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CHAPTER VII. Final provisions.

ARTICLE XCVI.

The present general act repeals all contrary stipulations of conventions previously concluded between the signatory powers.

ARTICLE XCVII.

The signatory powers, without prejudice to the stipulations contained in Articles XIV, XXIII and XCII, reserve the right of introducing into the present general act, hereafter and by common consent, such modifications or improvements as experience 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 conditions as they may deem necessary to their adhesion.

If no condition shall be stipulated, adhesion implies acceptance 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 at the latest one year after the signature of the present general act, their deliv

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ery 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.

ARTICLE C.

The present general act shall come into force in all the possessions 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.

EDWIN H. TERRELL.

H. S. SANFord.

ALVENSLEBEN.

GOEHRING.

R. KHEVENHÜLLER.

LAMBERMONT.

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ARTICLE XXXIX.

ANNEX TO THE GENERAL ACT.

License to ply the coasting trade on the East Coast of Africa in conformity with Article XXXIX.

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The undersigned,

DRAFT OF A PROTOCOL.

met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Brussels, in pursuance of Article XCIX of the General Act of July 2, 1890, and in execution of the Protocol of July 2, 1891, with a view to preparing a certificate of the deposit of the ratifications of such of the signatory powers as were unable to make such deposit at the meeting of July 2, 1891.

His Excellency the Minister of France declared that the President of the Republic, in his ratification of the Brussels General Act had provisionally reserved, until a subsequent understanding should be reached, Articles XXI, XXII, XXIII, and XLII to LXI.

The representatives -, acknowledge to the Minister of France the deposit of the ratifications of the President of the French Republic, as well as of the exception bearing upon Articles XXI, XXII, XXIII, and XLII to LXI.

It is understood that the powers which have ratified the General Act in its entirety acknowledge that they are reciprocally bound as regards all its clauses.

It is likewise understood that these powers shall not be bound toward those which shall have ratified it partially, save within the limits of the engagements assumed by the latter powers.

Finally, it is understood that, as regards the powers that have partially ratified, the matters forming the subject of Articles XLII to LXI shall continue, until a subsequent agreement is adopted, to be governed by the stipulations and arrangements now in force.

In testimony whereof

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CONVENTION BETWEEN BELGIUM AND THE CONGO FREE STATE.

July 3, 1890.

Between Belgium, represented by M. A. Beernaert, Minister of Finance, acting under the reserve of approval of the Legislature, and the Congo Free State, represented by M. E. Van Eetvelde, administratorgeneral of the Department of Foreign Affairs, authorized to this end by the Sovereign King, the following convention is concluded:

I. Belgium agrees to advance, as a loan, to the Congo Free State, a sum of twenty-five million franes, in this manner: Five million francs. immediately after the approval by the Legislature and two million francs yearly for ten years, counting from the first deposit.

During these ten years, the sums thus loaned shall not bear interest. II. Six months after the expiration of the aforesaid period of ten years, Belgium may, if it desires, annex the Congo Free State with all the property, rights and advantages attached to the sovereignty of that state, as they have been recognized and fixed, especially by the General Act of Berlin, February 26, 1885, and the General Act of Brussels and the declaration, July 2, 1890; but under the responsibility of taking over the obligations of the said state to third states, the Sovereign King refusing expressly all indemnity on account of the personal sacrifices which he has made.

A law will regulate the special arrangement under which the territories of the Congo will then be placed.

III. From now on Belgium shall receive from the Congo Free State such information as it deems desirable concerning the economic, commercial and financial situation of the latter. It may, especially, demand the communication of the budgets of receipts and expenses, and statements of customs duties, both export and import.

This information shall have no other object than to furnish information to the Belgian Government, and the latter shall not in any way

interfere in the administration of the Congo Free State, which will continue to be attached to Belgium solely by the personal union of the two

crowns.

However, the Congo Free State agrees henceforth not to contract any new loan without the consent of the Belgian Government.

IV. If, at the expiration of the aforesaid period, Belgium should decide not to annex the Congo Free State, the sum of twenty-five million francs loaned, entered upon the ledger containing its indebtedness, could not be demanded until after another period of ten years; but it should bear, in the meantime, an annual interest of 312 per cent, payable semiannually, and, even before the expiration of this period, the Congo Free State should devote to partial payments all the sums derived from cessions of land or mines belonging to the state. Done in duplicate, at Brussels, July 3, 1890.

A. BEERNAERT.

E. VAN EETVELDE.

TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE INDEPENDENT STATE OF THE CONGO AMITY, COMMERCE, AND NAVIGATION.

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Signed at Brussels January 24, 1891.

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 commerce and of good understanding existing already between the two respective countries by the conclusion of a treaty of amity, commerce, 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 Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America near His Majesty the King of the Belgians; and

His Majesty Leopold II, King of the Belgians, Sovereign of the Independent State of the Congo,

Edm. Van Eetvelde, Administrator 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:

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