clauses which, in virtue of the treaty concluded on the 3d October, 1893, between France and Siam, apply to a zone of 25 kilom. on the right bank of the Mekong and to the navigation of that river. II. Nothing in the foregoing clause shall hinder any action on which the two powers may agree and which they shall think necessary in order to uphold the independence of the Kingdom of Siam. But they engage not to enter into any separate agreement permitting a third power to take any action from which they are bound by the present declaration themselves to abstain. III. From the mouth of the Nam Houk northwards as far as the Chinese frontier the thalweg of the Mekong shall form the limit of the possessions or spheres of influence of France and Great Britain. It is agreed that the nationals and dependents of each of the two countries shall not exercise any jurisdiction or authority within the possessions or sphere of influence of the other. The police of the islands in this part of the river which are separated from the British shore by a branch of the river shall, so long as they are thus separated, be intrusted to the French authorities. The fishery shall be open to the inhabitants of both banks. IV. The two Governments agree that all commercial and other privileges and advantages conceded in the two Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Szechuan either to France or Great Britain in virtue of their respective conventions with China of the 1st March, 1894, and the 20th June, 1895, and all privileges and advantages of any nature which may in the future be conceded in these two Chinese provinces, either to France or Great Britain, shall, as far as rests with them, be extended and rendered common to both powers and to their nationals and dependents, and they engage to use their influence and good offices with the Chinese Government for this purpose. V. The two Governments agree to name commissioners delegated by each of them, who shall be charged to fix by mutual agreement, after examination of the titles produced on either side, the most equitable delimitation between the French and British possessions in the region situated to the west of the lower Niger. VI. In conformity with the stipulations of Article XL of the general convention concluded between Great Britain and the Regency of Tunis on the 19th July, 1875, which provides for a revision of that treaty "in order that the two contracting parties may have the opportunity of hereafter treating and agreeing upon such other arrangements as may tend still further to the improvement of their mutual intercourse, and to the advancement of the interests of their respective people," the two Governments agree at once to commence negotiations for replacing the said general convention by a new convention, which shall correspond with the intentions proposed in the article above referred to. Done at London, the 15th January, 1896. [L. S.] [L. S.] ALPH. DE COURCEL. ADMISSION OF FOREIGNERS TO FRENCH MEDICAL SCHOOLS. No. 543.] Mr. Vignaud to Mr. Olney. EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, July 24, 1896. (Received Aug. 3.) SIR: American medical students who come to Paris with the view of graduating in one of the medical schools of France were heretofore allowed certain facilities to enter these schools. When they were graduates of our well-known colleges, or held a diploma of doctor of medicine issued by a reputable foreign scientific institution, they were permitted, upon application being made through this embassy, to follow the regular courses of the French medical schools, exactly like French students who had graduated from the French faculties, and at the end of the course in the fall-if successful in the final examination—were awarded the same diploma as those to Frenchmen, which diploma carried with it the privilege of practicing in France. The number of foreign students in France having by degrees considerably increased in numbers, and the proportion of those who, for a certain time at least, remain here to practice their profession having also become much larger, the French Government has adopted a stricter rule for the admission of foreigners to the French medical schools. In the future foreigners desirous of obtaining the same diploma of doctor of medicine as that awarded to Frenchmen will have to submit to the same conditions imposed upon French students; that is to say, that the diploma they may have obtained abroad or in any private institution will not be at all considered, and that before being allowed to register at any of the French medical schools they will have to produce, like French students, a French State diploma of "Bachelier de l'Enseignement classique," and the "Cértificat de Sciences physiques, chimiques et naturelles." To the foreign students who do not propose to practice medicine in France the facilities usually extended to them will be continued and even enlarged. But they will only be entitled to a special diploma solely intended for foreigners of that class, and granting no rights to practice in France. These regulations were issued on the 21st instant. They are not applicable to foreign students already registered. I have, etc., HENRY VIGNAUD, GERMANY. REVOCATION OF FROCLAMATION SUSPENDING COLLECTION OF TONNAGE AND OTHER DUES UPON VESSELS FROM GERMAN PORTS. No. 53. Mr. Olney to Mr. Uhl. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, SIR: Referring to Mr. Von Alvensleben's note to this Department of the 24th of January, 1888, to the effect that American vessels are exempt from tonnage dues and other charges in German ports, and to Mr. Bayard's reply thereto of the 26th of the same mouth, stating that in view of the contents of Mr. Von Alvensleben's communication the President would at once issue a proclamation suspending the collection dues upon vessels entered from any of the ports of the German Empire, which was accordingly done on the same day (see Foreign Relations for 1888, pp. 669-672), I inclose for your information copies of recent corre spondence, indicated below, between this Department and the Secretary of the Treasury relative to the tonnage taxes, light-house dues, and other similar taxes now imposed upon vessels of the United States in certain German ports. You are instructed to bring this subject to the attention of the Imperial German foreign office, in such manner as your judgment may best indicate, and to ask for an explanation of the apparent inconsistencies between the assurances given in Mr. Alvensleben's note of the 24th of January, 1888, and the practice now existing in the ports of Hamburg and Bremen, as reported by our consuls there. I am, etc., RICHARD OLNEY. [Inclosure 1 in No. 53.] Mr. Curtis to Mr. Olney. