2 cl Session, J Executive B. LIBRARY A. B. C. F. HESS AGE FROM THE ' / PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, A general act , signed at Brussels , July 2, 1890, by the Plenipotentiaries of the United States, and other Poicers, for the suppression of the African slave trade, etc. January 29, 1691. — Read ; General Act read the first time and referred to the Com- mittee on Foreign Relations, and, together with the message and accompanying- papers, ordered to be printed in confidence for the use of the Senate. To the Senate : I transmit with a view to its ratification a General Act signed at Brussels on July 2 last by the Plenipotentiaries of the United States and other Powers, for the repression of the African slave trade, and the restriction of the importation into, and sale in, a certain defined zone of the African continent, of firearms, ammunition and spirituous liquors. I also enclose a report from the Secretary of State, and call attention to the importance of early action on the Act. Benj. Harrison. Executive Mansion, Washington, January 29, 1891. To the President: I have the honor to submit for transmission to the Senate, if deemed proper, a general act signed at Brussels on July 2 last by the plenipo- tentiaries of the United States and other powers for the repression of the African slave trade and the restriction of the importation into, and sale in, a certain defined zone of the African continent, of firearms, ammunitions, and spirituous liquors. As the act provides in article xcix for the deposit of the ratifications thereof at Brussels by July 2 next, it is very desirable that the Senate should take action during its present session. Respectfully submitted. James G. Blaine. Department of State, Washington, January 29, 1891. [Translation.] GENERAL ACT OF THE BRUSSELS CONFERENCE. In The Name of God Almighty. The President of the United States of America; His Majesty the German Emperor, King of Prussia, in the name of the German Empire; His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, &c., and Apostolic King of Hungary; His Majesty the King of the Belgians; His viajesty the King of Denmark; His Majesty the King of Spain, and in his name Her Majesty the Queen Regent of the Kingdom; Bis Majesty the Sovereign of the Independent State of the Congo; The President of the French Republic; Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India; His Majesty the King of Italy; His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, Graud Duke of Luxem- burg, &c. ; His Majesty the Shah of Persia; His Majesty the King of Portugal and the Algarves, &c. ; His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias; His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, &c. ; His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans; and His Highness the Sultan of Zanzibar; Being equally actuated by the firm intention of putting an an end to the crimes and devastations engendered by the traffic in African slaves, of efficiently protecting the aboriginal population of Africa, and of securing for that vast continent the benefits of peace and civilization ; Wishing to give fresh sanction to the decisions already adopted in the same sense and at different times by the powers, to complete the results secured by them, and to draw up a body of measures guarantee- ing the accomplishment of the work which is the object of their com- mon solicitude ; Have resolved, in pursuance of the invitation addressed to them by the Government of His Majesty the King of the Belgians, in agreement with the Government of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, to convene for this purpose a conference at Brussels, and have named as their plenipotentiaries : The President of the United States of America, Mr. Edwin H. Terrell, Euvoy Extraordinary and Minister Pleni- potentiary of the United States of America near His Majesty the King of the Belgians, and Mr. Henry Shelton Sanford; His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia, in the Name of the German Empire, Frederic John, Count of Alvensleben, His Chamberlain and Actual Privy Councillor, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Pleni- potentiary near His Majesty the King of the Belgians, and Mr. William Goehring, His Privy Councillor of Legation, Consul- General of the German Empire at Amsterdam; 3 His Majesty The Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia and Apostolic King of Hungary, Rodolphe Count Khevenliiiller-Metsch, His Chamberlain, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary near his Majesty the King of the Belgians, His Majesty" the King of the Belgians, Auguste Baron Lambermout, His Minister of State, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, and M. Emile Banning, Director General in the Department of Foreign Affairs of Belgium ; His Majesty" the King of Denmark, Mr. Frederic-George Schack de Brockdorff, Consul General of Den- mark at Antwerp ; His Majesty" the King of Spain, and in His Name Her Maj- esty the Queen Regent of the Kingdom, Don Jose Gutierrez de Agiiera, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary near His Majesty the King of the Bel- gians; His Majesty" the Sovereign-King of the Independent State of the Congo. Mr. Edmund Van Eetvelde, Administrator-General of the Depart- ment of Foreign Affairs of the Independent State of the Congo and, Mr. Auguste Van Maldeghem, Councillor in the Belgian Court of Cassation ; The President of the French Repl-blic, M. Albert Bouree, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipoten- tiary of the French Republic near His Majesty the King of the Belgians, and M. George Cogordan, Minister Plenipotentiary, Director of the Office of the Minister of Foreign (Affairs of France ; Her Majesty" the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India, Lord Vivian, Peer of the United Kingdom, Her Envoy Extraor- dinary ami Minister Plenipotentiary near His Majesty the King of the Belgians, and Sir John Kirk ; His Majesty- the King of Italy", ‘ Francis de Renzis, Baron of Montanaro, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary near His Majesty the King of the Belgians, and Mr. Thomas Catalani, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary; His Majesty- the King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxemburg, Louis Baron Gericke de Herwynen, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary near His Majesty the King of the Bel- gians; His Imperial Majesty' the Shah of Persia, General Nazare Aga, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plen- ipotentiary near His Majesty the King of the Belgians; His Majesty" the King of Portugal and of the Algarves, Mr. Henrique de Macedo Pereira Coutinho, Member of His Coun- cil, Peer of the Kingdom, Minister and Honorary Secretary of State, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary near His Majesty the King of the Belgians ; 4 His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russlas, Leon Prince Ouroussoff, Master of His Court, His Envoy Extraor- dinary and Minister Plenipotentiary near His Majesty tlie King of the Belgians, and Mr. Frederic de Martens, His Actual Councillor of State, Perma- nent Member of the Council of Foreign Affairs of Russia ; His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, Mr. Charles de Burenstam, His Chamberlain, His Minister Plen- ipotentiary near His Majesty the King of the Belgians and near His Majesty the King of the Netherlands; His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans, Etienne Caratheodory Efendi, High Dignitary of His Empire, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary near His Majesty the King of the Belgians; His Highness the Sultan of Zanzibar, Sir John Kirk, and Mr. William Goehring; Who, being furnished with full powers, which have been fouud to be in good and due form, have adopted the following provisions: 1 Chapter I. Slave-trade countries. — Measures to be taken , in the 2 places of origin. 3 Article I. 4 . \\ The powers declare that the most effective means of counteract- 5 iug the slave-trade in the interior of Africa are the following : G 1. Progressive organization of the administrative, judicial, relig- 7 ious, and military services in the African territories placed under 8 the sovereignty or protectorate of civilized nations. 