DECREE of the French Government, regulating the Status of French Citizens in certain Islands in the Pacific.-Paris, February 28, 1901.

LE Président de la République Française,

Sur le rapport du Ministre des Colonies, du Garde des Sceaux, Ministre de la Justice, des Ministres des Affaires Étrangères, et de la Marine,

Vu la Loi du 31 Juillet, 1900, autorisant le Président de la République à assurer, par Décret, la protection des citoyens Français dans certaines îles et terres de l'Océan Pacifique,

Décrète :

TITRE I.-Organisation Administrative.

ART. 1. Le Gouverneur de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et dépendances exerce les fonctions de Commissaire-Général de la République Française dans l'Océan Pacifique.

Il est chargé en cette qualité de protéger les Français qui résident ou trafiquent dans les îles de l'Océan Pacifique ne faisant pas partie du domaine colonial de la France, et n'appartenant à aucune autre Puissance civilisée.

2. En cas d'absence, il est remplacé dans ces fonctions par le fonctionnaire qui exerce l'intérim du Gouvernement de la NouvelleCalédonie.

3. Le Commissaire-Général peut désigner, pour chaque île ou groupe d'îles, un Commissaire à qui il délègue tout ou partie de ses pouvoirs.

4. En l'absence sur les lieux du délégué du CommissaireGénéral, et en cas d'urgence, tout officier commandant un navire de l'État pourra exercer les pouvoirs conférés au dit délégué.

Il devra, dans tous les cas, établir aussitôt que possible un rapport des faits, qu'il adressera au Commissaire-Général. Celui-ci pourra toujours, après examen d'une de ces affaires, modifier ou révoquer les mesures prises par l'officier de marine en tant que cela sera possible.

TITRE II.-Organisation Judiciaire.

5. Le Commissaire-Général peut déléguer aux Commissaires prévus à l'Article 3 des pouvoirs qui n'excéderont pas ceux d'un Juge de Paix à compétence étendue.

Ces pouvoirs s'exercent, en se conformant autant que possible à

la loi Française telle qu'elle est promulguée en Nouvelle-Calédonie, dans toutes les contestations entre Français.

Les appels formés contre les jugements en premier ressort sont portés devant la Cour de Nouméa.

6. En matière répressive le Commissaire délégué connaît:

(1.) En se conformant à la loi Française telle qu'elle est promulguée en Nouvelle-Calédonie, de tous les délits correctionnels commis par des Français; ses jugements sont susceptibles d'appel devant la Cour de Nouméa;

(2.) En matière de simple police et statuant en premier et dernier ressort, des contraventions aux arrêtés de police pris par le Commissaire-Général.

7. Les crimes commis par des Français sont jugés par la Cour d'Assises de Nouméa. L'instruction en est fait par le Commissaire délégué.

8. Lorsque le délégué sera absent, tout officier con mandant un navire de l'État pourra, s'il y a urgence, remplir momentanément les fonctions judiciaires dévolues au Commissaire du Gouvernement.

9. Des Arrêtés du Commissaire-Général réglent tout ce qui est relatif à la tenue des audiences, aux formes de la procédure et de l'exécution des jugements, qui devront être aussi simplifiées que possible.

10. Le Commissaire-Général désigne les personnes qui, dans chaque île ou groupe d'iles, remplissent les fonctions d'officier de l'État Civil à l'égard des Français qui y sont établis.

11. Ces personnes se conforment, pour l'établissement des actes et pour la célébration des mariages, aux dispositions de la loi Française en vigueur en Nouvelle-Calédonie.

12. Lorsqu'un Français ou sujet Français décède sans laisser d'héritiers connus et présents, il est pourvu par les soins du Commissaire délégué à l'administration de ses biens, jusqu'au jour où ils peuvent être remis aux ayants droit.

Disposition Générale.

13. Le Commissaire-Général est chargé de régler par des Arrêtés particuliers les mesures d'exécution du présent Décret.

14. Les Ministres des Colonies, de la Justice, des Affaires Étrangères, et de la Marine sont chargés, chacun en ce qui le concerne, de l'exécution du présent Décret. Fait à Paris, le 28 Février, 1901.

Par le Président de la République : ALBERT DECRAIS, Ministre des Colonies.

ÉMILE LOUBET.

TREATY of Commerce and Navigation between Mexico and Nicaragua.-Signed at Mexico, November 6, 1900.

[Ratifications exchanged at Mexico, July 11, 1903.]

(Translation.)

THE Government of the United States of Mexico and the Government of the Republic of Nicaragua, being desirous of strengthening the relations which happily exist between the two States, have resolved to conclude a Treaty of friendship and commerce, for which purpose they have named as their respective Plenipotentiaries :

The President of the United States of Mexico, Señor Don Mauricio Wollheim, ex-Minister of Mexico to Japan; and

The President of the Republic of Nicaragua, Señor Don Luis F. Corea, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Mexican Government;

Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles :—

ART. I. The respective citizens of each of the two High Contracting Parties shall be on a complete equality with the natives of the other in all that regards the carrying on of commerce or industry, the payment of taxes, and the right to acquire and dispose of all kinds of personal property by purchase, sale, donation, exchange, will or succession ab intestate.

