THE LAW of Ship Measurement, No. 66, Passed by the Esthonian National Assembly on June 20, 1924.(1)

(Translation.)

§ 1. THE measurement of the capacity of ships is calculated in Esthonia on the basis of the Moorsom system according to the ship-measurement regulations issued by the Government of the Republic. The unit, by which the capacity of the ship is calculated is called the register ton." The register ton is considered equal to 100 English square feet or 2.83 square meters.

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§ 2. Every Esthonian ship with a gross weight capacity of 20 registered tons or more must be measured, before using her for mercantile purposes, and supplied with a measurement certificate.

When the ship is built abroad at the cost of the Esthonian owner or if a foreign ship has become the property of an Esthonian owner, the measurement of such ships is calculated as foreseen in the mercantile ship-measurement and registration order §§ 14, 15, 16 and 17 (Law No. 45, 1919, Riigi Teataja," No. 18). Only in this case, when the ship is measured by corresponding foreign official institutions according to the ship-measurement regulations in force in Esthonia and a measurement certificate has been handed over, he will receive without remeasurement an Esthonian measurement certificate, but this concerns only foreign States, who have concluded with Esthonia a convention regarding reciprocal recognition of measurement certificates.

§ 3. Foreign mercantile ships coming within the boundaries of Esthonia are subject to the same basis as the Esthonian ships. Only the ships of those countries, which have concluded conventions regarding reciprocal recognition of measurement certificates, or which recognise without a convention the Esthonian measurement certificates and measure their ships on the same basis as in Esthonia are exempt from measurement.

§4. If the capacity of a foreign ship coming within the boundaries of Esthonia is calculated on a basis other than the Esthonian basis, but according to the Moorsom system, the re-measurement can be postponed until the decision of the question in the conventional way, and the re-calculation of the ship's capacity according to the regulations in force in Esthonia on the basis of the information, which is indicated in the measurement certificate issued by the official institutions of the ship's native country, but only when

(1) "Riigi Teataja," No. 85/86, July 4, 1924.

Esthonian ships will be treated in a similar manner by the respective official institutions of the ship's native country.

§ 5. If after the issue of the measurement certificate the ship has undergone re-building or other alterations which affect her capacity, a new measurement must take place. Where the ship's main dimensions have been altered the re-measurement must be a complete one, for which purpose રી new measurement certificate will be issued. In other cases only the altered parts will be re-measured and the respective amendments entered on the measurement certificate.

The owner or master of an Esthonian ship as well as of a foreign ship is obliged on his arrival to inform the harbourmaster in writing of the alterations affecting the ship's net capacity, which have been made since the issue of the measurement certificate and are not shown therein.

§ 6. If the ship is loaded or in such a state as to prevent her complete measurement, the measurement can take place in a shortened form according to the regulations prescribed in 1 and a temporary measurement certificate can be issued, which will have effect until a complete measurement, but not beyond three months from the day of the issue of the temporary measurement certificate.

37. The ship-measurement is effected under the control of the Chief Naval Administration, by the ship measurer appointed for this purpose by the stuff of the Chief Naval Administration or by individuals outside the staff, who have theoretical and practical knowledge in this branch. These ship-measurers receive their remuneration from the Minister of Communications on the basis of authorised scales. The ship measurers who are not in the State service, have to take an official oath before starting to fulfil their duties. The Chief Naval Administration decides the place (harbour) of the ship measurers and the limits of action of each one.

§ 8. The owner or master of the ship must during the clearance inform in writing through the harbour-master the ship-measurer of his wish to measure the ship, and he is obliged not later than on the next day to begin the work, should there be no lawful hindrance or if there has not been a prior arrangement.

As regards the measurement of ships built in Esthonia, the builder or owner is obliged to give early information in writing to the Chief Naval Administration enclosing the necessary drawings.

§ 9. The ship owner or master is obliged to give the ship-measurer the necessary workmen and all particulars demanded, likewise at the request of the measurer to empty and clean the ship's rooms, if necessary for calculating the measurement.

§ 10. All measures fixed by the measurement and other necessary particulars on which are based all calculations of the ship's capacity are entered by the ship measurer in the ship-measurement book prepared for this purpose, from which within three days after finishing the measurement a complete extract has to be sent to the Chief Naval Administration. On the basis of the above-mentioned extract the Chief Naval Administration draws up a measurement certificate in three copies, of which one is given to the owner or master of the ship, another to the measurer and the third one remains at the Chief Naval Administration. The details regarding measured ships are entered by the Chief Naval Administration in a registration book.

Note. The forms for measurement certificates and registration book regarding registration of measured ships are prepared accordingly to a model fixed by the Ministry of Communications.

