[Navigation of the Rhine.]

Governments, having since then undergone numerous modifications, and a part of the stipulations contained therein being no longer in harmony with the actual conditions of the Navigation, His Majesty the Emperor of the French, His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Baden, His Majesty the King of Bavaria, His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Hesse, His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, and His Majesty the King of Prussia, have resolved, by common consent, to revise that Convention, maintaining, nevertheless, the principle of the Free Navigation of the Rhine in matters of commerce, and have, to that effect, appointed Commissioners Plenipotentiary, namely:

[Here follow the names.]

Who, after having exchanged their Full Powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed, under reservation of Ratifications, to the following dispositions:

Free Navigation of the Rhine and its Mouths. The Leck and the Waal.

ART. I. The Navigation of the Rhine and its Mouths, from Basle to the sea, either descending or ascending, shall be free to the Ships of all Nations for the transport of Merchandise and Persons, on condition of conforming to the Stipulations contained in the present Convention, and to the measures prescribed for the maintenance of general security.

Except these Regulations, nc obstacle whatever shall be put to the Free Navigation.

The Leck and the Waal are considered as forming part of the Rhine.

ART. II. Rights of Navigation to Boats, Rafts, and Floats of Wood belonging to the Riverain States. Obstructions in the Navigation of the Rhine to the open Sea by way of Dordrecht, Rotterdam, Hellevoetsluis, and Brielle, to be replaced by other communications, and open to all the Riverain States,

Navigation, Dredging, and Buoying Dues on the Rhine or its Tributaries prohibited.

ART. III. No Duties based solely on the fact of Navigation can be levied on Vessels or their Cargoes, or on Rafts navigating

See page 1851.

[Navigation of the Rhine.]

Parties, and on the
Dredging and Buoy-

on the Rhine, or its Tributaries, as far as they are situated on the Territories of the High Contracting navigable courses mentioned in Article II. ing Duties shall likewise be prohibited on the navigable courses mentioned in the previous paragraph, above Rotterdam and Dordrecht.

ARTS. IV to VII. See Table.

Free Ports on the Rhine.

Power to increase Number of Free
Ports.

ART. VIII.* The Free Ports actually open to the commerce of the Rhine remain Free. The High Contracting Parties reserve to themselves the right of increasing their number. Merchandise warehoused in those Free Ports shall not be subjected to any Import or Export Duties, unless they are finally intended for trade in the Riverain State itself or in the Territories of the Customs and Duties system, of which that State forms a part.

ARTS. IX to XLVII. See Table.

Convention to replace Convention of 31st March, 1831, as well as all Supplementary and Additional Articles, &c.

ART. XLVIII. The present Convention is intended to replace the Convention relative to the Navigation of the Rhine of 31st March, 1831 (No. 151), the Supplementary and Additional Articles to that Act, as well as all other Resolutions relative to matters enacted in that Convention. It shall come into operation on the 1st July, 1869. It shall be ratified, and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at Mannheim, within the delay of 6 months.

In faith whereof, the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed it, and have affixed thereto the Seal of their Arms.

Done at Mannheim, 17th October, 1868.

(L.S.) GOEPP.

(L.S.) DIETZ.

(L.S.) WEBER.

(L.S.) SCHMITT.

(L.S.) VERKERK PISTORIUS. (L.S.) MOSER.

*See Protocol, page 1851.

✦ Ratifications exchanged at Mannheim, 17th April, 1869.

[Navigation of the Rhine.]

CLOSING PROTOCOL.

Ox proceeding to the signature of the revised Convention for the Navigation of the Rhine, concluded between them by virtue of their Full Powers, the undersigned have made the following Reserves and Declarations :

Privileges to Boats belonging to the Navigation of the Rhine.

1. Relative to Article I of the Convention. It is understood that the Right to the Free Navigation of the Rhine and its Mouths does not extend to the Privileges which are only granted to Boats belonging to the Navigation of the Rhine, or to those which are assimilated to them.

Exceptions as to Free Navigation of the Rhine and Lerying of certain

Dues.