In all other respects they shall be on an equality with the subjects of the most favoured nation.

II. The products of the soil and manufactures of Nicaragua, whatever their origin may be, and merchandize, without distinction of origin, coming from that State, shall be admitted into the United States of Mexico on the same conditions as similar products of the most favoured foreign nation, without being subject to other or higher duties, of whatever kind, than the latter.

Reciprocally, the products of the soil and manufactures of the United States of Mexico, whatever their origin may be, and the merchandize, without distinction of origin, coming from the United States of Mexico, shall be admitted into Nicaragua on the same conditions as similar products,of the most favoured foreign nation, without being subject to other or higher duties, of whatever kind, than the latter.

III. The two High Contracting Parties guarantee reciprocally most-favoured-nation treatment in all that concerns transit and exportation, as well as navigation, and in all operations relating to the salvage of vessels.

[1900-1901. XCIV.]

4 P

IV. No prohibition or restriction of importation or exportation shall be established in the commerce of the two countries, which shall not apply to all other nations, except for sanitary reasons or to prevent the spread of epizootic diseases or the destruction of crops, or on account of events of war.

V. The High Contracting Parties agree to consider as a limit of their territorial waters on their respective coasts the distance of 20 kilom. reckoned from the line of low-water mark. Nevertheless, this rule shall be applicable only to matters of Custom-house vigilance, the carrying out of Customs ordinances and the regulations in regard to smuggling, and shall in no way be extended to other questions of international maritime law.

VI. The citizens of each of the two High Contracting Parties shall enjoy, in the territory of the other, on equal conditions, the same protection as the natives of the country or the citizens or subjects of the most favoured foreign nation in everything referring to the ownership of trade or mercantile marks.

In the same manner the citizens of each of the High Contracting Parties who may possess professional titles valid in their own country shall be allowed to exercise their profession in the territory of the other as far as is permitted by the laws of the country and subject to the requirements of the said laws.

VII. The citizens of each of the two High Contracting Parties shall enjoy, in the territory of the other, in matters of commerce, navigation, industry, and taxes, all the privileges, exemptions, and favours which may have been or may in the future be granted to the citizens or subjects of the most favoured foreign nation.

VIII. The citizens of each of the High Contracting Parties shall enjoy in the territories of the other complete liberty of conscience, and shall be allowed to practise their religion in the manner permitted by the Constitution and the laws of the country.

IX. The citizens of each of the two High Contracting Parties shall enjoy in the territories of the other the most ample and constant protection for their persons, houses, and property.

They shall not be entitled to indemnification for losses sustained, in time of insurrection or civil war, at the hands of insurgents or of tribes or savage hordes who may have risen against the Government, except where there may have been fault or want of vigilance on the part of the authorities or their agents.

X. The High Contracting Parties agree to concede to the Diplomatic and Consular Agents of the other the same rights, privileges, and immunities as are, or may in future be, enjoyed, in equal circumstances, by the Diplomatic and Consular Agents of the same rank of the most favoured nation.

XI. In the case of the death of a citizen of one of the High

Contracting Parties in the territory of the other, should there not be at the place where the death takes place any known heir, either personally present or represented, or an executor appointed by the deceased, or, in the case of the heir being a minor, a guardian, the respective Consular authorities shall have the right to perform, for the preservation and administration of the estate, whatever acts are or may in the future be permitted to the Consular functionaries of the most favoured nation.

XII. Any questions or controversies on the subject of the interpretation, application, or execution of the present Treaty, which cannot be decided amicably, shall be submitted to the decision of a Board of Arbitrators. Each of the two High Contracting Parties shall appoint an Arbitrator, and these two Arbitrators shall appoint a third. If an agreement cannot be arrived at with regard to a third Arbitrator, the latter shall be appointed by the Government of some third State, to be selected by the High Contracting Parties.

XIII. The High Contracting Parties, animated by a desire to avoid anything which might disturb their friendly relations, agree that their Diplomatic Representatives shall not intervene officially (except to obtain, where the occasion warrants, a friendly arrangement) in the claims or complaints of private individuals, relating to matters which are within the jurisdiction of the Civil or Criminal Courts, and which have already been submitted to the Tribunals of the country, except in the case of denial of justice, delay in its administration, contrary to usage or the law, or non-execution of a sentence definitely and finally decided by the Tribunals, or lastly, in those cases in which, in spite of the legal resources having been exhausted, there is an evident violation of the existing Treaties between the two High Contracting Powers, or of the principles of international law, whether public or private, universally recognized by civilized nations.

XIV. The present Treaty shall come into force one month after the exchange of the ratifications, and shall continue in force until six. months after one of the High Contracting Parties shall have notified the other of its intention of terminating it.

The present Treaty shall be ratified, and the ratifications. exchanged at Mexico, as soon as possible, after the constitutional formalities required in both countries have been fulfilled.

In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Treaty in two originals, in the city of Mexico, on the 6th November, 1900.

(L.S.) M. WOLLHEIM. (L.S.) LUIS F. COREA.