The present Convention replaced Hague Convention (X) of 1907 for the Adaptation to Maritime Warfare of the Principles of the Geneva Convention.
It contains 63 Articles whereas the 1907 Convention had only 28. This extension is mainly due to the fact that the present Convention is conceived as a complete and independent Convention whereas the 1907 Convention restricted itself to adapting to maritime warfare the principles of the Convention on the wounded and sick in land warfare. In its structure the 1949 Convention follows closely the provisions of Geneva Convention (I) of 1949.