P$‘V| r v«£$L U , S'. I seat r. /*4 te: aV\4 0 t' s> CONGO-AMITY, COMMERCE, AND NAVIGATION. TREATY BETWEEN '0 \ \ A < ■< /. / / = ? ' ) , \/> - , THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF THE CONGO OF AMITY, COMMERCE, AND NAVIGATION. Concluded at Brussels , January 24, 1891; Ratification advised by the Senate January 11, 1892; Ratified by the President January 19, 1892; Ratified by the Sovereign King of the Independent State of the Congo February 2, 1892; Ratifications exchanged February 2, 1892; Proclaimed April 2, 1892. By the President of the United States of America. A PROCLAMATION. Whereas a Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation, between the United States of America and the Independent State of the Congo, was signed by their Plenipotentiaries at the City of Brussels, on the 24th day of January, 1891, the original of which Treaty, being in the English and French languages, and as amended by the Senate of the United States, is word for word as follows: TREATY 0E AMITY, COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION. The United States of America, and His Majesty Leopold II, King of the Belgians, Sovereign of the Independent State of the Congo, desiring to perpetuate, confirm and encourage the relations of com¬ merce and of good understanding existing already between the two respective countries by the con¬ clusion of a treaty of amity, com- Les Etats-Unis d’Am6rique, et Sa Majeste Leopold II, Roi des Beiges, Souverain de EE tat Ind6- pendant du Congo, desirant consacrer, confirmer et en- oourager les rapports de commerce et de bonne intelligence existant deja entre les deux pays respectifs par la conclusion d’un traite d’ami- tie, de commerce, de navigation et 2 merce, navigation and extradition, have for this purpose named as their respective plenipotentiaries, viz: His Excellency, the President of the United States of America, Edwin H. Terrell, Envoy Extraor¬ dinary and Minister Plenipotenti¬ ary of the United States of Amer¬ ica near His Majesty the King of the Belgians; and His Majesty, Leopold II King of the Belgians, Sovereign of the Inde¬ pendent Stkte of the Congo, Edm. Van Eetvelde, Adminis¬ trator General of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Officer of His Order of Leopold, who, after having communicated to each other their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following articles: Article I. There shall be full, entire and reciprocal liberty of commerce, establishment and navigation be¬ tween the citizens and inhabitants of the two High contracting Parties. The citizens and inhabitants of the United States of America in the Independent State of the Con¬ go and those of the Independent State of the Congo in the United States of America shall have recip¬ rocally the right, on conforming to the laws of the country, to enter, travel and reside in all parts of their respective territories; to carry on business there; and they shall enjoy in this respect for the pro¬ tection of their persons and their- property the same treatment and the same rights as the natives, or the citizens and inhabitants of the most favored nation. They can freely exercise their industry or their business, as well wholesale as retail, in the whole extent of the territories, without being subjected, as to their persons or their property, or by reason of their business, to any taxes, gen¬ eral or local, imposts or conditions whatsoever other or more onerous d’extraditiomont, acet effet, nomine pour leurs plenipotentiaries respec- tifs, savoir: Son Excellence le President des Etats-Unis d’Amerique, Edwin H. Terrell, Envoy6 Extra¬ ordinaire et Ministre Plenipoten- tiaire des Etats-Unis d’Amerique pres Sa Majeste le Itoi des Beiges, et Sa Majesty Leopold II, Roi des Beiges, Souverain de l’Etat Inde- peudant du Congo, Edm. Van Eetvelde, Adminis- trateur General du Departement des Affaires Etrangeres, Officier de Son Ordre de Leopold, lesquels, apres s’etre communique leurs pleins pouvoirs, trouves en bonne et due forme, sont convenus des articles suivants: Article I. II y aura liberte pleine, entffire et reciproque de commerce, d’eta- blissement et de navigation entre les citoyens et habitants des deux Hautes Parties contractantes. Les citoyens et habitants des Etats-Unis d’Amerique dans l’Etat In dependant du Congo, et ceux de l’Etat Independant du Congo dans les Etats-Unis d’Amerique, auront lhciproquement la faculte, en se conformant