§ 11. The measurement certificates are drawn up in the Esthonian and English languages. In the measurement certificates are indicated: the name of the ship, call-signal allotted to the ship according to international signals, at which harbour registered, the name and surname of the owner of the ship, when and of what material built, the name of the shipbuilder, recognition-sign dimension, and details, the gross weight capacity and net weight capacity in register tons and square meters calculated by measurement.

§ 12. Before the issue of the measurement certificate the owner or master of the ship is obliged by order of the ship measurer to indicate by burning, cutting or otherwise on the cross-beam situated on the rear edge of the ship's big hatch-way or underneath the deck, or if the ship is without a deck then inside the upper closed cross-beam, the ship's national sign, capacity and year of measurement.

If the ship measurement is executed abroad and the ship does not directly come home, the master of the ship is obliged after receiving the measurement certificate to furnish the ship with the above-mentioned international and capacity signs. This is not done, when the ship has got a temporary measurement certificate.

§ 13. On the loss of the measurement certificate the owner or master of the ship is obliged without delay to inform the Chief Naval Administration. The latter advertises the loss of the certificate at the cost of the owner or master of the ship in Riigi Teataja " and issues a duplicate of the certificate to him.

14. The Chief Naval Administration superintends the execution of the law and regulations for ship measurement through institutions and employees subject to him. If it is proved that the measurement is improperly executed or that

there have occurred some deviations from the present law and regulations in force, the Chief Naval Administration must immediately undertake a control measurement and in case of need issue a new measurement certificate instead of the previous one.

§ 15. The owner or master of the ship has the right to lodge a complaint, regarding the ship-measurement and the measurement certificate issued on this basis, before the Minister of Communications, who may arrange for a controlmeasurement to be undertaken by a commission appointed for this purpose.

If it is proved that the complaint was well founded, the control measurement will be carried out without charge.

§ 16. Before the issue of the measurement certificate the owner or master of the ship pays to the Chief Naval Administration the respective charges for the account of the State revenues.

The scales of payment are fixed by the Ministry of Communications.

§ 17. Within three years, beginning from the day of the coming into force of this law, all ships which are measured under previous laws and regulations, must be furnished with new measurement certificates.

§ 18. From the owner or master of the ship, who has not informed the harbour-master of the alterations affecting the net capacity of the ship in the cases referred to in § 5, there shall be levied a fine of double harbour dues calculated on the correct ship measurements for the whole time during which the ship was sailing to Esthonian harbours after the alteration of the net capacity.

§ 19. On the coming into force of the present law are annulled §§ 108-121 of the Trade Law (Code of Law, Vol. XI, part 2), and §§ 18-26 of mercantile ship measurement and order of registration (Law No. 45 Riigi Teataja," No. 18, 1919).

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§ 20. The present law will come into force on the 1st November, 1924.

The original has been signed by the President of the National Assembly.

J. WAIN, Assistant Secretary.

J. TÖNISSON.

DECLARATION by Esthonia and Finland respecting the Reciprocal Application of The Hague Convention of July 17, 1905, relative to the Establishment of Commen Rules concerning various Matters of International Private Law.-Tallinn, March 18, 1924.(1)

[Ratifications exchanged December 4, 1924.]

EN vue de déterminer en diverses matières les rapports juridiques entre la République d'Estonie et la République de Finlande, les soussignés, dûment autorisés par leurs Gouvernements respectifs, font d'un commun accord la Déclaration suivante:

Les dispositions des Articles 1-24 de la Convention relative à la procédure civile conclue entre plusieurs Puissances à La Haye le 17 juillet 1905 (2) seront appliquées, tant en Estonie en faveur de la Finlande et des ressortissants finlandais qu'en Finlande en faveur de l'Estonie et des ressortissants estoniens.

La présente Déclaration sera ratifiée et les ratifications en seront échangées aussitôt que possible. L'arrangement sortira ses effets dès l'échange des ratifications; il restera en vigueur jusqu'au 27 avril 1929. A partir de cette date, il sera renouvelé par tacite prolongation de cinq ans en cinq ans, sauf dénonciation par l'une des Parties. La dénonciation en devra être notifiée au moins six mois avant l'expiration des délais susvisés.

Fait en double à Tallinn, le 18 mars 1924.

(1) "Riigi Teataja," May 30, 1924.

FR. AKEL.

RUDOLF HOLSTI. (2) Vol. XCIX, page 990.

CONVENTION between Esthonia and Latvia relative to Extradition and Judicial Assistance.-Riga, July 12, 1921.(1)

[Ratifications exchanged at Riga, November 6, 1923.]

LA République de Lettonie, représentée par le Président du Conseil, M. Sigfrid Meierovics, d'une part, et la République d'Estonie, représentée par le Ministre des Affaires étrangères, M. Antoine Piip, d'autre part, étant tombées d'accord de conclure une Convention sur l'extradition et

(1) "League of Nations Treaty Series, No. 964."