9 2. The gradual establishment in the interior, by the powers to 10 which the territories are subject, of strongly occupied stations, in 11 such a way as to make their protective or repressive action effect- 12 ively felt in the territories devastated by slave-hunting. 13 3. The construction of roads, and in particular of railways, con- 14 uectiug the advanced stations with the coast, and permitting easy 15 access to the inland waters, and to such of the upper courses of the 10 rivers and streams as are broken by rapids and cataracts, with a 17 view to substituting economical and rapid means of transportation 18 for the present system of carriage by men. 19 4. Establishment of steam-boats on the inland navigable waters 20 and on the lakes, supported by fortified posts established on the 21 banks. 22 5. Establishment of telegraphic lines, insuring the communication 23 of the posts and stations with the coast and with the administra- 24 tive centres. . f 26 2 f 28 20 30 31 f 32 33 34 35 36 37 3S 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 5 6. Organization of expeditions and Hying columns, to keep up the communication of the stations with each other and with the coast, to support repressive action, and to insure the security of high roads. 7. Restriction of the importation of fire-arms, at least of those of modern pattern, and of ammunition throughout the entire extent of the territory in which the slave-trade is carried on. ' y Article II. The stations, the iuland cruisers organized by each power in its waters, and the posts which serve as ports of register for them shall, independently of their principal task, which is to prevent the cap- ture of slaves and intercept the routes of the slave-trade, have the following subsidiary duties: 1. To support and, if necessary, to serve as a refuge for the native population, whether placed under the sovereignty or the protect- orate of the State to which the nation is subject, or independent, and temporarily for all other natives in case of imminent danger; to place the population of the first of these categories in a position to co operate for their own defence ; to diminish inland wars between tribes by means of arbitration; to initiate them in agricultural labor and in the industrial arts so as to increase their welfare; to raise them to civilization and bring about the extinction of bar- barous customs, such as cauuibalism, and human sacrifices. 2. To give aid and protection to commercial enterprises; to watch over their legality by especially controlling contracts for service with natives, and to prepare the way for the foundation of perma- nent centres of cultivation and of commercial settlements. 3. To protect, without distinction of creed, the missions which are already or that may hereafter be established. 4. To provide for the sanitary service and to extend hospitality and help to explorers and to all who take part in Africa in the work of repressing the slave-trade. Article III. The powers exercising a sovereignty or a protectorate in Africa confirm and give precision to their former declarations, and en- gage to proceed gradually, as circumstances may permit, either by the means above indicated, or by any other means that they ma' 6 62 consider suitable, with the repression of the slave-trade, each State 63 in its respective possessions and under its own direction. When- 64 ever they consider it possible they shall lend their good offices to 65 such powers as, with a purely humanitariau object, may be engaged 66 in Africa in the fulfilment of a similar mission. 67 Article IV. 68 The States exercising sovereign powers or protectorates in Africa 69 may in all cases delegate to companies provided with charters all 70 or a portion of the engagements which they assume in virtue of 71 Article III. They remain, nevertheless, directly responsible for 72 the engagements which they contract by the present act, and 73 guarantee the execution thereof. The powers promise to encour- 74 age, aid and protect such national associations and enterprises due 75 to private initiative as may wish to cooperate in their possessions 76 in the repression of the slave-trade, subject to their receiving 77 previous authorization, such authorization being revocable at any 78 time, subject also to their being directed and controlled, and to the 79 exclusion of the exercise of rights of sovereignty. 80 Article V. 81 The contracting powers pledge themselves, unless this has already 82 been provided for by laws in accordance with the spirit of the 83 present article, to enact or propose to their respective legislative 84 bodies in the course of one year at the latest from the date of the 85 signing of the present general act a law rendering applicable on 86 the one hand, the provisions of their penal laws concerning grave 87 offenses against the person, to the organizers and abettors of slave- 88 hunting, to those guilty of mutilating adults and male infants, and 89 to all persons taking part iu the capture of slaves by violence; and, 90 on the other hand, the provisions relating to offenses against iudi- 91 vidual liberty, to carriers and transporters of, and to dealers in, 92 slaves. 93 The accessories and accomplices of the different categories of slave 94 captors and dealers above specified shall be punished with penal- 95 ties proportionate to those incurred by the principals. ^ Guilty persons who may have escaped from the jurisdiction of \the authorities of the country where the crimes or offenses have \ii committed shall be arrested either on communication of the >iinating evidence by the authorities who have ascertained the 7 100 violation of the law, or on production of any other proof of guilt by 101 the power in whose territory they may have been discovered, and 102 shall be kept, without other formality, at the disposal of the tri- 103 bunals competent to try them. 101 The powers shall communicate to each other, with the least 105 possible delay, the laws or decrees existing or promulgated in ex- 100 ecution of the present Article. 107 Article YI. 108 Slaves liberated in consequence of the stoppage or dispersion 109 of a convoy in the interior of the continent, shall be sent back, if 110 circumstances permit, to their country of origin; if not, the local 111 authorities shall facilitate, as much as possible, their means of 112 living, and if they desire it, help them to settle on the spot. 113 Article VII. 114 Any fugitive slave claiming, on the continent, the protection of 115 the signatory powers, shall receive it, and shall be received in 116 the camps and stations officially established by said powers, or on 117 board of the vessels of the State plying on the lakes and rivers. 118 Private stations and boats are only permitted to exercise the right 119 of asylum subject to the previous conseut of the State. 120 Article VIII. 121 The experience of all nations that have intercourse with Africa 122 having shown the pernicious and preponderating part played by 123 fire-arms in operations connected with the slave-trade as well as 124 internal wars between the native tribes; and this same experience 125 -having clearly proved that the preservation of the African popu- 126 latiou whose existence is the express wish of the powers to pro- 127 tect, is a radical impossibility, if measures restricting the trade 128 in fire-arms and ammunition are not adopted, the powers decide, 129 so far as the present state of their frontiers permits, that the im- 130 portation of fire-arms, and especially of rifles and improved weap- 131 ous, as well as of powder, ball and cartridges, is, except in the 132 cases and under the conditions provided for in the following 133 Article, prohibited in the territories comprised between the 20th 134 parallel of Xorth latitude and the 22d parallel of South latitude, 135 aud extending westward to the Atlantic Ocean and eastward to 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 8 the Indian Ocean and its dependencies, including the islands adjacent to the coast within 100 nautical miles from the shore. Article IX. The introduction of fire-arms and ammunition, when there shall be occasion to authorize it in the possessions of the signatory powers that exercise rights