aux lois du pays, d’en- trer, voyager et sejourner dans toutes les parties de leurs terri- toires respectifs; d’y faire le com¬ merce; et ils jouiront, a cet egard, pour la protection de leurs per- sonnes et de leurs biens, du uieine traitement et des memes droits que les nationaux ou les citoyens et habitants de la nation la plus fa- vorisee. Ils pourront librement exercer leur industrie ou leur commerce, taut en gros qu’en detail, dans toute l’etendue des territoires, sans etre assujettis, en ce qui eoncerne leurs personnes ou leurs proprietes, ou a raison de leurs affaires, a des taxes,' generates ou locales, i mpots ou conditions 3 than those which are imposed or may be imposed upon the natives other than non-civilized aborigines, or upon the citizens and inhabitants of the most favored nation. In like manner they will enjoy reciprocally the treatment of the most favored nation in all that relates to rights, privileges, exemp¬ tions and immunities whatsoever concerning their person or their property, and in the matter of commerce, industry and naviga¬ tion. Article II. In all that concerns the acqui¬ sition, succession, possession and alienation of property, real and personal, the citizens and inhabit¬ ants of each of the High contract¬ ing Parties shall enjoy in the teri- tories of the other all the rights which the respective laws accord or shall accord in those territories to the citizens and inhabitants of the most favored nation. Article III. The citizens and inhabitants of each of the High contracting Par¬ ties shall be exempt, in the terri¬ tories of the other, from all per¬ sonal service in the army, navy or militia and from all pecuniary con¬ tributions in lieu of such, as well as from all obligatory official functions whatever, except the obligation of sitting, within a radius of one hundred kilometres from the place of their residence, as a juror in judicial proceedings; furthermore, their property shall not be taken for the public service without an ample and sufficient compensation. They shall have free access to the courts of the other, on con¬ forming to the laws regulating the matter, as well for the prosecution as for the defense of their rights, in all the degrees of jurisdiction quelconques, autres ou plus one- reux que ceux qui se percoivent ou pourront etre pergus sur les natio- naux autres que les indigenes non- civilises, ou sur les citoyens et habitants de la nation la plus favorisee. De meine, ils jouiront reciproque- ment du traitemeut de la nation la plus favorisee pour tout ce qui touche aux droits, privileges, ex¬ emptions et immunities quelcon¬ ques en ce qui concerne leurs per- sonnes et leurs proprietes, et en matiere de commerce, d’industrie et de navigation. Article II. Pour tout ce qui concerne l’ac- quisition, la succession, la posses¬ sion et l’alienation des proprietes mobilieres et iminobilieres, les citoyens et habitants de chacune des IIantes Parties contractantes jouiront dans les territories de l’autre de tons les droits que les lois respectives accordent ou accorderont, dans ces territoires, aux citoyens et habitants de la nation la plus favorisee. Article III. Les citoyens et habitants de chacune des Hautes Parties con¬ tractantes seront exempts, dans les territoires de l’autre, de tout service personnel dans 1’armee, la marine ou les indices, et de toutes contri¬ butions pecuniaires qui en tien- draieut lieu, ainsi que de toutes fonctions officielles obligatoires quelconques, sauf l’obligation de sieger, dans uu rayon de cent kilo¬ metres du lieu de leur residence, coniine jur6 dans les procedures judiciaires; en outre, leurs biens ne pourront pas etre requis pour le service public sans une compen¬ sation ample et suffisante. Ils auront un libre acces aupres des tribunaux de l’autre, en se con¬ formant aux lois regissant la ma¬ tiere, tant pour la poursuite que pour la defense de leurs droits, & 4 established by law. They can be represented by lawyers, and they shall enjoy, in this respect, and in what concerns domiciliary visits to their houses, manufactories, stores, warehouses, etc., the same rights and the same advantages which are or shall be granted to the citizens and inhabitants of the most favored nation, or to natives. Article IV. The citizens and inhabitants of the two countries shall enjoy, in the territory of the other, a full and entire liberty of conscience. They shall be protected in the free exercise of their worship; they