This is the second volume in the brave attempt by the Netherlands Institute for the Law of the Sea to draw together documents emanating from international organizations touching on the Law of the Sea. It has been issued with commendable speed, apparently having been completed in the middle of the year following that in which the documents were issued. It adheres to the plan set out in volume 1, and focuses on UN organs, reproducing only the most important documents not readily available elsewhere and listing other relevant documents not reproduced. There remains a need for enhanced access to documents from non-UN organizations, and for fuller coverage of “political” debates in the UN on matters such as the Gulf conflict, which are of great importance to scholars in this field. But, with its 784 pages filled with documents from the UN family alone, it is unrealistic to expect more of this venture.

The highlights of the present volume are the materials on the Preparatory Commission on deep sea-bed mining, including the 1986 Draft Rules for the Law of the Sea Tribunal and the draft regulations on deep sea-bed mining, plus two UNCTAD Secretariat reports on the Liner Code. In addition, many other documents from the FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ILO, IMO, UNEP, UNESCO and the WMO (mercifully, a list of acronyms is included among the UNESCO papers) are also reproduced.

Inevitably, the dilemmas facing editors of such volumes are beginning to appear. Some of these documents appear to be of essentially ephemeral interest, and in places even of marginal interest to lawyers. Those who want very detailed papers are likely either to have found them already or, if not, to need more recent papers which carry the story on to the present day. Those reading for general interest are unlikely to plod through almost 800 pages of text in order to dig out the nuggets of real importance. The keyword index at the end of the volume is of some help, but could usefully be expanded and supplemented by an introduction drawing attention to the most important papers and explaining briefly the significance of each document.

There is a real tension between two aims which, at least in some degree, conflict with each other. Is this to be an archival collection, in which case extended coverage of detailed documents which may prove ephemeral is warranted, or is it to be a working collection of key documents, re-issued to extend awareness of current developments, in which case a more selective approach may be justified? These are choices which the editors cannot wholly avoid if this exciting series is to achieve the full success which it deserves. No doubt a rather clearer focus will emerge as the series progresses.

The price of the volume is high, but modest compared with the cost of subscribing to the primary sources. At present, librarians and scholars are likely to regard it as on the margins of sensible investment, but on balance it is probable that the series will prove itself worthy of the cost of a subscription. The calibre, and impressive industry, of the editors promise to develop the series into a major contribution to the primary documentation of the Law of the Sea.