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their assistance to cause their decisions to be carried into effect or supported. It is, however, understood, that this species of judgment or arbitration shall not deprive the contending parties of the right they have to resort, on their return, to the judicial authority of their country."

ARTICLE XI. (Application by Consuls to government authorities-Deserters.)-"The said Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Commercial Agents are authorized to require the assistance of the local authorities, for the search, arrest, and imprisonment of the deserters from the ships of war and merchant vessels of their country. For this purpose they shall apply to the competent tribunals, judges, and officers, and shall in writing demand said deserters, proving by the exhibition of the registers of the vessels, the rolls of the crews, or by other official documents, that such individuals formed part of the crews; and, on this reclamation being thus substantiated, the surrender shall not be refused. Such deserters, when arrested, shall be placed at the disposal of the said Consuls, Vice-Consuls, or Commercial Agents, and may be confined in the public prisons, at the request and cost of those who shall reclaim them, in order to be sent to the vessels to which they belonged, or to others of the same country. But if not sent back within three months from the day of their arrest, they shall be set at liberty, and shall not be again arrested for the same cause. However, if the deserter should be found to have committed any crime or offence, his surrender may be delayed until the tribunal before which his case may be depending shall have pronounced its sentence, and such sentence shall have been carried into effect."

ARTICLE XII. (Certain stipulations in former treaties revived-Security of neutral navigation to be the subject of future treaty.)-"The twelfth article of the treaty of amity and commerce, concluded between the parties in 1785, and the articles from the thirteenth to the twenty-fourth, inclusive, of that which was concluded at Berlin in 1799, with the exception of the last paragraph in the nineteenth article, relating to treaties with Great Britain, are hereby revived with the same force and virtue as if they made part of the context of the present treaty, it being, however, understood that the stipulations contained in the articles thus revived shall be always considered as in no manner affecting the treaties or conventions

concluded by either party with other Powers, during the interval between the expiration of the said treaty of 1799, and the commencement of the operation of the present treaty.`

"The parties being still desirous, in conformity with their intention declared in the twelfth article of the said treaty of 1799, to establish between themselves, or in concert with other maritime Powers, further provisions to ensure just protection and freedom to neutral navigation and commerce, and which may, at the same time, advance the cause of civilization and humanity, engage again to treat on this subject at some future and convenient period."

ARTICLE XIII.-(Vessels entering blockaded ports.)-" Considering the remoteness of the respective countries of the two high contracting parties, and the uncertainty resulting therefrom, with respect to the yarious events which may take place, it is agreed that a merchant vessel belonging to either of them, which may be bound to a port supposed at the time of its departure to be blockaded, shall not, however, be captured or condemned for having attempted a first time to enter said port, unless it can be proved that said vessel could and ought to have learnt, during its voyage, that the blockade of the place in question still continued. But all vessels which, after having been warned off once, shall, during the same voyage, attempt a second time to enter the same blockaded port, during the continuance of the said blockade, shall then subject themselves to be detained and condemned."

ARTICLE XIV.-(Personal estates may be disposed of by will or otherwise-Inherited real estate, how disposed of.)-"The citizens or subjects of each party shall have power to dispose of their personal goods within the jurisdiction of the other, by testament, donation, or otherwise; and their representatives, being citizens or subjects of the other party, shall succeed to their said personal goods, whether by testament or ab intestato, and may take possession thereof, either by themselves or by others acting for them, and dispose of the same at their will, paying such dues only as the inhabitants of the country wherein the said goods are shall be subject to pay in like cases. And in case of the absence of the representative, such care shall be taken of the said goods as would be taken of the goods of a native, in like case, until the lawful owner may take measures

for receiving them. And if questions should arise among several claimants to which of them said goods belong, the same shall be decided finally by the laws and judges of the land wherein the said goods are. And where, on the death of any person holding real estate within the territories of the one party, such real estate would, by the laws of the land, descend on a citizen or subject of the other, were he not disqualified by alienage, such citizen or subject shall be allowed a reasonable time to sell the same, and to withdraw the proceeds without molestation and exempt from all duties of detraction, on the part of the Government of the respective States. But this article shall not derogate in any manner from the force of the laws already published, or hereafter to be published by His Majesty the King of Prussia, to prevent the emigration of his subjects."

