised that the Hague Regulations deal with armistices in articles 36 to 41 very incompletely, so that the gaps need filling up from old customary rules. [Footnote 453: Although, as will be seen from the following sections, this distinction is absolutely necessary, it is not made by several publicists. Holland, _War_, No. 93, even says: "There is no difference of meaning, according to British usage at least, between a 'truce,' an 'armistice,' and a 'suspension of arms.'" _Land Warfare_, § 256--see in especial note (_a_)--accepts the distinction as indispensable.] [Sidenote: Suspensions of Arms.]