ratifications of said treaty has not taken place within the period therein prescribed for such exchange;

And, whereas, the High Contracting Parties are desirous of removing all doubts in respect of the meaning and intent of said Article, and of extending the time for the exchange of ratifications of said treaty, to the end of reaching an amicable and honorable solution of the difficulties that now impair their good relations;

The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United States of Venezuela, have named as their Plenipotentiaries to conclude a Convention for that purpose: the President of the United States of America, Thomas F. Bayard, Secretary of State of the United States of America; and the President of the United States of Venezuela, José Antonio Olavarria, Chargé d'Affaires of Venezuela at Washington; who, after reciprocal communication of their full powers, found in due and good form, have agreed upon the following Articles:

ARTICLE I. It is understood and agreed that in the event of any of the awards of the Mixed Commission under the Convention of April 25, 1866, being annulled in whole or in part by the Commission authorized and created by Article II. of the treaty of December 5, 1885, no new award shall in any case be made by said Commission, to the holders of certificates of any award or awards annulled as aforesaid, in excess of the sum which may be found to be justly due to the original claimant.

ARTICLE II. The time fixed for the exchange of the ratifications of the aforesaid treaty between the United States and Venezuela signed at Washington on the fifth day of December, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and eighty-five, is hereby extended to a period not exceeding five months from the date of this Convention or sooner if possible.

ARTICLE III. The present Convention shall be ratified by the President of the United States of America by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by the President of the United States of Venezuela by and with the advice and consent of the Congress thereof, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington as soon as possible within the time specified in Article II. hereof as the period of extension of the time for the exchange of ratifications of the treaty signed at Washington on the fifth day of December, 1885.

In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed and sealed the present Convention in duplicate.

Done at Washington this 15th day of March, A. D. 1888.

Supplementary Convention between the United States of America and Venezuela, to further extend the period fixed for the exchange of ratifications of the Convention of December 5, 1885, and to extend the period for the exchange of the ratifications of the Convention of March 15, 1888.

[Concluded October 5, 1888; ratifications exchanged at Washington June 3, 1889; proclaimed June 4, 1889.]

Whereas, by Articles I. and II. of a Convention, signed and concluded by the respective Plenipotentiaries of the United States and Venezuela, in the city of Washington, on the 15th day of March 1888, it was provided that the time fixed by the Convention between the said parties, signed and

concluded December 5, 1885, for the exchange at Washington of the ratifications thereof, should be extended to a period not exceeding five months from the date of said Convention, to wit, from the 15th day of March 1888, or sooner if possible, and that the ratifications of the said Convention of March 15th, 1888, should in like manner be exchanged at Washington within the same period;

And whereas the period, as aforesaid prescribed, elapsed on the 15th day of August 1888 without such exchange having been effected;

And whereas it appears that the Congress and Government of Venezuela did, according to the Constitutional forms of that Republic, ratify and confirm the said Conventions at Caracas on the 27th day of July 1888, and that the President of the Republic of Venezuela did on the 24 day of August 1888, fully empower the Representative of that Republic in the United States to exchange ratifications thereof with whoever should be duly authorized on behalf of the United States;

And whereas the said Conventions having been theretofore duly ratified by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, the Secretary of State of the United States, duly empowered by the President of the United States, was ready on and before the said 15th day of August 1888 to effect the exchange of ratifications of the said Conventions as stipulated;

And whereas, by reason of unavoidable delay, the copy of the said Convention ratified by the Government of Venezuela as aforesaid and the necessary powers to enable the Representative of that Government in the United States to make exchange of ratifications could not be produced in the city of Washington, D. C., until after the expiration of the period so as aforesaid stipulated for the exchange of ratifications;

Now, therefore, the Governments of the United States and Venezuela, being desirous of completing and putting in force the two Conventions aforesaid at the earliest day possible, have respectively named as their Plenipotentiaries to conclude a Convention for that purpose,

The President of the United States of America, Thomas F. Bayard, Secretary of State of the United States of America,

And the President of the United States of Venezuela, Francisco Antonio de Silva, Chargé d'Affaires of the United States of Venezuela at Washington;

Who, after reciprocally satisfying each other in good and due form of their competency to negotiate to such end, have agreed upon the following Articles:

ARTICLE I. The time fixed, by Articles I. and II. of the Convention between the Contracting Parties, signed at Washington, the 15th day of March 1888, within which to effect the exchange of the ratifications of the Convention between said parties signed at Washington, on the 5th day of December, 1885, and also of the said Convention of the 15th day of March 1888, is hereby extended to a period not exceeding ten months from the 15th day of August one thousand eight hundred and eightyeight, or sooner if possible.

