against the nationalised institutions, Russia binds herself to allow Lithuania and Lithuanian citizens all those privileges, rights and preferences which are directly or indirectly granted by her or which may be granted to any third State or to its citizens, companies and institutions.

In the event of the securities and title deeds not being available, the Russian Government expresses its willingness, in the case of the application of this clause of this Article, to recognise as the holders of the securities and others those who submit adequate proofs of the removal of the papers belonging to them during the war.

XI.-(1.) The Russian Government shall return to the Lithuanian Government, for delivery to whomsoever it may concern, the property of Lithuanian citizens or firms, companies and joint-stock companies, the majority of the stock or shares of which at the time of the promulgation of the respective decrees of nationalisation by the Russian Government belonged to Lithuanian citizens, and which had been removed during the world war of 1914-1917, in so far as such property actually is or shall prove to be in the keeping of the Russian Government.

Note. The present clause does not apply to funds, deposits and securities in the custody of the branches of the State Bank or private banks, credit establishments and savings banks in the territory of Lithuania.

(2.) As regards the railway rolling-stock and telegraph and telephone installations, as well as all the equipment of the railway shops removed to Russia during the world war of 1914-1917, Russia agrees to make good to Lithuania part of these at a rate corresponding to the local requirements of the Lithuanian State, and making allowance for the general lowering of the level of economic life.

In order to determine exactly the amount of the said replacement, a mixed commission consisting of an equal number of members of the two contracting Parties shall be appointed immediately upon the ratification of the present Treaty.

Note. The replacement of railway rolling-stock and telegraph and telephone installations and railway shop plant due to the occupied territory of Lithuania can only commence after the same has been relieved from occupation.

(3.) For the purpose of carrying out the conditions set forth in Articles VIII, IX, X and XI of the present Treaty, the Russian Government undertakes to supply the Government of Lithuania with all the particulars and data referring thereto and to give every possible assistance in tracing returnable property, archives, documents, &c. The more detailed arrangement of the questions arising in connection.

with this subject shall be entrusted to a special mixed commission consisting of an equal number of members of the two contracting Parties.

XII. The Russian Government, taking into consideration that during the world war Lithuania has been almost entirely ruined, and that Lithuanian citizens are deprived of the possibility even of re-establishing their homesteads, their partly destroyed and gutted buildings, owing to the destruction of the forests of Lithuania, expresses its willing

ness:

(1.) To release Lithuania from responsibilities in regard to the debts and any other liabilities of Russia, including such as have resulted from the issue of paper money, Treasury notes, bonds, series and certificates of the Russian Treasury in connection with the foreign and internal loans of the Russian State, guarantees to sundry institutions and undertakings, and the guaranteed loans of the same, &c. All such claims of creditors of Russia for the share relating to Lithuania shall only be made against Russia.

(2.) In the localities nearest to the frontiers of Lithuania and as near as possible to rivers down which timber can be floated, and to railways, to grant to the Lithuanian Government the right to cut timber over an area of 100,000 dessiatines with a gradual allocation during the period of twenty years of timber-cutting areas in accordance with the plans of the Russian Forests Department. The fixing of the detailed conditions of the cutting of timber is left to a mixed commission consisting of an equal number of members of both contracting Parties.

(3.) To give to the Lithuanian Government 3,000,000 roubles in gold within the period of one month and a half from the date of the ratification of this Treaty.

XIII.-(1.) The contracting Parties agree to commence within the earliest possible time after the ratification of the present Treaty negotiations for the conclusion of trading and transit conventions.

(2.) The principle of the most favoured nation shall be the basis of the trading convention.

(3.) The following principles shall form the basis of the transit convention:

(a.) Goods passing in transit through the territory of either of the contracting Parties shall not be subject to any import dues or taxes.

(b.) The freight rates for goods in transit shall not be higher than the freight rates for similar goods of local destination.

Note. Prior to the commencement of normal conditions, mutual transit traffic between Russia and Lithuania shall be regulated by the same principles. Other conditions in reference to the transit trade shall be fixed by special temporary agreements.

(4.) The Russian and Lithuanian commercial fleets shall mutually make use of the harbours of the contracting Parties on equal terms.

(5.) Property left after the death of a citizen of one of the contracting Parties on territory of the other shall be handed in toto into the charge of the Consul or representative of the country to which the testator belonged, to be dealt with by the same in accordance with the laws of such country.

XIV. Diplomatic and consular relations between the contracting Parties shall be established immediately after the ratification of the present Treaty. Upon the ratification of the present Treaty the Parties shall proceed with the nego tiation of a consular convention.

