1890, with the accompanying Declaration of equal date, shall be considered as abrogated, in so far as they are binding between the Powers which are Parties to the present Convention. ARTICLE 14. States exercising authority over African territories, and other States, Members of the League of Nations, which were parties either to the Act of Berlin or to the Act of Brussels or the Declaration annexed thereto, may adhere to the present Convention. The Signatory Powers will use their best endeavours to obtain the adhesion of these States. This adhesion shall be notified through the diplomatic channel to the Government of the French Republic, and by it to all the Signatory or adhering States. The adhesion will come into force from the date of its notification to the French Government. ARTICLE 15. The Signatory Powers will reassemble at the expiration of ten years from the coming into force of the present Convention, in order to introduce into it such modifications as experience may have shown to be necessary. The present Convention shall be ratified as soon as possible. Each Power will address its ratification to the French Government, which will inform all the other Signatory Powers. The ratifications will remain deposited in the archives of the French Government. The present Convention will come into force for each Signatory Power from the date of the deposit of its ratification, and from that moment that Power will be bound in respect of other Powers which have already deposited their ratifications. On the coming into force of the present Convention, the French Government will transmit a certified copy to the Powers which, under the Treaties of Peace, have undertaken to accept and observe it. The names of these Powers will be notified to the States which adhere. In faith whereof the above-named Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Convention. Done at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the 10th day of September, 1919, in a single copy, which will remain deposited in the archives of the Government of the French Republic, and of which authenticated copies will be sent to each of the Signatory Powers. CONVENTION RELATING TO THE LIQUOR TRAFFIC IN AFRICA, AND PROTOCOL. Signed at Saint-Germain-en-Laye September 10, 1919.1 THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BELGIUM, THE BRITISH EMPIRE, FRANCE, ITALY, JAPAN AND PORTUGAL; Whereas it is necessary to continue in the African territories placed under their administration the struggle against the dangers of alcoholism which they have maintained by subjecting spirits to constantly increasing duties; Whereas, further, it is necessary to prohibit the importation of distilled beverages rendered more especially dangerous to the native populations by the nature of the products entering into their composition or by the opportunities which a low price gives for their extended use; 1 Ratifications have been deposited by the British Empire, Belgium, and France. Whereas, finally, the restrictions placed on the importation of spirit would be of no effect unless the local manufacture of distilled beverages was at the same time strictly controlled; Have appointed as their plenipotentiaries: THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The Honourable Frank Lyon POLK, Under-Secretary of State; The Honourable Henry WHITE, formerly Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States at Rome and Paris; General Tasker H. BLISS, Military Representative of the United HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS: M. Paul HYMANS, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister of M. Jules VAN DEN HEUVEL, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister M. Emile VANDERVELDE, Minister of Justice, Minister of State; HIS MAJESTY THE KING of the United Kingdom of Great BRITAIN AND IRELAND AND OF THE BRITISH DOMINIONS BEYOND THE SEAS, EMPEROR OF INDIA: The Right Honourable Arthur James BALFOUR, O.M., M.P., His The Right Honourable Andrew BONAR LAW, M.P., His Lord The Right Honourable Viscount MILNER, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., His The Right Honourable George Nicoll BARNES, M.P., Minister And: For the DOMINION OF CANADA: The Honourable Sir Albert Edward KEMP, K.C.M.G., Minister of the Overseas Forces; For the COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA : The Honourable George Foster PEARCE, Minister of Defence; For the UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA: The Right Honourable Viscount MILNER, G.C.B., G.C.M.G.; For the DOMINION OF NEW ZEALAND: The Honourable Sir Thomas MACKENZIE, K.C.M.G., High Commissioner for New Zealand in the United Kingdom; For INDIA: The Right Honourable Baron SINHA, K.C., Under-Secretary of State for India; THE PRESIDENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC: M. Georges CLEMENCEAU, President of the Council, Minister of War; M. Stephen PICHON, Minister for Foreign Affairs; M. Louis-Lucien KLOTZ, Minister of Finance; M. André TARDIEU, Commissary-General for Franco-American M. Jules CAMBON, Ambassador of France; HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF ITALY: The Honourable Tommaso TITTONI, Senator of the Kingdom, The Honourable Vittorio SCIALOJA, Senator of the Kingdom; HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN: Viscount CHINDA, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of H.M. the Emperor of Japan at London; M. K. MATSUI, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of H.M. the Emperor of Japan at Paris; THE PRESIDENT OF THE PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC: Dr. Affonso da COSTA, formerly President of the Council of Dr. Augusto LUIZ VIEIRA SOARES, formerly Minister for For- Who, having communicated their full powers found in good and due form, Have agreed as follows: ARTICLE 1. The High Contracting Parties undertake to apply the following measures for the restriction of the liquor traffic in the territories which are or may be subjected to their control throughout the whole of the continent of Africa, with the exception of Algiers, Tunis, Morocco, Libya, Egypt and the Union of South Africa. The provisions applicable to the continent of Africa shall also apply to the islands lying within 100 nautical miles of the coast. ARTICLE 2. The importation, distribution, sale and possession of trade spirits of every kind, and of beverages mixed with these spirits, are prohibited in the area referred to in Article 1. The local Governments concerned will decide respectively which distilled beverages will be regarded in their territories as falling within the category of trade spirits. They will endeavour, as far as possible, to establish a uniform nomenclature and uniform measures against fraud. ARTICLE 3. The importation, distribution, sale and possession are also forbidden of distilled beverages containing essential oils or chemical products which are recognised as injurious to health, such as thujone, star anise, benzoic aldehyde, salicylic esters, hyssop and absinthe. The local Governments concerned will likewise endeavour to establish by common agreement the nomenclature of those beverages whose importation, distribution, sale and possession according to the terms of this provision should be prohibited. ARTICLE 4. An import duty of not less than 800 francs per hectolitre of pure alcohol shall be levied upon all distilled beverages, other than those indicated in Articles 2 and 3, which are imported into the area re ferred to in Article 1, except in so far as the Italian colonies are concerned, where the duty may not be less than 600 francs. The High Contracting Parties will prohibit the importation, distribution, sale and possession of spirituous liquors in those regions of the area referred to in Article 1 where their use has not been developed. The above prohibition can be suspended only in the case of limited quantities destined for the consumption of non-native persons, and imported under the system and conditions determined by each Gov ernment. ARTICLE 5. The manufacture of distilled beverages of every kind is forbidden in the area referred to in Article 1. The importation, distribution, sale and possession of stills and of all apparatus or portions of apparatus suitable for distillation of alcohol and the rectification or redistillation of spirits are forbidden in the same area, subject to the provisions of Article 6. The provisions of the two preceding paragraphs do not apply to the Italian colonies; the manufacture of distilled beverages, other than those specified in Articles 2 and 3, will continue to be permitted therein, on condition that they are subject to an excise duty equal to the import duty established in Article 4. ARTICLE 6. The restrictions on the importation, distribution, sale, possession and manufacture of spirituous beverages do not apply to phare maceutical alcohols required for medical, surgical or pharmaceutical establishments. The importation, distribution, sale and possession are also permitted of: (1) Testing stills, that is to say, the small apparatus in general use for laboratory experiments, which are employed intermittently, are not fitted with rectifying heads, and the capacity of whose retort does not exceed one litre; (2) Apparatus or parts of apparatus required for experiments in scientific institutions; (3) Apparatus or parts of apparatus employed for definite purposes, other than the production of alcohol, by qualified pharmacists and by persons who can show good cause for the possession of such apparatus; (4) Apparatus necessary for the manufacture of alcohol for commercial purposes, and employed by duly authorised persons, such manufacture being subject to the system of control established by the local administrations. The necessary permission in the foregoing cases will be granted by the local administration of the territory in which the stills, apparatus, or portions of apparatus are to be utilised. ARTICLE 7. A Central International Office, placed under the control of the League of Nations, shall be established for the purpose of collecting and preserving documents of all kinds exchanged by the High Con 29479 S. Doc. 348, 67-4- -80 |