shall have the right to erect reli¬ gious edifices and to organize and maintain missions. Article V. It will be lawful for the two High contracting Parties to appoint and establish consuls, vice-consuls, deputy-consuls, consular agents and commercial agents in the ter¬ ritories of the other; but none of these agents can exercise his func¬ tions before having received the necessary exequatur from the Gov¬ ernment to which he is delegated. The said agents of each ot the two High contracting Parties shall enjoy, in the territories of the other, upon the footing of a complete re¬ ciprocity, all the privileges, immu¬ nities and rights which are actually granted to those of the most favored nation or which may be accorded to them hereafter. The said agents, citizens or in¬ habitants of the State by which they are appointed, shall not be subject to preliminary arrest, ex¬ cept in the case of acts qualified as crimes by the local legislation and punished as such. They shall be exempt from military billeting and from service in the army, navy or tous les degres de juridiction etablis par la loi. Ils pourront se faire representer par des avocats, et ils jouiront, k cet egard et en ce qui concerne les visites domici- liaires dans leurs maisons, fa- briques, magasins, depots, etc., des memes droits et des memes avau- tages qui sont on seront accordes aux citoyens et habitants de la na¬ tion la plus favorisee, on aux na¬ tional! x. Article IV. Les citoyens et habitants des deux E tats jouiront, surle territoire de l’autre, d’une liberte de con¬ science pleineetentiere. Ils seront proteges dans le libre exercice de leur culte; ils auront la facnlte d’eriger des edifices religieux et d’organiser et de maiutenir des missions. Article V. II sera loisible aux deux Hautes Parties contractantes de nommer et etablir des consuls, vice-consuls, consuls suppleants, agents consu- laires et agents commerciaux dans les territoires de 1’autre; mais aucun de ces agents ne pourra entrer en fonctions avant d’avoir regu Pexequatur necessaire du Gouvernement aupres duquel il est delegue. Les dits agents de chacune des deux Hautes Parties contractantes jouiront, dans les territoires de Vautre, sur le pied d’une complete reciprocate, de tous les privileges, immunites et droits qui sont ae- tuellement accordes k ceux de la nation la plus favorisee on qui pourront leur etre accordes dans la suite. Les dits agents, citoyens ou habitants de PEtat par lequel ils sont in mimes ne seront pas sounds a la detention preventive, sauf dans le cas defaits qualifies crimes par la legislation locale et punis comine tels. Ils seront exempts du loge- ment militaire et du service dans Parmee, la marine on les indices, militia, as well as from all direct taxes, unless these should be due on account of real estate, or unless the said agents should exercise a profession or business of any kind. The said agents can raise their national flag over their offices. The consular offices shall be at all times inviolable. The local au¬ thorities can not invade them un¬ der any pretext. They can not in any case examine or seize the pa¬ pers which shall be there deposited. The consular office can not, on the other hand, serve as place ol asylum, and if an agent of the con¬ sular service is engaged in business, commercial or other, the papers re¬ lating to the consulate shall be kept separate. The said agents shall have the right to exercise all the functions generally appertaining to consuls, especially in what concerns the legalization of private and public documents, of invoices and com¬ mercial contracts, the taking of de¬ positions and the right of authen¬ ticating legal acts and documents. The said agents shall have the right to address the administrative and judicial authorities of the coun¬ try in which they exercise their functions in order to complain of any infraction of the treaties or conventions existing between the two Governments, and for the pur¬ pose of protecting the rights and interests of the citizens and i inhabit¬ ants of their country. They shall have also the right to settle all differences arising between the captains or the officers and the sailors of the sea-vessels of their nation. The local authorities shall abstain from interfering in these cases unless the maintenance of the public tranquility requires it, or, unless their assistance should be asked by the consular authority in order to assure the execution of its decisions. ainsi