of sovereignty or of protectorate in Africa, shall be regulated, unless identical or stricter regulations have already been enforced, in the following manner in the zone defined in Article VIII : All imported fire arms shall be deposited, at the cost, risk and peril of the importers in a public warehouse under the supervi- sion of the State government. No withdrawal of fire-arms or im- ported ammunition shall take place from such warehouses with- out the previous authorization of the said government. This authorization shall, except in the cases hereinafter specified, be refused for the withdrawal of all arms for accurate firing, such as rifles, magazine-guns, or breech-loaders, whether whole or in de- tached pieces, their cartridges, caps, orother ammunition intended for them. In seaports and under conditions affording the needful guaran- tees, the respective governments may permit private warehouses, but only for ordinary powder and for flint-lock muskets, and to the exclusion of improved arms and ammunition therefor. Independently of the measures directly taken by governments for the arming of the public force and the organization of their defence, individual exceptions may be allowed in the case of persons fur- nishing sufficient guarantees that the weapon and ammunition delivered to them shall not be given, assigned or sold to third parties, and for travelers provided with a declaration of their government stating that the weapon and ammunition are intended for their personal defence exclusively. All arms, in the cases provided for in the preceding paragraph, shall be registered and marked by the supervising authorities, who shall deliver to the person in question permits to bear arms, stating the name of the bearer and showing the stamp with which the weapon is marked. These permits shall be revocable in case proof is furnished that they have beeu improperly used, aud shall be issued for five years only, but may be renewed. 9 174 175 jj/ 170 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 Tbe aboverule as to ware-housiug shall also apply to gunpowder. Only flint lock guns, with unrifled barrels, and common gun- powder known as trade powder, may Joe withdrawn from the ware- houses for sale. At each withdrawal of arms and ammunition of this kind for sale, the local authorities shall determine the regions in which such arms and ammunition may be sold. The regions in which the slave-trade is carried on shall always be excluded. Persons authorized to take arms or powder out of the public ware- houses, shall present to the State government, every six months, detailed lists indicating the destinations of the arms and powder sold, as well as the quantities still remaining in the ware-houses. 1S5 Article X. 18G The Governments shall take all such measures as they may 187 deem necessary to insure as complete a fulfilment as possible of 188 the provisions respecting the importation, sale and transportation 189 of fire-arms and ammunition, as well as to prevent either the entry 190 or exit thereof via their inland frontiers, or the passage thereof to 191 regions where the slave-trade is rife. 192 The authorization of transit within the limits of the zone speci- 193 fled in Article VIII, shall not be withheld when the arms and am- 194 munition are to pass across the territory of a signatory or adherent 195 power occupying the coast, towards inland territories under the 196 sovereignty or protectorate of another signator y or adherent power, 197 unless this latter power have direct access to the sea through its 198 own territory. If this access be wholly interrupted, the authoriza- 199 tion of transit can not be withheld. Any application for transit 200 must be accompanied by a declaration emanating trom the gov- 201 e'rument of the power having the inland possessions, and certify - 202 ing that the said arms and ammunition are not intended for sale, 203 but are for the use of the authorities of such power, or of the 204 military forces necessary for the protection of the missionary or 205 commercial stations, or of persons mentioned by name in the 206 declaration. Nevertheless, tbe territorial power of the coast re- 207 tains the right to stop, exceptionally and provisionally, the transit 208 of improved arms and ammunition across its territory, if, in con- 209 sequence of inland disturbances or other serious danger, there is. 210 ground for fearing lest the despatch of arms and ammunition may 211 compromise its own safety. 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 10 Article XI. The powers shall communicate to each other information re- lating to the traffic in fire-arms and ammunition, the permits granted, and the measures of repression in force in their respective territories. Article XII. The powers engage to adopt or to propose to their respective legislative bodies the measures necessary everywhere to secure the punishment of infringers of the prohibitions contained in Arti- cles VIII and IX, and that of their accomplices, besides the seiz- ure and confiscation of the prohibited arms and ammunition, either by fine or imprisonment, or by both of these penalties in propor- tion to the importance of the infraction and in accordance with the gravity of each case. Article XIII. The signatory powers that have possessions in Africa in contact with the zone specified in Article VIII, bind themselves to take the necessary measures for preventing the introduction of fire- arms and ammunition across their inland frontiers into the regions of said zone, at least that of improved arms and cartridges. Article XIV. The system stipulated in Articles VIII to XIII, shall remain in force for twelve years. In case none of the contracting parties shall have given notice, twelve months before the expiration of this period, of its intention to put an end to it, or shall have de- manded its revision, it shall remain obligatory for two years longer? and shall thus continue in force from two years to two years. Chapter II. Caravan Routes and Transportation of Slaves by land. Article XV. Independently of the repressive or protective action which they exercise in the centres of the slave-trade, it shall be the duty of the stations, cruisers and posts, whose establishment is provided for in Article II, and of all other stations established or recognized V - 246 by Article IV, by each government in its possessions, to watch, 247 so far as circumstances shall permit, and in proportion to the 248 progress of their administrative organization, the roads traveled 249 in their territory by slave-dealers, to stop convoys on their march, 250 or to pursue them wherever their action can be legally exercised- 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 Article XVI. «jlv- £/V ' In the regions of the coast known to serve habitually as places of passage or terminal points for slave-traffic coming from the in- terior, as well as at the points of intersection of the principal cara- van routes crossing the zone contiguous to the coast already subject to the control of the sovereign or protective powers, posts shall be established under the conditions and with the reservations men- 258 tioned in Article III, by the authorities to which the territories 269 are subject, for the purpose of intercepting the convoys and liber- 260 ating the slaves. 261 Article XVII. 262 A strict watch shall be organized by the local authorities at the 263 ports and places near the coast, with a view to preventing the 264 sale and shipment of slaves brought from the interior, as well as 265 the formation and departure landwards of bands of slave-hunters 266 and dealers. 267 Caravans arriving at the coast or in its vicinity, as well as those 268 arriving in the interior at a locality occupied by the territorial 269 power, shall, on their arrival, be subjected to a minute inspection 270 as to the persons composing them. Any such person being ascer- 271 tained to have been captured or carried off by force, or mutilated, 272 either in his native place or on the way, shall be set free. 273 Article XVIII. 