ARTICLE XV.--(Duration of treaty.) "The present treaty shall continue in force for twelve years, counting from the day of the exchange of the ratifications; and if, twelve months before the expiration of that period, neither of the high contracting parties shall have announced, by an official notification to the other, its intention to arrest the operation of said treaty, it shall remain binding for one year beyond that time, and so on until the expiration of the twelve months, which will follow a similar notification, whatever the time at which it may take place."

ARTICLE XVI.—(Ratifications.)—"This treaty shall be approved and ratified by the President of the United States of America, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by His Majesty the King of Prussia, and the ratifications shall be exchanged in the city of Washington, within nine months from the date of the signature hereof, or sooner if possible.

"In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the above articles, both in the French and English languages, and they have thereto affixed their seals; declaring nevertheless, that the signing in both languages shall not be brought into precedent, nor in any way operate to the prejudice of either party.

"Done in triplicate at the city of Washington on the first day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hun

dred and twenty-eight, and the fifty-second of the Independence of the United States of America.1

"H. CLAY.

"LUDWIG NIEDERSTETTER.”

DENMARK, 1857.

CONVENTION EXCEPTING AMERICAN VESSELS FROM THE SOUND

Concluded April 11, 1857.

AND BELTS-DUES.

January 12, 1858.

Ratifications exchanged at Washington,
Proclaimed January 13, 1858.

"The United States of America and His Majesty the King of Denmark, being desirous to terminate amicably the differences which have arisen between them in regard to the tolls levied by Denmark on American vessels and their cargoes passing through the Sound and Belts, and commonly called the Sound-dues, have resolved to conclude a convention for that purpose, and have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

"The President of the United States, Lewis Cass, Secretary of State of the United States, and His Majesty the King of Denmark, Torben Bille, Esquire, Knight of the Dannebrog, and decorated with the cross of honor of the same order, his said Majesty's Charge d'Affaires near the Government of the United States:

"Who, after having communicated to each other their full powers, in due form, have agreed to and signed the following articles:

ARTICLE I.-(Navigation of the Sound and Belts to be free to vessels of the United States.)" His Majesty the King of Denmark declares entire freedom of the navigation of the Sound and the Belts in favor of American vessels and their cargoes, from and forever after the day when this convention shall go into effect as hereinafter provided. And it is hereby

1 An extradition treaty was concluded with Prussia and other States of the Germanic Confederation, in 1852. See Extradition Treaties.

agreed that American vessels and their cargoes, after that day, shall not be subject to any charges whatever in passing the Sound or the Belts, or to any detention in the said waters, and both Governments will concur, if occasion should require it, in taking measures to prevent abuse of the free flag of the United States by the shipping of other nations which shall not have secured the same freedom and exemption from charges enjoyed by that of the United States."

ARTICLE II. (Lights and buoys-Employment of Danish pilots.)" His Danish Majesty further engages that the passages of the Sound and Belts shall continue to be lighted and buoyed as heretofore without any charge upon American vessels or their cargoes on passing the Sound and the Belts, and that the present establishments of Danish pilots on those waters shall continue to be maintained by Denmark. His Danish Majesty agrees to make such additions and improvements in regard to the lights, buoys and pilot establishments in these waters as circumstances and the increasing trade of the Baltic may require. He further engages that no charge shall be made, in consequence of such additions and improvements, on American ships and their cargoes passing through the Sound and the Belts.

"It is understood, however, to be optional for the masters of American vessels either to employ, in the said waters, Danish pilots, at reasonable rates fixed by the Danish Government, or to navigate their vessels without such assistance."

ARTICLE III. (Toll dues to be paid by the United States.)"In consideration of the foregoing agreements and stipulations on the part of Denmark, whereby the free and unincumbered navigation of American vessels through the Sound and the Belts is forever secured, the United States agree to pay to the Government of Denmark, once for all, the sum of seven hundred and seventeen thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine rix dollars, or its equivalent, three hundred and ninety-three thousand and eleven dollars in United States currency, at London, on the day when the said convention shall go into full effect, as hereinafterwards provided."

ARTICLE IV.-(Most favored nation.)-"It is further agreed that any other or further privileges, rights, or advantages which may have been, or may be, granted by Denmark to the com

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