que de toutes contributions directes, a moius que celles-ei ne soient dues it raison de proprietes immobilieres, on a moius que les dits agents n’exercent une pro¬ fession on commerce quelconque. Les dits agents pourrontarborer leur pavilion national sur leurs chancelleries. Les chancelleries consulaires se- ront en tout temps inviolables. Les autorites locales ne pourront y penetrer sous aucun pretexte. Elies ne pourront, dans aucun cas, visiter ni saisir les papiers qui y seront deposes. Les chancelleries consulaires ne pourront, d’autre part, servir delieu d’asile, et si tin agent du service consulaire est engage dans des affaires commer- ciales on autres, les papiers se rap- portant an consulat seront tenus separement. Les dits agents auront le droit d'exercer toutes les fonctions ap¬ purtenant generalement aiix con¬ suls, specialement en ce qui con- cerne la legalisation de documents prives et publics, de factures et de contrats commerciaux, la reception de depositions et la faculte de conferer l’authenticite aux act.es et documents legaux. Les dits agents auront le droit de s’adresser aux autorites admini- stratives et judiciaires du pays dans lequel ils exercent leurs fonc¬ tions pour se plaindre de toute in¬ fraction aux traites on conventions existant entre les deux gouverne- ments, et dans le but de proteger les droits et interets des citoyens et habitants de leur pays. Ils au¬ ront aussi le droit de regler tous les differends surgissant entre les capitaines on les ofifleiers du bord et les matelots des navires de mer de leur natiou. Les autorites locales s’abstiendront d’intervenir dans ces cas, a moins que le main- tien de la tranquillity publique ne l’exige, on a moins que leur assis¬ tance ne soit demandee par l’auto- ritff consulaire pour assurer l’exe- cution de ses decisions. 6 The local authorities will give to the said agents and, on their de¬ fault to the captains or their casual representatives, all aid for the search and arrest of sailor-desert¬ ers, who shall be kept and guarded in the 1 prisons of the State upon the requisition and at the expense of the consuls or of the captains during a maximum delay of two months. Article VI. The citizens and inhabitants of each of the High contracting Par¬ ties shall have reciprocally, accord¬ ing to the same rights and condi¬ tions and with the same privileges as those of the most favored nation, the right to enter with their vessels and cargos into all the ports and to navigate upon all the rivers and interior waters of the other State. The vessels of each of the con¬ tracting Parties and of its citizens or inhabitants can freely navigate upon the waters of the territory of the other, without being subject to any other tolls, charges or obliga¬ tions than those which the vessels belonging to the citizens or inhab¬ itants of the most favored nation would have to bear. There will not be imposed by either of the contracting Parties upon the vessels belonging to the other or to the citizens or inhabit¬ ants of the other, in the matter of tonnage, port charges, pilotage, lighthouse and quarantine dues, salvage of vessels and other admin¬ istrative expenses whatsoever con¬ cerning navigation, any taxes or charges whatever, other or higher than those which are or shall be imposed upon the public or private vessels of the most favored nation. It is agreed that every vessel belonging to one of the High con¬ tracting Parties or to a citizen or inhabitant of one of them, having the right to bear the dag of that country and having the right to its protection, both according to the Les autorites locales donneront aux dits agents et, a leur defaut, aux capitaines on a leurs manda- taires eventuels, toute aide pour la recherche et l’arrestation cles ma- rins deserteurs, qui seront detenus et gardes dans les prisons de l’Etat, a la requisition et aux frais des consuls on des capitaines pendant un delai maximum de deux mois. Article VI. Lescitoyens et habitants de clia- cune des Hautes Parties contrac- tantes auront reeiproquement, aux memes title et conditions et avec les memes privileges que ceux de la nation la plus favorisee, la fa¬ culty d’entrer avec leurs navires et chargements dans tons les ports et de naviguer sur toutes les rivieres et les eaux interieures de l’autre Etat. Les navires de chacune des Par¬ ties contractant.es on de ses ci- toyens on habitants pourront uavi- guer librement sur les eaux depen¬ dant du territoire de l’autre, sans etre sounds a d’autres images, charges ou obligations que ceux qu’auraient a supporter les navires appartenant aux citoyens ou habi¬ tants de la nation la plus favorisee. 