274 In the possessions of each of the contracting powers, it shall be 275 | the duty of the government to protect liberated slaves, to return 276 them, if possible, to their country, to procure means of subsistence 277 for them, and, in particular, to take charge of the education and 278 subsequent employment of abandoned children. , 279 Article XIX. 280 The penal arrangements provided for by Article V, shall be ap- 281 plicable to all offences committed in the course of operations con- 12 2S2 nected with the transportion of and traffic in slaves on laud when- 283 ever such offences may be ascertained to have been committed. 284 Any person having incurred a penalty in consequence of an 285 offence provided for by the present general act, shall incur the 28G obligation of furnishing security before being able to eugage in 287 any commercial transaction in countries where the slave-trade is 288 carried on. 289 Chapter III. Repression of the Slave-trade by Sea. 290 Section I. General provisions. 291 Article XX. 292 The signatory powers recognize the desirability of taking steps 293 in common for the more effective repression of the slave-trade in 294 the maritime zone in which it still exists. 295 Article XXI. 29G This zone extends, on the one hand, between the coasts of the 297 Indian Ocean (those of the Persian Gulf and of the Red Sea in- 298 eluded), from Beloochistan to Cape Taugalane (Quilimane) ; and, 299 on the other hand, a conventional line which first follows the 300 meridian from Taugalane till it intersects the 26th degree of South 301 latitude; it is then merged in this parallel, then passes round the 302 Island of Madagascar by the east, keeping 20 miles off the east 303 and north shore, till it intersects the meridian at Cape Ambre. 304 From this point the limit of the zone is determined by an oblique 305 line, which extends to the coast of Beloochistan, passing 20 miles 30G oft' Cape Ras-el-Had. 307 Article XXII. 308 The signatory powers of the present general act, — among whom 309 exists special conventions for the suppression of the slave-trade, 310 have agreed to restrict the clauses of those conventions concern - 311 ing the reciprocal right of visit, of search and of seizure of vessels 312 at sea in the above mentioned zone. 313 Article XXIII. 314 The same powers also agree to limit the above mentioned rights 315 to vessels whose tonnage is less than 500 tons. This stipulation 33 316 shall be revised as soon as experience shall have shown the 317 necessity thereof. 318 Article XXIY. 319 All other provisions of the convention concluded for the sup- 320 pression of the slave-trade between the aforesaid powers, shall 321 remain in force provided they are not modified by the present 322 general act. 323 Article XXV. 324 The signatory powers engage to adopt efficient measures to p re- 325 vent the unlawful use of their flag, and to prevent the transpor- 326 tation of slaves on vessels authorized to fly their colors. 327 328 329 330 331 338 339 340 341 342 343 Article XXVI. The signatory powers engage to adopt all measures necessary to facilitate the speedy exchange of information calculated to lead to the discovery of persons taking part in operations connected with the slave-trade. Article XXVII. At least one international bureau shall be created ; it shall be established at Zanzibar. The high contracting parties engage to forward to it all the documents specified in Article XLI, as well as all information of any kind likely to assist in the suppression of the slave-trade. Article XXVIII. Any slave who has taken refuge on board a ship of war bear- ing the flag of one of the signatory powers, shall be immediately and definitively set free. Such freedom, however, shall not with- draw him from the competent jurisdiction if he has been gulity of any crime or offence at common law. 344 Article XXIX. 345 Any slave detained against his will on board of a native vessel 346 shall have the right to demand his liberty. His release may be 347 ordered by any agent of any of the signatory powers on whom the 348 present general act confers the right of ascertaining the status of 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 35G 357 358 359 360 301 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 3S1 382 14 persons on board of such vessels, although such release shall not withdraw him from the competent jurisdiction if he has committed any crime or offence at common law. Section II. Regulation concerning the use of the flag and supervision by cruisers. 1. Rules for granting the flag to native vessels, and as to crew lists and manifests of black passengers on board. Article XXX. The signatory powers engage to exercise a strict surveillance over native vessels authorized to carry their flag in the zone men- tioned in Article XXI, and over the commercial operations car- ried on by such vessels. Article XXXI. The term u native vessel ” applies to vessels fulfilling one of the following conditions : 1. It shall present the outward appearance of native build or rigging. 2. It shall be manned by a crew of whom the captain and the majority of the seamen belong by origin to one of the countries on the coast of the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, or the Persian Gulf- Article XXXII. The authorization to carry the flag of one of the said powers shall in future be granted only to such native vessels as shall satisfy at the same time the three following conditions : 1. Fitters-out or owners of ships must be either subjects of or persons protected by the power whose flag they ask to carry. 2. They shall be obliged to prove that they possess real estate situated in the district of the authority to whom their application is addressed, or to furnish bona fide security as a guaranty of the payment of such flues as may be incurred. 3. The above-named fitters-out or owners of ships, as well the captain of the vessel, shall prove that they enjoy a good reputa- tion, and that in particular they have never been sentenced to punishment for acts connected with the slave-trade. 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 15 Article XXXIII. This authorization granted shall be renewed every year. It may at any time be suspended or withdrawn by the authorities of the power whose colors the vessel carries. Article XXXIY. The act of authorization shall contain the statements neces- sary to establish the identity of the vessel. The captain shall have the keeping thereof. The name of the native vessel and the amount of its tonnage shall be cut and painted in Latin charac- ters on the stern, and the initial or initials of the name of the port of registry, as well as the registration number in the series of the numbers of that port, shall be printed in black ou the sails. Article XXXV. A list of the crew shall be issued to the captain of the vessel at the port of departure by the authorities of the power whose colors it carries. It shall be renewed at every fresh venture of the vessel, or at the latest, at the end of a year, and in accordance with the following provisions: 1. The list shall be examined at the departure of the vessel by the authority that has issued it. 2. No negro can be engaged as a seaman ou a vessel without having previously been questioned by the authority of the power whose colors it carries, or, in default thereof, by the territorial authority, with a view to ascertaining the fact of his having con- tracted a free engagement. 3. This authority shall see that the proportion of seamen and boys is not out of proportion to the tonnage or rigging. 4. The authorities who shall have questioned the men before their departure shall enter them ou the list of the crew in which they shall be mentioned, with a summary description of each of them alongside his name. 5. In order the more effectively to prevent any substitution, the the seamen may, moreover, be provided with a distinctive mark. Article XXXVI. When the captain of a vessel shall desire to take negro passen- gers on board, he shall make his declaration to that effect to the 16 419 authority of the power whose colors he carries, or in default 420 thereof, to the territorial authority. The passengers shall be 421 questioned, and after it has been ascertained that they embarked 422 of their own free will, they shall be entered in a special manifest, 423 bearing the description of each of them alongside of his name, and 424 specially sex and height. Negro children shall not be taken as 425 passengers unless they are accompanied by their relations, or by 420 persons whose respectability is well known. At the departure 427 the passenger roll shall be visaed by the aforesaid authority after 428 it has been called. If there are no passengers on board, this 429 shall be specially mentioned in the crew-list. 430 Article XXXVII. 