des frais résultant, dans les limites de leurs territoires respectifs, de l'envoi et de la restitution des pièces de conviction et documents. XIX. Le présent Traité entrera en vigueur quatre mois après l'échange des ratifications, lequel aura lieu le plus tôt possible. Chacune des Parties Contractantes pourra, en tout temps, le dénoncer, en prévenant l'autre Partie de son intention six mois à l'avance. Fait en double exemplaire à Bruxelles, le 18 Novembre, 1899. TREATY of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation between Greece and Japan.-Signed at Athens, May 20 1899. [Ratifications exchanged at Rome, September, 1899.] His Majesty the King of the Hellenes and His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, being equally animated by a desire to establish upon a firm and lasting foundation relations of friendship and commerce between their respective States and subjects, have resolved to conclude a Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Navigation, and have for that purpose named their respective Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: His Majesty the King of the Hellenes, M. Athos Romanos, Knight of the Royal Order of the Saviour, His Majesty's Minister for Foreign Affairs; and His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, Mr. Makino Nobuaki, Jushii, third class of the Imperial Order of the Sacred Treasure, His Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary; Who, having communicated to each other their respective full powers, and found them in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles : ART. I. There shall be firm and perpetual peace and amity between the Kingdom of Greece and the Empire of Japan and their respective subjects. II. His Majesty the King of the Hellenes may, if he sees fit, accredit a Diplomatic Agent to Japan, and His Majesty the Emperor of Japan may equally, if he thinks proper, accredit a Diplomatic Agent to Greece; and each of the High Contracting Parties shall have the right to appoint Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents to reside in all ports and places within the territories and possessions of the other Contracting Party where similar Consular officers of the most favoured nation are permitted to reside; but before any Consul-General, Consul, Vice-Consul, or Consular Agent shall act as such, he shall, in the usual form, be approved and admitted by the Government to which he is sent. The Diplomatic and Consular officers of each of the two High Contracting Parties shall, subject to the stipulations of this Treaty, enjoy in the territories and possessions of the other whatever rights, privileges, exemptions, and immunities which are, or shall be, granted there to officers of corresponding rank of the most favoured nation. III. There shall be between the territories and possessions of the two High Contracting Parties reciprocal freedom of commerce and navigation. The subjects respectively of each of the High Contracting Parties shall have the right to come freely and securely with their ships and cargoes to all places, ports, and rivers, in the territories and possessions of the other, where subjects or citizens of the most favoured nation are permitted so to come; they may remain and reside at all the places or ports where subjects or citizens of the most favoured nation are permitted to remain and reside, aud they may there hire and occupy houses and warehouses, and may there trade by wholesale or retail in all kinds of products, manufactures, and merchandize of lawful commerce. In all that concerns the acquisition, enjoyment, and disposition of property of all kinds, the subjects of one of the High Contracting Parties shall be placed in the territories and possessions of the other on a footing of equality with the subjects or citizens of the most favoured nation. IV. The High Contracting Parties agree that, in all that concetus residence, travel, commerce, and navigation, any privilege, favour, or inmunity, which either Contracting Party has actually granted, or may hereafter grant, to the Government, ships, subjects, or citizens of any other State, shall be extended immediately and unconditionally to the Government, ships, subjects or citizens of the other Contracting Party, it being their intention that the trade and navigation of each country shall be placed, in all respects, by the other, on the footing of the most favoured nation. V. No other or higher duties shall be imposed on the importation into Greece of any article, 'the produce or manufacture of Japan; and, reciprocally, no other or higher duties shall be imposed on the importation into Japan, of any article the produce or manufacture of Greece, than are or shall be payable on the importation, for the same purpose of the like article being the produce or manufacture of any other foreign country. Nor shall any other or higher duties or charges be imposed in the territories or possessions of either of the two High Contracting Parties on the exportation of any article to the territories or possessions of the other than such as are or may be payable on the exportation of the like article to any other foreign country. No prohibition shall be imposed on the importation of any article, the produce or manufacture of the territories or possessions of either of the High Contracting Parties into the territories or posses. sions of the other, which shall not equally extend to the importation of the like article being the produce or manufacture of any other country. Nor shall any prohibition be imposed on the exportation of any article from the territories or possessions of either of the High Contracting Parties to the territories or possessions of the other, which shall not equally extend to the exportation of the like article to the territories of all other nations. VI. In all that relates to transit, warehousing, bounties, facilities and drawbacks, the subjects of each of the High Contracting Parties shall, in the territories and possessions of the other, be placed in all respects upon the most-favoured-nation footing. VII. No other or higher duties or charges on account of tonnage, light or harbour dues, pilotage, quarantine, salvage in case of damages, or any other similar or corresponding duties or charges of whatever nature or under whatever denomination levied in the name for the profit of Government, public functionaries, private individuals, corporations, or establishments of any kind, shall be imposed in any of the