11 ne sera impose par aucune des Parties contractantes aux navires appartenant a Fautre ou aux ci¬ toyens ou habitants de Fautre, en matiere de tonnage, de droits de port, de pilotage, de droits de pliare et de quarautaiue, de sauvetagede navires ou d’autres depenses ad- miuistratives quelconques concer- nant la navigation, de taxes ni charges quelconques, autres ou plus elevees que cedes qui sout ou seront imposees aux batiments pu¬ blics ou prives de la nation la plus favorisee. II est couvenu que tout navire appartenant a l’une des Hautes Parties contractantes ou a un ci- toyen ou habitant de l’une d’elles, ayant le droit de porter le pavilion de ce pays et ayant droit a sa pro¬ tection, le tout conformement aux 7 laws of that country, shall be con¬ sidered as a vessel of that nation¬ ality. Article VII. In what concerns the freight and facilities of transportation, and tolls, the merchandise belonging to the citizens or inhabitants of one of the contracting States trans¬ ported over the roads, railroads and waterways of the other State, shall be treated on the same foot¬ ing as the merchandise belonging to the citizens or inhabitants of the most favored nation. Article VIII. In the territories of neither of the High contracting Parties shall there be established or enforced a prohibition against the importa¬ tion, exportation or transit of any article of legal commerce, produced or manufactured in the territories of the other, unless this prohibition shall equally and at once be ex¬ tended to all other nations. Article IX. [Stricken out by the Senate.] Article X. The Kepublic of the United States of America, recognizing that it is just and necessary to facilitate to the Independent State of the Congo the accomplishment of the obligations which it has contracted by virtue of .the General Act ot Brussels of July 2nd, 1890, admits, so far as it is concerned, that im¬ port duties nitty be collected upon merchandise imported into the said State. The tariff of these duties can not go beyond 10% of the value of the » merchandise at the port of impor¬ tation, during fifteen years to date from July 2nd, 1890, except for spirits, which are regulated by the provisions of Chapter VI of the General Act of Brussels. lois de ce pays, sera consider6 comme un navire de sa nationa¬ lity Article VII. En ce qui concerne les tarifs et les facilites de transport et les peages, les marchandises apparte- nant aux citoyens ou habitants de l’un des Etats contractants, trail s- portees sur les routes, chemins de fer et voies navi gables de 1 ? autre Etat, seront traitees sur le meme pied que les marchandises appurte¬ nant aux citoyens ou habitants de la nation la plus favorisee. Article VIII. Dans les territoires d’aucune des Hautes Parties contractantes, il ne sera etabli ni mis en vigueur de prohibition a l’egard de l’iinporta- tiou, de l’exportation ou du tran¬ sit d’aucun article cl’un commerce legal, produit ou manufacture dans les territoires de l’autre, a moins que cette prohibition ne soit eten- due egalement et en meme temps a tontes les autres nations. Article X. La Republique des Etats-Uuis d’Amerique, reconnaissant qu’il est juste et necessaire de faciliter a FEtat Independant du Congo l’accomplissement des obligations qu’il a eontractees en vertu de l’Acte General de Bruxelles du 2 juillet 1890, admet, pour ce qui la concerne, que des droits d’entree soient permits sur les marchandises importees dans le dit Etat. Le tarif de ces droits ne pourra depasser 10% de la valeur des marchandises an port d’importa- tion pendant quiuze ans a partir du 2 juillet 1890, sauf pour les spiritueux, qui sont regis par les dispositions du chapitre vi de l’Acte General de Bruxelles. 