431 At the arrival at any port of call or of destination, the captain 432 of the vessel shall show to the authority of the power whose flag 433 he carries, or, in default thereof, to the territorial authority, the 434 crew-list, and, if need be, the passenger-roll previously delivered. 435 The authority shall check the passengers who have reached their 436 destination or who are stopping in a port of call, and shall men- 437 tiou their landing in the roll. At the departure of the vessel the 438 same authority shall affix a fresh vise to the list and roll, and call 439 the roll of the passengers. i 440 Article XXXVIII. 441 On the African coast and on the adjacent islands, no negro pas- 442 seugers shall be taken on board of a native vessel, except in locali- 4-^3 ties where there is a resident authority belonging to one of the 444 signatory powers. 445 Throughout the extent of the zone mentioned in Article XXI of 4^0 the preceding act, no negro passenger shall be landed from a na- 44V five vessel except at a place in which there is a resident officer 448^ belonging to one of the high contracting powers, and unless such 449 officer is present at the landing. 450 Cases of vis major that may have caused an infraction of these 451 provisions shall be examined by the authority of the power whose 452 colors the vessel carries, or, in default thereof, by the territorial 453 authority of the port at which the vessel in question calls. 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 465 466 467 468 469 470 471 472 473 474 475 476 477 478 479 480 481 482 483 484 485 486 487 488 489 17 Article XXXIX. • The provisions of Articles XXXV, XXXVI, XXXVII, and XXXVIII, are not applicable to vessels only partially decked, having a crew not exceeding ten men, and fulfilling one of the two following conditions: 1. That it be exclusively used for fishing within the territorial waters. 2. That it be occupied in the petty coasting trade between the different ports of the same territorial power, without going further than 5 miles from the coast. These different boats shall receive, as the case may be, a special license from the territorial or consular authority, which shall be renewed every year, and subject to revocation as provided in Article XL, the uniform model of which license is annexed to the present general act and shall be communicated to the interna- tional information office. Article XL. Any act or attempted act connected with the slave-trade that can be legally shown to have been committed by the captain, fitter-out, or owner of a ship authorized to carry the flag of one of the signatory powers, or having procured the license provided for in Article XXXIX, shall entail the immediate withdrawal of the said authorization or liceuse. All violations of the provisions of paragraph 2 of Chapter III shall render the person guilty thereof liable to the penalties provided by the special laws and ordinances of each of the contracting powers. Article XL I. The signatory powers engage to deposit at the international information office the specimen forms of the following documents: 1. Liceuse to carry the flag; 2. The crew-list ; 3. The negro passenger list. These documents, the tenor of which may vary according to the different regulations of each country, shall necessarily contain the following particulars, drawn up in one of the European languages : Ex. B 2 18 \ 490 1. As regards the authorization to carry the flag: 491 (a) The name, tonnage, rig, and the principal dimensions 492 of the vessel; 493 ( b ) The register number and the signal letter of the port of 494 registry ; 495 (c) The date of obtaining the license, and the office held by 496 the person who has issued it; 497 2. As regards the list of the crew: 498 (a) The name of the vessel, of the captain, and of the fitter- 499 out or owner; 500 (b) The tonnage of the vessel; 501 (c) The register number and the port of registry, its desti- 502 nation, as well as the particulars specified in Article 503 XXV. 504 3. As regards the list of negro passengers: 505 The name of the vessel which conveys them, and the particulars 506 indicated in Article XXXVI, for the proper identification of the 507 passengers. SOS The signatory powers shall take the necessary measures so that 509 the territorial authorities or their consuls may send to the same 510 office certified copies of all authorizations to carry their flag as 511 soon as such authorizations shall have been granted, as well as 512 notices of the withdrawal of any such authorization. 513 The provisions of the present article have reference only to 514 papers intended for native vessels. 515 2. The stopping of suspected vessels. 516 Article XLII. 517 When the officers in command of war-vessels of auy of the 518 signatory powers have reason to believe that a vessel whose 519 tonnage is less than 500 tons, and which is found navigating in 520 the above-named zone, is engaged in the slave-trade, or is guilty 521 of the fraudulent use of a flag, they may examine the ship’s 522 papers. 523 The present article does not imply any change in the present 524 state of things as regards jurisdiction in territorial waters. 525 Article XLIII. 526 To this end, a boat commanded by a naval officer in uniform 527 may be sent on board of the suspected vessel after it has been 528 hailed and informed of this intention. 529 530 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 540 541 542 543 544 545 546 547 548 549 550 551 552 553 554 555 556 557 558 559 560 561 562 563 19 The officer sent on board of the vessel which has been stopped shall act with all possible consideration and moderation. Article XLIY. The examination of the ship’s papers shall consist of the exam- ination of the following documents: 1. As regards native vessels, the papers mentioned in Article XLI. 2. As regards other vessels, the documents required by the different treaties or conventions that are in force. The examination of the ship’s papers only authorizes the call- ing of the roll of the crew and passengers in the case and in ac- cordance with the conditions provided for in the following article. Article XLY. The examination of the cargo or the search can only take place in the case of vessels sailing under the flag of one of the powers that have concluded, or may hereafter conclude the special con- ventions provided for in Article XXII, and in accordance with the provisions of such conventions. Article XLYI. Before leaving the detained vessel, the officer shall draw up a minute according to the forms and in the language in use in the country to which he belongs. This minute shall be dated and signed by the officer, and shall recite the facts. The captain of the detained vessel, as well as the witnesses, shall have the right to cause to be added to the minutes any ex- planations they may think expedient. Article XLYII. The commander of a man-of-war who has detained a vessel un- der a foreign flag shall, in all cases, make a report thereof to his own government, and state the grounds upon which he has acted. Article XLYIII. A summary of this report, as well as a copy of the minute drawn up by the officer on board of the detained vessel, shall be sent, as soon as possible, to the international information office, which shall i 564 565 566 567 568 569 570 571 572 573 574 575 576 577 578 579 580 581 582 583 584 585 586 587 588 589 590 591 592 593 594 595 596 597 598 communicate the same to the nearest consular or territorial au- thority of the power whose flag the vessel in question has shown. Duplicates of these documents shall be kept in the archives of the bureau. Article XLIX. If, in performing the acts of supervision mentioned in the pre- ceding articles, the officer in command of the cruiser is convinced that an act connected with the slave-trade has been committed on board during the passage, or that irrefutable proofs exist against the captain, or titter-out, for accusing him of fraudulent use of the flag, or fraud, or