PROTOCOL_recording the deposit of the Ratifications of His Majesty the King of Portugal and the Algarves of the Convention of June 8, 1899,* for the Revision of the Regulations governing the Liquor Traffic in Africa. Signed at Brussels, June 19, 1900. (Translation.) ON the 19th June, 1900, in conformity with Article IV of the Convention of the 8th June, 1899, for the revision of the Regulations governing the liquor traffic in Africa, the undersigned Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of His Majesty the King of Portugal and the Algarves, has deposited in the hands of the Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs the ratification of his Sovereign of the said Convention. The ratifications having been found to be in good and due form, his Excellency the Count de Tovar is formally notified of their deposit. They will be kept in the archives of the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in conformity with Article IV of the Convention. A certified copy of the present Protocol will be addressed by the Belgian Government to the Powers signatory of the Convention. Done at Brussels, the 19th June, 1900. The Envoy Extraordinary and Minister AFRICA (Central). NOTICE by the Commissioner and Consul-General in British Central Africa, declaring the Rate of Custome Duties leviable in that Territory, 1896.* The following Scale of Customs Duties will come into force in British Central Africa on the 1st April, 1896. SCHEDULE of Customs Duties leviable in British Central Africa. (a.)-Import Duties. 1. A DUTY of 5 per cent. ad valorem on all goods, except guns, gunpowder, and ammunition (which are subject to a duty of 10 per cent.), and machinery, agricultural implements, and materials for making railways, tramways, or roads, materials to be used as coffee manures (defined below), vehicles (as defined below), and live stock (as defined below), which are allowed to be imported free of duty. The substances defined as coffee manures, which are allowed to be imported free of duty, are the following: : Sulphate of ammonia, sulphate of potash, nitrate of soda, nitrate of potash (saltpetre), carbonate of potash, guano, dissolved guanos, fish guanos, Fray Bentos guano, Sombrero, bone ash, dissolved bones, burnt bones, raw and bruised bones, phosphatic manures (embracing the different forms in which this mineral may be obtained as a marketable commodity, such as super-phosphates), coprolites, gypsum, dried blood, horn dust, shoddy, Poonac, sulphuric acid, insecticides, with appliances for using the same. Vehicles which are allowed to be imported free of duty include any wheeled carriages, or wheels, or other parts of such carriages. Live stock which is allowed to be imported free of duty includes horses, mules, asses, oxen, sheep, goats, swine, poultry. 2. A duty of 10 per cent. ad valorem on guns, gunpowder, and ammunition. 3. The following duties on alcohol, or liquids containing alcohol: Approved by the British Government, April 23, 1896. On wine, ale, porter, and beer of every sort, the case of one On brandy, whisky, rum, gin, liqueurs, and miscellaneous On brandy, whisky, gin, rum, and miscellaneous spirits or strong waters, these being sweetened or so mixed that the degree of strength cannot be ascertained as aforesaid, on cach imperial gallon, or part thereof (b.)-Export Duties. 12s. 18. 12s. 4. 28. per lb. on ivory (elephant) for entire tusks not exceeding 15 lbs. in weight. (Pieces of ivory or tusks weighing, when entire, over 15 lbs., which have been cut up to reduce them to weights below 15 lbs., will be charged at the rate of 9d. a lb.) 5. 9d. per lb. on ivory (elephant) for entire tusks over 15 lbs. in weight. 6. 1d. per lb. on hippopotamus' teeth and rhinoceros' horns. 7. 18. an ounce on gold. H. H. JOHNSTON, Her Majesty's Commissioner and Consul-General. ORDINANCE respecting Mining applying Proclamation by the Governor of Zululand, No. 7 of 1894, with Amendments, to British Central Africa, with Regulations issued by the Commissioner. London, December 31, 1898. IN accordance with the provisions of Article 15 of "The Africa Order in Council, 1889,"* I hereby direct that the Proclamation No. 7, 1894, made by the Governor of Zululand, with such modifications and adaptations as appear in the copy appended to this Order, shall have effect and be administered in the British Central Africa Protectorate, and may be cited as "The British Central Africa Mining Ordinance, 1898." Foreign Office, December 31, 1898. SALISBURY. * See Vol. 18. Page 3. Mining Ordinance. 1. This Ordinance may be cited as "The British Central Africa Mining Ordinance, 1898." 