The topic of cable-cutting, as to which the Institut de Droit International arrived in 1879 at the conclusions set out in the first of these letters, was again taken into consideration by the Institut in 1902: see the _Annuaire_ for that year, pp. 301-332. The Hague Convention; No. iv. of 1907, provides, in Art. 54, that "submarine cables connecting occupied territory with a neutral territory shall not be destroyed or seized, unless in case of absolute necessity. They must be restored, and compensation must be arranged for them at the peace." Convention No. v., by Art. 3, forbids belligerents (1) to install on neutral territory a radio-telegraphic station, or any other apparatus, for communicating with their land or sea forces; (2) to employ such apparatus, established by them there before the war, for purely military purposes. By Art. 5, a neutral Power is bound to permit nothing of the sort. SUBMARINE CABLES Sir,--The possibility of giving some legal protection to submarine cables has been carefully considered by the Institut de Droit International. A committee was appointed in 1878 to consider the subject, and the presentation of its report to the meeting at Brussels in 1879 was followed by an interesting discussion (see the _Annuaire de l'Institut_, 1879-80, pp. 351-394). The conclusions ultimately adopted by the Institut were as follows:-- "1. It would be very useful if the various States would come to an understanding to declare that destruction of, or injury to, submarine cables in the high seas is an offence under the Law of Nations, and to fix precisely the wrongful character of the acts, and the appropriate penalties. With reference to the last-mentioned point, the degree of uniformity attainable must depend on the amount of difference between systems of criminal legislation. The right of arresting offenders, or those presumed to be such, might be given to the public vessels of all nations, under conditions regulated by treaties, but the right to try them should be reserved to the national Courts of the vessel arrested. "2. A submarine-telegraph cable uniting two neutral territories is inviolable. It is desirable that, when telegraphic communication must be interrupted in consequence of war, a belligerent should confine himself to such measures as are absolutely necessary to prevent the cable from being used, and that such measures should be discontinued, or that any damage caused by them, should be repaired as soon as the cessation of hostilities may permit." I am, Sir, your obedient servant, T. E. HOLLAND. Oxford, November 23 (1881). SUBMARINE CABLES IN TIME OF WAR