2. Relative to Article III of the Convention. A. It has been unanimously recognised that the Stipulations of the first Paragraph of that Article do not apply to Fees for the opening and closing of the Bridges which are levied on other navigable Waters than the Rhine, or to the Duties to be levied for the use of Artificial Navigable Waters or Works of Art, such as Sluices, &c.

B. The Prussian Plenipotentiary remarks that on the Ruhr a small Duty is levied on Navigation; that his Government intend shortly to abolish that Duty, but that he must reserve to his Government the appointment of the time at which such abolition shall take place. The Netherlands Plenipotentiary stated that the Overseers of the Buoys on a part of the Meuse, in the Duchy of Luxemburg, still levy small Buoy Dues which cannot be abolished without the co-operation of Belgium, and that for that reason he must reserve for his Government the execution of the Stipulations contained in the Second Paragraph of Article III, as far as regards that part of the Meuse. No objection was made to these Reserves by the other Plenipotentiaries.

Free Ports.

The Free

3. Relative to Article VIII of the Convention. Ports actually existing are the following:-In France, Strasburg; in Baden, Kehl, Maxau, Leopoldshafen, Mannheim; in Bavaria, Neubourg, Spire, Ludwigshafen; in Hesse, Mayence; in

[Navigation of the Rhine.]

Prussia, Biebrich, Oberlahnstein, Coblentz, Cologne, Neuss, Dusseldorf, Uerdingen, Dinsbourg, Ruhrort, Wesel, Emmerich; in the Netherlands, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Dordrecht. 4 and 5. See Table.

Meaning of Hundredweight.

6. Relative to Article XXIII of the Convention. By Hundredweight is understood here as elsewhere when that expression is used in the present Convention, the Customs Hundredweight of 50 kilogrammes.

[Wounded in War.]

No. 413.-ADDITIONAL ARTICLES (proposed) relating to the Condition of the Wounded in War. Signed at Geneva, 20th October, 1868.*

1. Persons engaged in Ambulances and Hospitals to continue their Duties towards the Wounded after occupation by the Enemy. Commander of occupying Troops to give permission for withdrawal.

2. Pay to be continued to Neutralised Persons whilst in the power of the Enemy.

3. Interpretation of the word Ambulance.

4. Privileges to Inhabitants entertaining Wounded Men.

5. Wounded, with the exception of Officers, whether capable or incapable of serving, to be sent to their Country, on condition of not bearing Arms during the remainder of the War.

6. Boats conveying Shipwrecked or Wounded to a Neutral or Hospital Ship to have the character of Neutrality. Wrecked and Wounded not to serve during continuance of the War.

7. Religious, Medical, and Hospital Staff of a captured Vessel declared Neutral, with power to remove their Private Property.

8. The Staff to assist in removal of the Wounded.

9. Captured Military Hospital Ships and their Stores. Neutrality of Hospital Ships and their Staff during the War.

10. Neutrality of Merchantmen with Sick and Wounded on board. Cargo to enjoy Neutrality of the Merchantman, if not Contraband of War. Interdiction to Neutralised Vessels. Special Conventions for removal of Sick and Wounded.

11. Captors to protect and take care of the Wounded. Conditions of their return to their own Country.

12. Distinctive Flag of Neutralised Vessel or Boat. Verification of Flag. Colours of Military Hospital Ships.

13. Neutrality of Hospital Ships equipped at expense of Aid Societies. Recognition and Protection by Belligerents. Flag to be used by the Ship, and Armlet to be worn by the Staff. Non-interference with the Combatants. Duty to be performed at their own risk and peril. Right of Belligerents to control and visit them. Wounded and Wrecked not to serve during the continuance of the War.

14. Suspension of Convention in case a Belligerent takes advantage of benefit of Neutrality.

15. Original of Act to be kept in Archives of the Swiss Confederation, and a copy sent to each of the Signatory and Adhering Powers.

* Provisionally accepted in July, 1870, by France and Germany, in the war of 1870-1.