2. In this Ordinance the following terms shall have the respective meanings hereby assigned to them, unless the context otherwise requires, that is to say : The term "the Protectorate means the British Central Africa Protectorate. The term "the Commissioner" means Her Majesty's Commissioner and Consul-General for the Protectorate, or the person for the time being acting as Commissioner and ConsulGeneral. The term "the Government" means the officers administering the Protectorate severally and collectively. The term "lands" includes all lands in the Protectorate except: (a.) Lands dedicated to or set apart for any public purpose. (b) Lands held under certificates of claim which expressly recognize the right of the holder to mines and minerals. (c.) Lands declared by the Commissioner by notice in the "Gazette" to be exempted from the operation of this Ordinance. The term "public field" or "mining centre" means the proclaimed area thrown open by lawful authority for digging and mining. The term "claim" means that portion of a public field on which any person has obtained a licence to dig or mine, and which has been lawfully taken up and occupied under and by virtue of the provisions of this Ordinance. The term "prospecting area' means a rectangular foursided area, no side of which shall exceed 600 yards in length. The term "prospectors' claims" or "diggers' claims " means an extent of land 150 feet by 150 feet in alluvial, and 150 feet by 400 feet in quartz-reef diggings. The term "Collector" includes any officer under whatever designation exercising the powers of a Collector as at the passing of this Ordinance or similar powers. The term "European" means a person of European birth or parentage. The term "The Gazette" means the "British Central Africa Gazette." The term "mining purposes" means the purpose of searching for, mining, and removing gold, silver, precious stones, ores, metals, coal, and all other minerals, and of carrying out such works. The term "person " shall include any body of persons, corporate or unincorporate. The term "native" has the same meaning as in the Orders in Council for the time being applying to the Protectorate. 3. Nothing in this Ordinance shall abridge or control the rights and powers of Her Majesty in respect of gold, silver, precious stones, ores, metals, coal, and other minerals whatsoever, otherwise than in this Ordinance is expressely provided. 4. The provisions of this Ordinance shall extend and apply to all lands situate within the Protectorate, according to the definition of "lands" in section 2 of this Ordinance. 5. The Commissioner may appoint an officer, with the title of Commissioner of Mines, and all other officers that may be necessary, to carry into effect the provisions of this Ordinance, and to assign to each such officer such duties, and to pay him from out of the general revenue of the Protectorate such remuneration by way of salary or otherwise as the Commissioner may think proper. 6. The Commissioner of Mines, or the Collector of any district, or any other officer appointed for that purpose, may issue a prospector's licence to any person authorizing him to prospect and search for gold, silver, precious stones, ores, metals, coal, and all other minerals, or any or all thereof, on any lands within the Protectorate. Such licence may be granted on personal application, or, in case of renewal, on personal or written application, upon payment, in advance, of a sum of 5s. for each month for which the sane is to be in force, and no one shall be allowed to prospect or search for gold, silver, precious stones, ores, metals, coal, or any other minerals on such lands without obtaining such licence: Provided, however, that such licence shall be subject to any Regulations for the time being in force under this Ordinance, and provided such licence shall not authorize the sale or other disposal of any gold, silver, precious stones, ores, metals, coal, or any other minerals so discovered; and every holder of a prospecting licence shall have the right of grazing for six horses or mules, or for 16 oxen, and of taking wood and water for his domestic use, free of charge if on Crown lands, and if on any other lands, on payment to the owner or occupier of the land where such licence is exercised, of 18. per diem: Pro vided, however, that the prospector shall only exercise the rights conferred on him by this section on the land at the place or places indicated by the owner. 7. If any question shall arise between the owner or occupier and the prospector as to their respective rights, or as to the suitability of land indicated by the owner, they shall be determined by the Commissioner of Mines. 8. Any person applying for a prospecting licence for the purpose of prospecting the land of any owner shall, at the time, enter into a bond with two sureties to be approved by |