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Washington, D. C., November 7, 1895. SIR: I have the honor to request that you obtain, for the use of this Department, a report from the United States consul at Hamburg and from the United States consul at Stettin, showing what tonnage tax, light dues, or other equivalent taxes or dues are imposed on vessels of the United States arriving at said places or at their outlying ports. Respectfully, yours, W. E. CURTIS, [Inclosure 2 in No. 53.] Mr. Olney to Mr. Carlisle. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 21, 1895. SIR: Referring to your letter of November 7 last, I have the honor to inclose for your information copies of dispatches from the cousuls at Hamburg and Stettin transmitting reports upon the tonnage tax, light-house dues, and other similar taxes imposed upon vessels of the United States at Hamburg and Stettin. I have, etc., RICHARD OLNEY. [Inclosure 3 in No. 53.] Mr. Wike to Mr. Olney. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Washington, D. C., December 27, 1895. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 21st instant, inclosing copies of dispatches from the consuls at Ilamburg and Stettin, transmitting reports upon the tonnage tax, lighthouse dues, and other similar taxes imposed upon vessels of the United States at Hamburg and Stettin. It is noted that the consul at Hamburg reports the following tonnage dues imposed at that port upon American vessels: The tonnage dues for steamers entering the port of Hamburg are 2.86 cents per cubic meter (0.353 ton) on foreign (British) measurement, or 2.38 cents per cubic meter (0.353 ton) on German measurement. For sailing vessels the tonnage * dues are 2.86 cents per cubic meter (0.353 ton). I have the honor to invite your attention therewith to the proclamation of the President, dated January 26, 1888, beginning "Whereas satisfactory proof has been given to me by the Government of the Empire of Germany that no tonnage or light-house dues or any equivalent tax or taxes whatever are imposed upon American vessels entering the ports of Germany," * and concluding, "And the suspension hereby declared and proclaimed shall continue so long as the reciprocal exemption of vessels belonging to citizens of the United States, and their cargoes, shall be continued in the ports of the Empire of Germany, and no longer." * I have the honor to suggest that the consul at Hamburg be instructed to ascertain the amount of tonnage tax thus exacted at Hamburg from American vessels since January 26, 1888, and to inquire whether, in the judgment of your Department, the imposition of this tax does not call for the suspension of the exemption in American ports, pursuant to the proclamation of the President, so far as vessels entering the United States from Hamburg are concerned. Respectfully, yours, 'Not printed. S. WIKE, Acting Secretary. [Inclosure 4 in No. 53.] Mr. Wike to Mr. Olney. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 5th instant,' transmitting inclosures from the United States consul at Hamburg concerning the imposition of tonnage taxes upon American vessels. Your attention is respectfully invited to the statement of the consul in his dispatch, dated February 21, 1896, that "it will be seen that every United States vessel arriving here since January 1, 1888, has been charged tonnage dues, except the U. S. S. Marblehead," and to his tabulated statement of the American vessels arriving at that port from February 6, 1888, to December 22, 1895, together with a statement furnished by the Hamburg foreign office of the amount of tonnage taxes paid by each of said vessels. On January 26, 1888, the President of the United States issued his proclamation, beginning, "Whereas satisfactory proof has been given to me by the Government of the Empire of Germany that no tonnage or light-house dues or any equivalent tax or taxes whatever are imposed upon American vessels entering the ports of the Empire of Germany," and concluding, "and the suspension hereby declared and proclaimed shall continue so long as the reciprocal exemption of vessels belonging to citizens of the United States and their cargoes shall be continued in the said ports of the Empire of Germany, and no longer." It appears from the statement of the United States consul at Hamburg, accompanied by the statement of tonnage taxes actually paid, furnished by the Hamburg foreign office, that the imposition of tonnage taxes on American vessels by Hamburg was resumed on February 6, 1888, eleven days after the issue of the proclamation of the President of the United States, if indeed it was ever suspended, and that the imposition of tonnage taxes on American vessels arriving from the United States from February 6, 1888, has continued up to the present time by Hamburg. In the meantime vessels from Hamburg in ports of the United States have not paid tonnage taxes (amounting to many thousands of dollars) upon the assurance of the German Government that no such taxes were levied on American vessels by Hamburg. In view of these facts, I have the honor respectfully to renew my inquiry of December 27, 1895, whether, in your judgment, the imposition of tonnage taxes since February 6, 1888, by Hamburg upon American vessels entering from the United States does not call for the suspension of the exemption from tonnage taxes in American ports, pursuant to the proclamation of the President, so far as vessels entering the United States from Hamburg are concerned, and further, to inquire whether it does not also call for proceedings on the part of the United States for the collection of tonnage taxes from vessels entering the United States from Hamburg subsequent to February 6, 1888, the exemption from payment of which taxes was in violation of law (act of June 19, 1886, sec. 11). Respectfully, yours, S. WIKE, Acting Secretary. Not printed. |