ARTICLE II. The present Convention shall be ratified by the President of the United States of America, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof; and by the President of the United States of Venezuela, by and with the advice and consent of the Congress thereof; and

the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington, as soon as possible within the time specified in Article I. hereof as the period of extension of the time for the exchange of ratifications of the Convention signed at Washington, on the 5th day of December 1885, and of the Convention signed at Washington on the 15th day of March 1888.

In witness whereof, the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed and sealed the present Convention in duplicate, in the English and Spanish languages.

Done at Washington, this fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight.

Convention for the arbitration of the claim of the Venezuela Steam Trans

portation Company.

[Signed January 19, 1892; ratifications exchanged at Washington, July 28, 1894; proclaimed July 30, 1894.]

The Government of the United States of America and the United States of Venezuela, being mutually desirous of removing all causes of difference between them in a manner honorable to both parties and in consonance with their just rights and interests, have resolved to submit to arbitration the claim of the "Venezuela Steam Transportation Company", and have respectively named as their plenipotentiaries to conclude a Convention for that purpose:—

The President of the United States of America, William L. Scruggs, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States at Caracas;

And the President of the United States of Venezuela, Doctor Rafael Seijas, legal adviser for the Department of Foreign Relations;

Who, after having exhibited their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles:

ARTICLE I. The high contracting parties agree to submit to arbitration the question whether any, and, if any, what indemnity shall be paid by the Government of the United States of Venezuela to the Government of the United States of America for the alleged wrongful seizure, detention and employment in war or otherwise of the Steamships Hero, Nutrias and San Fernando, the property of the "Venezuela Steam Transportation Company", a corporation existing under the laws of the State of New York, and a citizen of the United States, and the imprisonment of its officers, citizens of the United States.

ARTICLE II. The question stated in Article I. shall be submitted to a board of three Commissioners, one to be appointed by the President of the United States of America, one by the President of the United States of Venezuela, and the third who shall not be either an American or a Venezuelan citizen, to be chosen by the two appointed as aforesaid; but if, within ten days from the time of their first meeting as hereinafter provided, they cannot agree upon the third Commissioner, the Secretary of State of the United States and the Venezuelan Minister at Washington

shall forthwith request either the Diplomatic representative of Belgium or that of Sweden and Norway at that capital to name him subject to the restriction aforesaid.

The Commissioners to be chosen by the President of the United States of America and the President of the United States of Venezuela shall be appointed within a month from the date of the exchange of the ratifications of this Convention.

In case of the death, resignation or incapacity of any of the Commissioners, or in the event of any of them ceasing or omitting to act, the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as is herein provided for the original appointment.

ARTICLE III. The Commissioners appointed by the President of the United States of America and the President of the United States of Venezuela shall meet in the city of Washington at the earliest convenient moment within three months from the date of the exchange of the ratifications of this Convention, and shall proceed to the selection of a third Commissioner.

When such commissioner shall have been chosen, either by agreement between the two first named; or in the alternate manner herein before provided, the three Commissioners shall meet in the city of Washington at the earliest practicable moment within five months from the date of the exchange of the ratifications of this Convention, and shall subscribe, as their first act, a solemn declaration to examine and decide the claim submitted to them in accordance with justice and equity and the principles of international law.

The concurrent judgment of any two of the Commissioners shall be adequate for the decision of any question that may come before them, and for the final award.

ARTICLE IV. The Commissioners shall decide the claim on the Diplomatic correspondence between the two Governments relative thereto, and on such legal evidence as may be submitted to them by the high contracting parties within two months from the date of the first meeting of the full Commission.

Their decision shall be rendered within three months at farthest from the date of such first meeting, and shall be final and conclusive.

They shall hear one person as Agent in behalf of each Government and consider such arguments as either of such persons may present; and may, in their discretion, hear other counsel either in support of or in opposition to the claim.

ARTICLE V. If the award shall be in favor of the United States of America, the amount of the indemnity, which shall be expressed in American gold, shall be paid in cash at the city of Washington, in equal annual sums, without interest, within five years from the date of the award, the first of the five payments to be made within eight months from that date. Each Government shall pay its own commissioner and agent, and all other expenses including clerk hire shall be borne by the two Governments in equal moieties.

ARTICLE VI. This Convention shall be ratified by the President of the United States of America by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof; and by the President of the United States of Venezuela, with

the approval of the Congress thereof; and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington as soon as possible.

In witness whereof, the respective plenipotentiaries have signed and sealed the present Convention in duplicate, in the English and Spanish languages.

Done at Caracas this nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two.

[SEAL.]

[SEAL.]

WILLIAM L. SCRUGGS.

RAFAEL SEIJAS.