8 At tlie expiration of this term of of fifteen years, and in default of a new accord, the United States of America will he replaced, as to the Independent State of the Congo, in the situation which existed prior to July 2nd, 1890; the right to im¬ pose import duties to a maximum of 10% upon merchandise imported into the said State remaining ac¬ quired to it, on the conditions and within the limitations determined in articles XI and XII of this treaty. Article XI. The United-States shall enjoy in the Independant State of the Congo, as to the import duties, all the advantages accorded to the most favored nation. It has been agreed besides: 1. That no differential treat¬ ment nor transit duty can be established; 2. That, in the application of the tariff regime which will be introduced, the Congo State will apply itself to simplify as far as possible, the formalities and to facilitate the oper¬ ations of commerce. Article XII. Considering the fact that in Ar¬ ticle X of the present treaty the United States of America have given their assent to the establish¬ ment of import duties in the Inde¬ pendent State of the Congo under certain conditions, it is well under¬ stood that the said Independent State of the Congo assures to the flag, to the vessels, to the commerce and to the citizens and inhabitants of the United States of America, in all parts of the territories of that State, all the rights, privi¬ leges and immunities concerning import and export duties, tariff regime , interior taxes and charges and, in a general manner, all com¬ mercial interests, which are or shall A l’expiration de ce terme de quinze ans, et, a defiant d’un nouvel accord, les Etats-Unis d’Amerique se retrouveront, vis-a-vis de l’Etat In dependant du Congo, dans la situation qui existait anterieure- ment an 2 juillet 1390, la faculte d’imposer des droits d’entree a un maximum de 10% sur les mar¬ ch andises importees dans le dit Etat lui restant acquise, aux con¬ ditions et dans les limites deter- minees aux articles xi et xn de ce traite. Article XI. Les Etats-Unis jouiront dans l’Etat Independant du Congo* quant aux droits d’entree, de tous les avantages accordes a la nation la plus favorisee. II a etc convenu en outre: 1°. Qu’aucuntraitementdifferen- tiel ni droit de transit nepourraetre etabli; 2°. Que dans l’application du re¬ gime douanier qui sera introduit, l’Etat du Congo s’attachera a sim¬ plifier, autant que possible, les for¬ malities et a faciliter les operations du commerce. Article XII. Eu egard an fait que dans l’article x du present traite, les Etats-Unis d’Amerique ont donne leur assentiment a l’etablisseinent de droits d'entree dans l’Etat Inde¬ pendant du Congo sous certaines conditions, il est bien entendu que le dit Etat Independant du Congo assure au pavilion, aux navires, au commerce et aux cifoyens et habi¬ tants des Etats-Unis d’Amerique, dans toutes les parties des terri- toires de cet Etat, tous les droits* privileges et immunities concernant les droits d’entree et de sortie, le regime douanier, les taxes et charges interieures et, d’une maniere generale tous les interets commerciaux qui sont on seront k be accorded to tlie signatory Pow¬ ers of the Act of Berlin, or to the most favored nation. Article XIII. In case a difference should arise between the two High Contracting Parties as to the validity, interpre¬ tation, application or enforcement of any of the provisions contained in the present treaty, and it could not be arranged amicably by diplo¬ matic correspondence between the two Governments, these last agree to submit it to the judgment of an arbitration tribunal, the decision of which they bind themselves to respect and execute loyally. The tribunal will be composed ot three members. Each of the two High contracting Parties will des¬ ignate one of them, selected out¬ side of the citizens and the inhab¬ itants of either of the contracting States and of Belgium. The High contracting Parties will ask, by common accord, a friendly Govern¬ ment to appoint the third arbitra¬ tor, to be selected equally outside of the two contracting States and of Belgium. If an arbitrator should be unable to sit by reason of death, resigna¬ tion or for any other cause, lie shall be replaced by a new arbitrator whose appointment shall be made in the same manner as that of the arbitrator whose place he takes. The majority of arbitrators can act in case of the intentional ab¬ sence or formal withdrawal of the minority. The decision of the ma jority of the arbitrators will be conclusive upon all questions to be determined. The general expenses of the ar¬ bitration procedure will be borne, in equal parts, by the two High contracting Parties; but the ex¬ penses made by either of the par¬ ties for preparing and setting forth its case will be at the cost of that party. accordes aux Puissances signa- taires de l’Acte de Berlin, ou a la nation la plus favorisee. Article XIII. Dans le cas oil un differ end s’e- leverait entre les deux Hautes Parties eontractantes quant a la