HOSTAGE, a person handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war. The practice of taking hostages is very ancient, and has been used constantly in negotiations with conquered nations, and in cases such as surrenders, armistices and the like. The Romans were accustomed to take the sons of tributary princes and edu cate them at Rome, thus holding a security for the continued loyalty of the conquered nation and also instilling a possible future ruler with ideas of Roman civilization. This practice was also adopted in the early period of the British occupation of India, and by France in her relations with the Arab tribes in North Africa. The position of a hostage was that of a prisoner of war to be retained till the negotiations or treaty obligations were carried out, and liable to punishment (in ancient times), and even to death, in case of treachery or refusal to fulfil the promises made. The practice of taking hostages as security for the carry ing out of a treaty between civilized states is now obsolete. The last occasion was at the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748 when two British peers, Henry Bowers Howard, nth Earl of Suf folk and Charles, 9th Baron Cathcart, were sent to France as hostages for the restitution of Cape Breton to France.
In modern times the practice may be said to be confined to two occasions: (I) to secure the payment of enforced contribu tions or requisitions in an occupied territory and the obedience to regulations the occupying army may think fit to issue; (2) as a precautionary measure, to prevent illegitimate acts of war or vio lence by persons not members of the recognized military forces of the enemy. (See REPRISALS.) The Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 and the 2nd Boer War saw many instances of the holding of hostages while the Germans took the same precautions in invaded territory early in the World War.
See W. E. Hall, A Treatise on International Law (188o, 8th ed., by A. P. Higgins, 1924) ; F. L. Oppenheim, International Law, 2 vol. 4th ed., by A. D. McNair, 1926, etc.) .