participation in the slave-trade, he shall conduct the arrested vessel to the nearest port of the zone where there is a competent magistrate of the power whose flag has been used. Each signatory power engages to appoint in the zone, and to make known to the international information office, the territorial or consular authorities or special delegates who are competent in the above-mentioned cases. A suspected vessel may also be turned over to a cruiser of its own nation, if the latter consents to take charge of it. 3. Of the examination and trial of vessels seized. Article L. The magistrate referred to in the preceding article, to whom the arrested vessel has been turned over, shall proceed to make a full investigation, according to the laws and rules of his country, in the presence of an officer belonging to a foreign cruiser. Article LI. If it is proved by the inquiry that the flag has been fraudulently used, the arrested vessel shall remain at the disposal of its captor. Article LII. If the examination shows an act connected with the slave-trade, proved by the presence on board of slaves destined for sale, or any other ofl'ense connected with the slave-trade for which pro- vision is made by special convention, the vessel and cargo shall remain sequestrated in charge of the magistrate who shall have directed the inquiry. 599 600 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 61S 619 620 621 622 623 624 625 626 627 628 629 630 631 632 633 634 21 The captain and crew shall be turned over to the tribunals designated by Articles L1Y and LYI. The slaves shall be set at liberty as soon as judgment has been pronounced. In the cases provided for by this article, liberated slaves shall be disposed of in accordance with the special conventions con- cluded or to be concluded between the signatory powers. In de- fault of such conventions, the said slaves shall be turned over to the local authority, to be sent back, if possible, to their coun- try or origin ; if not, this authority shall facilitate to them, in so far as may be iu its power, the means of livelihood, and, if they desire it, of settling on the spot. Article LIII. If it shall be proved by the inquiry that the vessel has been illegally arrested, there shall be clear title to an indemnity in proportion to the damages suffered by the vessels being taken out of its course. The amount of this indemnity shall be fixed by the authority that has directed the inquiry. Article LIY. Iu case the officer of the capturing vessel does not accept the conclusions .of the inquiry held in his presence, the matter shall be turned over to the tribunal of the nation whose flag the cap- tured vessel has borne. No exception shall be made to this rule, uuless the disagreement arises in respect of tfie amount of the indemnity stipulated in Article LIII, and this shall be fixed by arbitration, as specified in the following article. Article LY. The capturiug officer and the authority which has directed the inquiry shall each appoint a referee within forty-eight hours, and the two arbitrators shall have twenty-four hours to choose an um- pire. The arbitrators shall, as far as possible, be chosen from among the diplomatic, cousalar, or judicial officers of the signa- natory powers. Natives in the pay of the contracting Govern- ments are formerly excluded. The decision shall be by a majority of votes, and be considered as final. If the court of arbitration is not constituted iu the time indicated, the procedure in respect of 22 635 the indemnity, as in that for damages, shall be in accordance with 636 the provisions of Article LVIII, paragraph 2. 637 Article LYI. 63S The cases shall be brought with the least possible delay before 639 the tribunal of the nation whose flag has been used by the accused. 640 However, the consuls or any other authority of the same nation as 641 the accused, specially commissioned to this end, may be author- 642 ized by their Government to pronounce judgment instead of the 643 tribunal. 644 Article LYI I. 645 The procedure and trial of violations of the provisions of Chap- 646 ter III shall always be conducted in as summary a manner as is 647 permitted by the laws and regulations in force in the territories 64S subject to the authority of the signatory powers. 649 Article LVIII. 650 Any decision of the national tribunal or authorities referred to 651 in Article LAI, declaring that the seized vessel did not carry on 652 the slave-trade, shall be immediately enforced, and the vessel 653 shall be at perfect liberty to continue on its course. 654 In this case the captain or owner of any vessel that has been 655 seized without legitimate ground of suspicion, or subjected to an- 656 noyauce, shall have the right of claiming damages, the amount of 657 which shall be fixed by agreement between the Governments 658 directly interested, or by arbitration, and shall be paid within a 659 period of six months from the date of the judgment acquitting 660 the captured vessel. 661 Article LIX. 662 In case of condemnation, the sequestered vessel shall be de- 663 dared lawfully seized for the benefit of the captor. 664 The captain, crew, and all other persons found guilty shall be 665 punished according to the gravity of the crimes or offences corn- 666 mitted by them, and in accordance with Article V. 667 Article LX. 668 The provisions of Articles L to LIX do not in any way affect 669 the jurisdiction or procedure of existing special tribunals, or of \A 23 670 671 672 673 674 675 676 677 678 679 680 681 682 683 684 685 686 687 688 689 690 691 692 693 694 695 696 697 698 699 700 701 702 such as may hereafter he formed to take cognizance of offences connected with the slave-trade. Article LXI. The high contracting parties engage to make known to each other, reciprocally, the instructions which they shall give, for the execution of the provisions of Chapter III, to the commanders of their men-of-war navigating the seas of the zone referred to. Chapter IV. Countries to which slaves are sent , whose insti- tutions recognize the existence of domestic slavery. Article LXI1. The contracting powers whose institutions recognize the exist- ence of domestic slavery, and whose possessions, in consequence thereof, in or out of Africa, serve, in spite of the vigilance of the authorities, as places of destination for African slaves, pledge themselves to prohibit their importation, transit, and departure, as well as the trade in slaves. The most active and the strictest supervision "shall be enforced at all places where the arrival, tran- sit, and departure of African slaves take place. Article LXIII. Slaves set free under the provisions of the preceding article shall, if circumstances permit, be sent back to the country from whence they came. In all cases they shall receive letters of liberation from the competent authorities, and shall be entitled to their protection and assistance for the purpose of obtaining means of subsistence* Article LXIY. Any fugitive slave arriving at the frontier of any of the powers mentioned in Article LXII shall be considered free, and shall have the right to claim letters of release from the competent authorities. Article LXY. Any sale or transaction to which the slaves referred to in Ar- ticles LXIII and LXIY may have been subjected through circum- stances of any kind whatsoever, shall be considered as null and void. Article LXYI. Native vessels carrying the flag of one of the countries men- tioned in Article LXII, if there is any indication that they are employed in operations connected with the slave-trade, shall be subjected by the local authorities in the ports frequented by them to a strict examination of their crews and passengers both on ar- rival and departure. If African slaves are found on board, judi- cial proceedings shall be instituted agaiust the vessel and against all persons who may be implicated. Slaves found on board shall receive letters of release through the authorities who have seized the vessels. 714 Article LXVII. 715 Penal provisions similar to those provided for by Article V shall 716 be enacted against persons importing, transporting, and trading 717 in African slaves, against the mutilators of children or of male 718 adults, and those who traffic in them, as well as against their 719 associates and accomplices. 