validite, Finterpretation, Pappli- cation ou la mise en vigueur d’une des dispositions contenues dans le present traite, et qu’il ne pourrait etre arrange amicalement par corre- spoudance diplomatique entre les deux Gouvernements, ces derniers conviennent de le soumettre an jugement d’un tribunal arbitral dont ils s’engagent fi respecter et a executer loyalement la decision. Le tribunal sera compose de trois membres. Cliacune des deux Hautes Parties eontractantes en designera un, choisi en dehors des citoyens et des habitants de Fun ou l’autre des Etats contractants et de la Belgique. Les Hautes Parties eontractantes demande- ront, de commun accord, a un Gou- vernement ami de nominer le troi- sieme arbitre, a clioisir egalement en dehors des deux Etats contract- ants et de la Belgique. Si un arbitre 6tait dans Fimpos- sibilite de sieger par suite de deces, de demission ou pour toute autre cause, il serait remplace par un nouvel arbitre dont la nomina¬ tion sera f'aite de la meme maniere que celle deTarbitre dont il preud la place. La majorite des arbitres pent statuer en cas d’absence inten- tionnelle ou de retraite formelle de la minorite. La decision de la majorite des arbitres sera definitive sur toutes les questions a resoudre. Les depenses generates dela pro¬ cedure arbitrate seront supportees, a parties egales, par les deux Hautes Parties eontractantes; niais les depenses faites par 1’une ou l’autre des Parties pour preparer et pour exposer sa cause seront a la charge de cette Partie. 10 Article XIV. It is well understood tliat if the declaration on the subject of the import duties, signed July 2nd, 1890, by the signatory Powers of the Act of Berlin, should not enter into force, in that case, the present treaty would be absolutely null and without effect. Article XIV. II est bien entendu que, si la de¬ claration an sujet des droits d’en¬ tree, signee le 2 juillet .1890 par les Puissances signataires de l’Acte de Berlin, ne devait pas entrer en vigueur, en ce cas, le present traite serait absolument nul et sans effet. Article XV. Article XV. The present treaty shall be sub¬ jected to the approval and the rati¬ fication, on the one hand, of the President of the United States, acting by the advice and with the consent of the Senate, and, on the other hand, of His Majesty the King of the Belgians, Sovereign of the 1 ndependent State of the Congo. The ratifications of the present treaty shall be exchanged at the same time as those of the General Act of Brussels of July 2nd, 1890, and it will enter into force at the same date as the latter. In faith of which the respective Plenipotentiaries of the High con¬ tracting Parties have signed the present treaty in duplicate, in English and in French, and have attached thereto their seals. Hone at Brussels the twenty- fourth day of the month of Jan¬ uary of the year Eighteen hundred and ninety one. [seal.] Edwin II. Terrell. Le present traite sera sounds a l’approbation et a la ratification, d’une part, de Son Excellence le President des Etats-Unis, agissant de l’avis et avec le consentement dn Senat, et d’autre part, de Sa Majeste le lioi des Beiges, Sou- verain de I’Etat Independant dn Congo. Les ratifications dn present traite seront echangees en meme temps que celles de l’Acte General de Bruxelles du 2 jnil let 1890, et il entrera en vigueur a la meme date que celui-ci. En foi de quoi, les Plenipoteu- tiaires respect! fs des IIantes Par¬ ties contractantes out signe le present traite en double, en anglais et en francais, etyont appose leurs cachets. Fait a Bruxelles, le vingt qua- trierne jour du mois de janvier de l’an m i 11 in i t cent quatre-vingt- o n ze. [sceau.J Edm. Van Eetvelde. And whereas the said Treaty has been duly ratified on both parts, and the ratifications of the two Governments were exchanged in the city of Brussels, on the 2nd day of February, 1892: Xow, therefore, be it known that I, Benjamin Harrison, President of the United States of America, liave caused the said Treaty to be made public as amended, to the end that the same and every article and clause thereof may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the cit izens thereof. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington this second day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two, and of the Independence of the United States the one hundredth and sixteenth. [seal.] Benj. Harrison. By the President : James G. Blaine Secretary of State. O