ports of Greece on vessels of Japan, or in any of the ports of Japan on vessels of Greece, than are or may hereafter be payable in like cases in the same ports on vessels of the most favoured nation. VIII. The coasting trade of both the High Contracting Parties is excepted from the provisions of the present Treaty. It shall be regulated by the laws, ordinances, and regulations of the two countries respectively. IX. All vessels which, according to Hellenic law, are to be deemed Hellenic vessels, and all vessels which, according to Japanese law, are to be deemed Japanese vessels, shall, for the purposes of the present Treaty, be deemed Hellenic and Japanese vessels respectively. X. Any ship of war or merchant-vessel of the High Contracting Parties which may be compelled by stress of weather, or by reason of any other distress, to take shelter in a port of the other, shall be at liberty to refit therein, to procure all necessary supplies, and to put to sea again, without paying any dues other than such as would be payable by national vessels. In case, however, the master of a merchant-vessel should be under the necessity of disposing of a part of his cargo in order to defray the expenses, he shall be bound to conform to the Regulations and Tariffs of the place to which he may have come. If any ship of war or merchant-vessel of one of the Contracting Parties should run aground or be wrecked upon the coasts of the other, such stranded or wrecked ship or vessel, and all parts thereof, and all furniture and appurtenances belonging thereunto, and all goods and merchandize saved therefrom, including those which may have been cast into the sea, or the proceeds thereof if sold, as well as all papers found on board such stranded or wrecked ship or vessel, shall be given up to the owners or their agents when claimed by them. If such owners or agents are not on the spot, the same shall be delivered to the respective Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, or Consular Agents, upon being claimed by them within the period fixed by the laws of the country; and such Consular officers, owners, or agents shall pay only the expenses incurred in the preservation of the property, together with the salvage or other expenses which would have been payable in the case of a wreck of a national vessel. The goods and merchandize saved from the wreck shall be exempt from all the duties of the Customs unless cleared for consumption, in which case they shall pay the ordinary duties. When a ship or vessel belonging to the subjects of one of the Contracting Parties is stranded or wrecked in the territories of the other, the respective Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, or Consular Agents, shall be authorized, in case the owner or master, or other agent of the owner, is not present, to lend their official aid in order to afford the necessary assistance to the subjects of the respective States. The same rule shall apply in case the owner, master, or other agent is present, but requires such assistance to be given. XI. The subjects and vessels of Japan resorting to Greece or to the territorial waters thereof shall, so long as they there remain, be subject to the laws of Greece, and to the jurisdiction of Greece; and in the same manner, the subjects and vessels of Greece resorting to Japan and to the territorial waters of Japan shall be subject to the laws and jurisdiction of Japan. XII. The subjects of each of the High Contracting Parties shall, in the territories and possessions of the other, respectively enjoy perfect protection for their persons and property; they shall have free and open access to the Courts of Justice for the prosecution and defence of their rights, and they shall equally with native subjects be at liberty to employ advocates, attorneys, or agents to represent them before such Courts of Justice. They shall also enjoy entire liberty of conscience and, subject to the laws, ordinances, and regulations for the time being in force, shall enjoy the right of private or public exercise of their worship, and also the right of burying their respective countrymen according to [1899-1900. XCII] 2 B their religious customs, in such suitable and convenient places as may be established and maintained for the purpose. XIII. In regard to billeting; forced or compulsory military service, whether by land or sea; contributions of war, military exactions or forced loans, the subjects of each of the two High Contracting Parties shall, in the territories and possessions of the other, enjoy the same privileges, immunities, and exemptions as the subjects or citizens of the nation most favoured in these respects. XIV. The dwellings, warehouses, and shops of the subjects of each of the High Contracting Parties in the territories and possessions of the other, and all premises appertaining thereto destined for purposes of residence or commerce, shall be respected. It shall not be allowable to proceed to make a search of, or a domiciliary visit to, such dwellings and premises, or to examine or inspect books, papers, or accounts, except under the conditions and with the forms prescribed by the laws, ordinances, and regulations for subjects of the country. XV. The present Treaty shall take effect immediately after the exchange of ratifications, and shall continue in force for the period of twelve years from the date it goes into operation. Either of the two High Contracting Parties shall have the right, at any time after eleven years shall have elapsed from the date this Treaty takes effect, to give notice to the other of its intention to terminate the same, and at the expiration of twelve months after such notice is given this Treaty shall wholly cease and determine. XVI. The present Treaty shall be signed in duplicate in the Greek, Japanese, and English languages; and in case there should be found any discrepancy between the Greek and Japanese texts, it will be decided in conformity with English texts, which is binding upon both Governments. XVII. The present Treaty shall be ratified by the two Contracting Parties, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Rome as soon as possible. In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this Treaty, and hereunto affixed their respective seals. Done in sextuplicate at Athens, this 1st day of the 6th month of the 32nd year of Meiji, corresponding to the 20th day of May (June 1, N.s.), of the year 1899 of the Christian era. (L.S.) A. ROMANOS. (L.S.) N. MAKINO. |