V. (1.) The official representatives and the members of the delegations shall be bound to refrain from conducting, supporting or encouraging any political propaganda against the institutions of Denmark and Russia respectively.

(2.) The official representatives and the members of the delegation of either party shall abstain from entering into any service or receiving any commission from the Government, firms or private persons of any other country than their own.

VI. Passports, documents of identity, powers of attorney and similar documents issued or certified by the competent authorities in either country shall be treated in the other country as if they were issued or certified by the authorities of a recognised foreign Government.

VII. Danish and Russian ships, their masters, crews and cargoes shall in ports of Russia and Denmark respectively receive in all respects the treatment, privileges, facilities, immunities and protections which are usually accorded by the established practice of commercial nations to foreign merchant ships, their masters, crews and cargoes, visiting their ports, including the facilities usually accorded in respect of coal and water, pilotage, berthing, dry docks, cranes, repairs, warehouse and generally all services, appliances and premises connected with merchant shipping. Such treatment, privileges, facilities, immunities and protections shall in no case be less than that accorded to any other country. In this respect Denmark shall, however, not be entitled to claim the special rights and privileges accorded by Russia to a country which has recognised or may recognise Russia de jure, unless Denmark is willing to accord to Russia the corresponding compensations as the country in question, due regard being taken to clause 4 of the Danish law of the 31st May, 1922.

VIII. Free transit of goods from and to the other country will be permitted on the same conditions as from and to any other country. In this respect Denmark shall, however, not be entitled to claim the special rights and privileges accorded. by Russia to a country which has recognised or may recognise Russia de jure, unless Denmark is willing to accord to Russia the corresponding compensations as the country in question, due regard being taken to clause 4 of the Danish law of the 31st May, 1922.

IX. The transport of goods belonging to the nationals of either country will be granted on the same conditions as apply to goods belonging to nationals of any other country. In this respect Denmark shall, however, not be entitled to claim the special rights and privileges accorded by Russia to a country which has recognised or may recognise Russia de jure, unless Denmark is willing to accord to Russia the

corresponding compensations as the country in question, due regard being taken to clause 4 of the Danish law of the 31st May, 1922.

X. Both Contracting Parties agree, simultaneously with the conclusion of the present Agreement, to renew, if not already done, exchange of private postal and telegraphic correspondence between both countries, as well as despatch and acceptance of wireless messages, in accordance with the existing international post and telegraph regulations. As regards telegraphy in cypher, the provisions of Article I herein shall apply.

XI. The Contracting Parties mutually pledge themselves to help the respective delegations in finding residences and premises necessary for carrying on their work.

XII. The R.S.F.S.R. shall not be entitled on the strength of the stipulations of this Agreement to claim the benefits accorded by Denmark to Norway and Sweden or either of these countries as long as these benefits are not granted to any third country.

The stipulations of this Agreement shall not entitle Denmark to claim the special benefits accorded by the R.S.F.S.R. to States bordering on Russia in Asia.

XIII. The present Agreement may be terminated by either of the Contracting Parties by giving six (6) months' notice. In the event of this Agreement being terminated either by notice or by mutual agreement, the official representatives and other members of the delegations shall be allowed to remain in the country where they have been residing during a period necessary for the complete winding up of their commercial transactions, such period not to exceed six (6) months after the termination of the Agreement.

XIV. Provided that within three months from the date of the ratification of this Agreement by Denmark the Government of Iceland, in conformity with the Danish-Icelandic Union Act of the 30th November, 1918, give their sanction, this Agreement shall, after due ratification, be valid between Iceland and Russia, due regard being taken to the fact that Denmark, in conformity with the said Union Act, is entrusted with the safeguard of Iceland's foreign affairs.

XV. The present Agreement shall be ratified.

The ratifications shall be exchanged in Moscow within eight (8) weeks from the day of the signature.

The Agreement shall enter into force on the day of the exchange of the ratifications.

This Agreement is drawn up and signed in the English language. The English text shall be considered authentic. Done in duplicate at Moscow, the 23rd April, 1923.

(L.S.)
(L.S.)

J. CLAN.

MAXIM LITVINOFF.

Protocol.

The undersigned, who have met this day in order to sign the above Preliminary Agreement, have agreed upon the following:

In view of the relations existing between Denmark and Iceland, based on the Danish-Icelandic Union Act of the 30th November, 1918, (1) it is understood as a matter of course that the stipulations of the Agreement shall not entitle Russia to claim the special benefits which have actually been granted or which may hereafter be granted by Denmark to Iceland, or by Iceland to Denmark.

The present Protocol shall have effect as long as the Preliminary Agreement above referred to remains in force. Done in duplicate at Moscow, the 23rd April, 1923.

J. CLAN.

MAXIM LITVINOFF.

Declaration respecting Claims.