720 Article LXYIII. 721 The signatory powers recognize the great importance of the law 722 respecting the prohibition of the slave-trade sanctioned by JJis- 723 Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans of the 4th (16th) of Decem- 724 ber, 1889 (22 Rebi-ul-Abir, 1307), and they are assured that an 725 active surveillance will be organized by the Ottoman authorities* 726 especially on the west coast of Arabia and on the routes which 727 place that coast in communication with the other possessions of 728 His Imperial Majesty in Asia. 729 Article LXIX. 730 His Majesty the Shah of Persia consents to organize an active 731 surveillance in the territorial waters and those otf the coast of the 732 Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman which are under his sovereignty* 733 and on the island routes which serve for the transportation of 734 slaves. The magistrates and other authorities shall, to this effect* 735 receive the necessary powers. 736 Article LXX. 737 His Highness the Sultan of Zanzibar, consents to give his most 738 effective support to the repression of crimes and offences commit- 739 ted by African slave-traders on land as well as at sea. The tri- 740 buuals created for this purpose in the Sultanate of Zauzibar shall 741 rigorously enforce the penal provisions mentioned in Article V. 742 In order to render more secure the freedom of liberated slaves, 743 both in virtue of the provisions of the present general act and of 744 the decrees adopted in this matter by his highness and his prede- 745 cessors, a liberation office shall be established at Zanzibar. 746 Article LXXI. 747 Diplomatic and consular agents and the naval officers of the 748 contracting powers shall, within the limits of existing conventions, 749 give their assistance to the local authorities in order to assist in 750 repressing the slave-trade where it still exists. They shall be 751 entitled to be present at trials for slave-trading brought about at 752 their instance, without, however, being entitled to take part in 753 the deliberations. 754 Article LXXII. 755 Liberation offices, or institutions in lieu thereof, shall be organ- 756 ized by the governments of the countries to which African slaves 757 are s ar > f for the purposes specified by Article XVIII. 759 The signatory powers having undertaken to communicate to T60 each other all information useful for the repression of the slave- 761 trade, the Governments whom the present chapter concerns shall 762 periodically exchauge with the other Governments statistical data 763 relating to slaves intercepted and liberated, and to the legislative 764 and administrative measures which have been taken for suppress- 765 ing the slave-trade. 766 Chapter Y. Institutions intended to insure the execution of the 767 general act. 768 Section 1. Of the international maritime office. 771 national office shall be instituted at Zanzibar, iu which each of 772 the signatory powers may be represented by a delegate. 758 Article LXXIII. 769 Article LXXIY. 773 774 775 776 777 778 779 780 781 782 783 784 785 786 787 788 789 790 791 792 793 794 795 796 797 798 799 800 801 802 803 804 805 806 807 26 Article LXXV. The office shall be constituted as soon as three powers have ap- pointed their representatives. It shall draw up regulations fixing the manner of exercising its functions. These regulations shall immediately be submitted to the approval of such signatory powers as shall have signified their intention of being represented in this office. They shall decide as to their intention within the shortest possible time. Article LXXVI. The expenses of this institution shall be divided in equal parts among the signatory powers mentioned in the preceding article. Article LXXVI I. The object of the office at Zanzibar shall be to centralize all documents and information of a nature to facilitate the repression of the slave-trade in the maritime zone. For this purpose the signatory powers engage to forward within the shortest time pos- sible — 1. The documents specified iu Article XLI. 2. Summaries of the reports and copies of the minutes referred to in Article XL VIII. 3. The list of the territorial or consular authorities and special delegates competent to take action as regards vessels seized ac- cording to the terms of Article XLIX. 4. Copies of judgments and condemnations in accordance with Article LVIII. 5. All information that may lead to the discovery of persons engaged in the slave-trade in the above mentioned zone. Article LXXVIII. The archives of the office shall always be open to the naval officers of the signatory powers authorized to act within the limits of the zone defined by Article XXI, as well as to the ter- ritorial or judicial authorities, and to consuls specially appointed for that purpose by their Governments. The office shall supply to foreign officers and agents authorized to consult its archives, translations into a European language of 808 809 810 811 812 813 814 815 816 817 818 819 820 821 822 823 824 825 826 827 828 829 830 831 832 833 834 835 836 837 838 839 840 841 842 27 documents written in an Oriental language. It shall make the communications provided for in Article XL VIII. Article LXXIX. Auxiliary offices in communication with the office at Zanzibar may be established iu certain parts of the zone, in pursuance of a previous agreement between the interested powers. They shall be composed of delegates of these powers, and es- tablished in accordance with Articles LXXV, LXXVI, and LXXVIII. The documents and information specified in Article LXXVII, so far as they may relate to a part of the zone specially concerned, shall be sent to them direct by the territorial and consular au- thorities of the region in question, but this shall not exempt the latter from the duty of communicating the same to the office at Zanzibar, as provided by the same article. Article LXXX. The office at Zanzibar shall prepare iu the first two months of every year, a report of its own operations, and those of the auxil- iary offices, during the past twelve months. Section II. Of the exchange between the Governments of documents and informa- tion relating to the slave-trade. Article LXXXI. The powers shall communicate to each other, to the fullest extent and with the least delay that they shall consider possi- ble — 1. The text of the laws and administrative regulations, exist- ing or enacted, by application of the clauses of the present gen- eral act. 2. Statistical information concerning the slave trade, slaves arrested and liberated, and the traffic in fire-arms, ammunition, and alcoholic liquors. Article LXXXII. The exchange of these documents, aud information concerning them, shall be centralized in a special office attached to the for- eign office at Brussels. 28 843 Article LXXXIII. 844 The office at Zanzibar shall forward to it every year the report 845 mentioned in Article LXXX, concerning its operations during 846 the past year, and concerning those of the auxiliary offices that 847 may have been established in accordance with Article LXXIX. 848 Article LXXXIY. 849 The documents and information shall be collected and published 850 periodically, and addressed to all the signatory powers. This 851 publication shall be accompanied every year by an analytical 852 table of the legislative, administrative, and statistical documents 853 mentioned in Articles LXXXI and LXXXIII. 854 Article LXXXY. 855 The office expenses as well as those incurred in correspondence* 856 translation, and printing, shall be shared by all the signatory 857 powers, and shall be collected through the agency of the depart- 858 ment of the foreign office at Brussels. 859 Section III. Of the protection of liberated slaves. 860 Article LXXXYI. 861 The signatory powers having recognized the duty of protecting 862 liberated slaves in their respective possessions, engage to estab- 863 lish, if they do not already exist, in the ports of the zone deter - 864 mined by Article XXI, and in such parts of their said possessions 865 as may be places for the capture, passage, and arrival of African 866 slaves, such offices and institutions as may be deemed sufficient 867 by them, whose business shall specially consist in liberating and 868 protecting them in accordance with the provisions of Articles VI, 869 XVIII, LII, LX III, and LXYI. 870 Article LXXXYII. 