XV. Upon the ratification of this Treaty the Russian Government shall release Lithuanian citizens and those opting for Lithuanian citizenship, and the Lithuanian Government shall release Russian citizens and those opting for Russian citizenship, whether civilians or military, from penalties in connection with all political and disciplinary offences. However, if judgments have not yet been given in such cases, the proceedings in connection with the same shall be stopped.

Persons who commit the aforesaid acts after the ratification of this Treaty shall not enjoy this amnesty.

Persons condemned by a criminal court for acts not coming under the amnesty shall be returned to their country of origin after serving their sentences. However, in the event of judgment in cases of such description not being given prior to the expiration of one year from the date of the accused being charged, they shall on the expiration of this period be handed over to the home authorities with the dossier relating to his case.

In connection therewith both contracting Parties will also release their own citizens from punishment for acts committed by them prior to the ratification of the present Treaty for the benefit of the other Party.

XVI. In dealing with the present Treaty the two contracting Parties shall take into consideration the fact that they were never in a state of war one with the other, and that Lithuania, as a region of military operations during the world war of 1914-1917, has particularly suffered from those operations. Therefore, all the conditions of the present Treaty can in no way serve as a precedent for any third country. On the other hand, should one of the contracting Parties allow

a third country or the citizens thereof special privileges, rights and preferences, the same shall without special agreement also extend to the other Party or to the citizens thereof.

Note. The contracting Parties. however, shall not prefer any claims to preferential rights which one of them may grant to a third country bound to it by customs or other agreements.

XVII. The settlement of legal questions, both public and private, arising between the citizens of the contracting Parties, and also the adjustment of any separate questions between the two countries, or between the Government of one and citizens of the other Party, shall be effected by a special mixed commission of an equal number of members of the two Parties, appointed immediately upon the ratification of the present Treaty, the composition, powers and duties of which shall be fixed by an instruction, to be agreed upon between the two contracting Parties.

XVIII. The present Treaty is drawn up in the Russian and Lithuanian languages. In its interpretation both texts

are to be considered authentic.

XIX. The present Treaty is subject to ratification.

The exchange of the letters of ratification is to take place at Moscow.

Wherever the time of the ratification of the Treaty is mentioned in the present Treaty, this applies to the time of the mutual exchange of the letters of ratification.

In witness whereof the Representatives of both Parties have set their hands to the present Treaty and have affixed their seals thereto.

The original was drawn up in duplicate and signed in the city of Moscow on the 12th of July, 1920.

[Signatures of Lithuanian and Russian Representatives.]

NETHERLANDS NOTIFICATON relative to the temporary reciprocal Most-favoured-nation Treatment by Bulgaria of Goods of Netherlands origin.-December 30, 1920.*

(Translation.)

THE Minister for Foreign Affairs brings to the notice of persons interested that the Bulgarian Government, after having denounced on the 31st December, 1916, all existing Commercial Treaties, have now, in a Note dated the 13th

* Date of publication in the Netherlands “Staatsblad."

November last addressed to Her Majesty's Minister at Sofia, declared that they are prepared to apply to goods of Netherlands origin, until the 9th August, 1921, the most-favourednation clause on the basis of reciprocity.

CONVENTION between the Netherlands and Venezuela for the Re-establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the two Countries.-Caracas, May 11, 1920.

[Ratifications exchanged at The Hague, February 23, 1921.]

(Translation.)

THE Government of Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands and the Government of the United States of Venezuela, animated with the sincere desire to re-establish diplomatic relations between the two countries, have named as their Plenipotentiaries:

Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands: M. W. B Engelbrecht, Special Delegate of the Netherlands; and

The President of the United States of Venezuela: Doctor E. Gil Borges, Minister for Foreign Affairs:

Who, having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and true form, have agreed as follows:

ART. I. Diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States of Venezuela shall be re-established from the date of the ratification of the present Convention.

II. Both Governments shall continue to observe the Protocol of the 20th August, 1894.*

III. Pending the conclusion of a Treaty of Commerce, the High Contracting Parties guarantee to each other mostfavoured-nation treatment in matters relating to commerce, trade and navigation. This treatment shall be freely granted. if the concession made in favour of a third Power be free; and by means of the same or equivalent compensation to be fixed by agreement between the Parties, if the concession be con ditional.

IV. M. H. Thielen shall be empowered to sustain before the competent Venezuelan tribunals the claims against the State of Venezuela based on the losses alleged to have been sustained by Messrs. Thielen and Co. in the events which happened at Caracas on the 13th and 14th December, 1908.

* Vol. LXXXVI, page 543.