At the moment of signing the preceding Danish-Russian Preliminary Agreement either party declares that it maintains all its own claims and those of its nationals against the other party in respect of property or rights or in respect of obligations incurred by the existing or former Governments of either party, and that the aforesaid Agreement shall in no way predetermine nor prejudice any existing claims for the payment of compensation or the effecting of restitution, nor in any way place such claims in a less favourable position. than the claims of the Government or the nationals of any other country.

In witness whereof the undersigned have signed this Declaration.

Done in duplicate at Moscow, the 23rd April, 1923.

J. CLAN.
MAXIM LITVINOFF.

AGREEMENT between Denmark and the Straits Settlements concerning the Exchange of Postal Parcels.Copenhagen, February 23, 1923; Singapore, April 25,

1923.

WITH the object of concluding an Arrangement between the Straits Settlements and the Kingdom of Denmark concerning a direct exchange of postal parcels, the undersigned H. C. Sells, Postmaster-General of the Straits

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Settlements, and M. C. I. Mondrup, Director-General of Posts, Denmark, in virtue of the authority vested in them have agreed on the following conditions to establish a parcel post service between the two countries:

I. (1.) It shall be permitted to send by parcel post uninsured parcels from Denmark to the Straits Settlements and vice versâ up to a limit of 5 kilog.

(2.) The Postal Administrations of the two countries reserve to themselves the right of determining at any subsequent date by mutual agreement, so far as the laws of their respective countries allow, the rates and conditions relating to insured parcels.

II. The Postal Administration of Denmark takes upon itself to arrange the conveyance between the two countries by means of the vessels of the East Asiatic Company (Østasiatisk Kompagni).

III. For each parcel despatched from Denmark for places in the Straits Settlements the Postal Administration of Denmark shall pay to the Straits Settlements the following

For each parcel despatched from the Straits Settlements to Denmark the Postal Administration of the Straits Settlements will pay Denmark

1. Such sea rate as shall be in conformity with international Conventions in force at the time.

2. A territorial rate of 50 centimes (gold) in respect of parcels not exceeding 1 kilog. (3 lb.) and 75 centimes (gold) in respect of parcels exceeding 1 kilog. but not exceeding 5 kilog. (11 lb).

IV. Such prepayment of postage on parcels shall be compulsory.

V. It is permissible for the country of destination to collect for porterage and for compliance with Customs regulations a fee not exceeding 50 centimes (gold) per parcel.

VI. In the case of parcels originating in or forwarded by one of the two Contracting Countries and sent in transit through the other, the Post Office of the intermediate country shall be credited by the other Post Office with the sums due to the former for the conveyance of such parcels, in accordance with tables to be mutually communicated.

VII. The retransmission of parcels between the two countries owing to change of residence of the addressee, as well as the return of undeliverable parcels, gives rise to the

collection of charges additional to those fixed by Articles III and V, at the expense of the addressee, or, as the case may be, of the sender, without prejudice to the refundment of any charges for Customs or other special fees.

VIII. It is forbidden to send by post parcels containing letters or notes in the nature of correspondence, as well as articles the importation of which is not permitted by law or Customs regulations, &c.

IX.-(1.) Except in the case of force majeure, whenever a parcel has been lost, the contents abstracted or damaged, the sender and, failing the sender or at his request, the addressee, has the right to compensation up to the true value of the article lost, abstracted or damaged, but the amount of such compensation may not exceed 25 fr. (gold).

(2.) The obligation to pay compensation rests on the Administration to which the despatching office is subordinate, but that Administration has a right of recovery against the Administration in whose territory or in whose service the loss, abstraction or damage took place.

(3.) Until proved to the contrary, the responsibility rests on the Administration which, having received the parcel without observation, cannot prove delivery to the addressee or return of the parcel (if such has taken place).

(4.) The payment of the indemnity by the office of despatch shall take place as soon as possible, at the latest within a year of the date of the application. The office responsible is obliged to reimburse to the office of despatch without delay the amount of the indemnity paid.

(5.) It is understood that the application for an indemnity is only entertained if made within a year of the posting of the parcel; after that period the applicant has no right to any indemnity.

(6.) If the loss, abstraction or damage took place in the course of conveyance between the offices of exchange of the two countries, and if it is not possible to ascertain on the territory of which it took place, the loss shall be shared equally.

(7.) The Administrations cease to be responsible for parcels of which the owners have taken delivery.

X. The internal legislation of the two Contracting Countries remains binding in everything which has not been provided for in the stipulations of this Agreement.

XI. The Postal Administration of the two Contracting Countries designate the offices or districts which they admit to the international exchange of postal parcels. They will decide the method of despatch of such parcels, and take all such steps regarding detail and arrangement necessary to ensure the carrying out of this Agreement.

XII. The sender of a parcel can obtain an acknowledg [cxvII]

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