871 The liberation offices or the authorities charged with this serv- 872 ice shall deliver letters of release and shall keep a register 873 thereof. 874 In case of the denunciation of an act connected with the slave- 875 trade, or one of illegal detention, or on application of the slaves 876 themselves, the said offices or authorities shall exercise all neces- 29 877 sary diligence to insure the release of the slaves and the puuish- 878 rnent of the offenders. 879 The delivery of letters of release shall in no case be delayed if 880 the slave be accused of a crime or offence against the common 881 law. Bnt after the delivery of the said letters an investigation 882 shall be proceeded with in the form established by the ordinary 883 procedure. 884 Article LXXXYIII. 885 The signatory powers shall favour, in their possessions, the foun- 886 dation of establishments of refuge for women and of education 887 for liberated children. 888 Article LXXXIX. 889 Freed slaves may always apply to the offices for protection in 890 the enjoyment of their freedom. Whoever shall have used fraud- 891 ulent or violent means to deprive a freed slave of his letters of 892 release or of his liberty, shall be considered as a slave-dealer. 893 Chapter YI. Measures to restrict the traffic in spirituous liquors. 894 Article XC. 895 Being justly anxious concerning the moral and material couse- 896 quences to which the abuse of spirituous liquors subjects the 897 native population, the signatory powers have agreed to enforce 898 the provisions of Articles XC1, XC1I, and XCIII, within a zone 899 extending from the 20th degree of Xorth latitude to the 22d de- 900 gree of South latitude, and bounded on die west by the Atlantic 901 Ocean and on the east by the Indian Ocean and its dependencies, 902 including the islands adjacent to the mainland within 100 nauti- 903 cal miles from the coast. 904 Article XCI. 905 In the districts of this zone where it shall be ascertained that, 906 either on account of religious belief or from some* other causes, 907 the use of distilled liquors does not exist or has not been devel- 908 oped, the powers shall prohibit their importation. The manufac- : 909 ture of distilled liquors shall be likewise prohibited there. 910 Each power shall determine the limits of the zone of prohibition ' ~ 911 of alcoholic liquors in its possessions or protectorates, and shall be y 912 bound to make known the limits thereof to the other powers within 913 the space of six mouths. The above prohibition can only be sus- 914 pended in the case of limited quantities intended for the consump- 915 tion of the non-native population and imported under the regime 916 and conditions determined by each Government. 917 Article XC1I. 918 The powers having possessions or exercising protectorates in 919 those regions of the zone which are not subjected to the regime of 920 the prohibition, and into which alcoholic liquors are at present 921 either freely imported or pay an import duty of less than 15 francs 922 per hectolitre at 50 degrees centigrade, engage to levy on such 923 alcoholic liquors an import duty of 15 francs per hectolitre at 50 924 degrees centigrade, for three years after the present general act 925 comes into force. At the expiration of this period the duty may be 926 increased to 25 francs during a fresh period of three years. At 927 the end of the sixth year it shall be submitted to revision, the 928 average results produced by these tariffs being taken as a basis, 929 for the purpose of then fixing, if possible, a minimum duty through- 930 out the whole extent of the zone where the prohibition referred to 931 in Article XCI is not in force. 932 The powers retain the right of maintaining and increasing 933 the duties beyond the minimum fixed by the present article in 934 those regions where they already possess that right. 933 Article XCIII. 936 Distilled liquors manufactured in the regions referred to in 937 Article XCI1, and intended for inland consumption, shall be sub- 938 ject to an excise duty. 939 This excise duty, the collection of which the powers engage to 940 secure as far as possible, shall not be less than the minimum im- 941 port duty fixed by Article XCII. 912 Article XCIV. 943 The Signatory powers having possessions in Africa contiguous 944 to the zoue specified in Article XC, engage to adopt the necessary 945 measures for preventing the introduction of spirituous liquors 946 within the territories of the said zone via their inland frontiers. 947 Article XCV. 948 The powers shall communicate to each other, through the office 949 at Brussels, and according to the terms of Chapter Y, information 950 951 952 953 954 955 956 957 958 959 960 961 962 963 964 965 966 967 963 969 970 971 972 973 974 975 976 977 k 978 979 980 98 L 982 983 984 985 986 31 relating to the traffic in alcolioiic liquors within their respective territories. Chapter VII. Final provisions. Article XCVI. The present general act repeals all contrary stipulations of con- ventions previously concluded between the signatory powers. Article XCVII. The signatory powers, without prejudice to the stipulations contained in Articles XIV, XXII, and XCII, reserve the right of introducing into the present general act, hereafter and by common consent, such modifications or improvements as experi- ence may prove to be useful. Article XCVIII. Powers who have not signed the present general act shall be allowed to adhere to it. The signatory powers reserve the right to impose such condi- tions as they may deem necessary to their adhesion. If no conditions shall be stipulated, adhesion implies accept- ance of all the obligations and admission to all the advantages stipulated by the present general act. The powers shall agree among themselves as to the steps to be taken to secure the adhesion of states whose cooperation may be necessary or useful in order to insure complete execution of the general act. Adhesion shall be effected by a separate act. Notice thereof shall be given through the diplomatic channel to the Government of the King of the Belgians, and by that Government to all the signatory and adherent states. Article XCIX. The present general act shall be ratified within the shortest possible period, which shall not in any case exceed one year. Each power shall address its ratification to the Government of the King of the Belgians, which shall give notice thereof to all the other powers that have signed the present general act. The ratifications of all the powers shall remain deposited in the archives of the Kingdom of Belgium. As soon as all the ratifications shall have been furnished, or 987 988 989 990 991 992 993 994 995 996 997 998 999 1000 1001 1002 1003 1004 1005 1006 1007 1008 1009 1010 1011 1012 1013 1014 1015 1016 1017 1018 1019 1020 1021 1022 1023 1024 1025 i026 32 at the latest one year after the signature of the present general act, their delivery shall be recorded in a protocol which shall be signed by the representatives of all the powers that have ratified. A certified copy of this protocol shall be forwarded to all the powers interested. The present sreueral act shall come into force in all the pos- sessions of the contracting powers on the sixtieth day, reckoned from the day on which the protocol provided for in the preceding article shall have been drawn up. In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the present general act, and have thereto affixed their seals. Done at Brussels the 2nd day of the month of July, 1890. [seal] Ke win H. Terrell ] Article C. [seal] IJ. S. Sanford. [seal] ^f?YENSLEBEN. [SEAL) (rOEHRING. J "-C\ V * yfi W [seal] E. Khevenhuller. ' jr [SEAL] i AMBERMONT. [seal] E. Banning. [seal] S ;,hack de Brockdorff. [seal] J G. de Aguera. [seal] Edm. van Eetvelde. \ ’ r " [SEAL] A. VAN MALDEGHEM. J [seal,] Bouree. [seal] G Cogordan. [seal] Vivian. ! ,! [seal] J ohn Kirk. [seal] 1 . de Renzis. / ’ i [seal] 3 Catalani. [SEAL] J (tERICKE. - 1 /' w /; / [SEAL] 1 1ZARE AGA. ' O ' ■ [SEAL] K ENRIQUE DE MACEDO PEREIRA COUTINHO. [SEAL] T OUROUSSOFF. . A J ‘ ‘ v [seal] Martens. [seal] E IJRENSTAM. ‘ 'A [seal] El Caratheodory. [seal] John Kirk. [seal] (Behring. J j ) / .1' v '• '