ont été ouvertes, mais n'ont jusqu'à présent, par suite des évènements politiques, abouti à aucun résultat définitif.

J'ai l'honneur de m'adresser à Votre bienveillante entremise en Vous priant de vouloir bien porter ce qui suit à la connaissance du gouvernement royal belge:

A l'expiration du traité sus nommé, la Belgique sera, sous réserve de réciprocité, traitée comme la nation la plus favorisée pour ce qui regarde le commerce et la navigation en Norvège. En ce qui concerne particulièrement les marchandises pour lesquelles la taxe douanière en vertu de l'art. 14 du traité a été fixée pour l'importation en Norvège, je me permets de remarquer qu'elles seront traitées suivant certaines taxes minimales récemment adoptées, destinées à entrer en vigueur le 16 octobre, ou suivant les taxes minimales du tarif douanier en vigueur.

Les dispositions douanières concernant ces marchandises sont contenues dans les nos. 39-1905 et 48-1905 du Bulletin des lois norvégien, dont des exemplaires sont joints à ce pli. Les taxes énumérées dans le numéro dernièrement mentionné du bulletin des lois remplacent les taxes établies pour les marchandises en question dans le numéro antérieur.

En accordant à la Belgique la position sus-mentionnée comme la nation la plus favorisée, il est supposé de la part de la Norvège, ainsi qu'il a été plus haut mentionné, que la Norvège sera en matière de commerce et de navigation traitée comme la nation la plus favorisée en Belgique.

En Vous demandant de vouloir bien me communiquer, aussitôt que faire se pourra, que cette supposition viendra à être remplie par la Belgique, je Vous prie d'agréer etc. J. Løvland.

Monsieur Ch. Delgobe,

Consul général a. i. de Belgique.

Par communication verbale du 18 octobre 1905 le gérant du consulat général de Belgique à Kristiania a donné l'assurance au ministère des affaires étrangères dans la dite ville, que, de leur côté, les produits norvégiens continueront à être traités à l'entrée en Belgique comme produits de la nation la plus favorisée.

Chine.

Traité de paix, d'amitié et de commerce, conclu à Canton, le 20 mars 1847.

Approuvé et accepté par le Roi à Stockholm le 28 octobre 1847. Le traité est conclu en texte anglais et en texte chinois.

Art. I. There shall be a perfect, permanent, universal peace and a sincere and cordial amity between the Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, on the one part, and the Ta Tsing Empire, on the other part, and between their people respectively, without exception of persons or places.

Art. II. Subjects of His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, resorting to China for the purposes of commerce, will pay the duties of import and export prescribed in the Tariff, which is fixed by and made a part of this Treaty. They shall, in no case, be subject to other or higher duties, than are and shall be required of the people of any other nation whatever. Fees and charges of every sort are wholly abolished, and Officers of the revenue, who may be guilty of exaction, shall be punished according to the laws of China. If the Chinese Government desire to modify, in any respect, the said Tariff, such modifications shall be made only in consultation with Consuls or other functionaries thereto duly authorised by His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, and with consent thereof. And if additional advantages or privileges, of whatever description, be conceded hereafter by China to any other nation, Sweden and Norway and citizens thereof shall be entitled thereupon to a complete, equal and impartial participation in the same.

Art. III. The subjects of His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway are permitted to frequent the Five ports of Kwangchow, Amoy, Fuchow, Ningpo and Shanghai, and to reside with their families and trade there, and to proceed

at pleasure with their vessels and merchandize to and from any foreign port and either of the said Five ports, and from either of the said Five ports to any other of them. But said vessels shall not unlawfully enter the other ports of China, nor carry on a clandestine and fraudulent trade along the coasts thereof. And any vessel belonging to a subject of His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, which violates this provision, shall, with her cargo, be subject to confiscation to the Chinese Government.

Art. IV. For the superintendence and regulation of the concerns of Swedes and Norwegians, doing business at the said Five ports, His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway may appoint Consuls, or other Officers, at the same, who shall be duly recognized as such by the Officers of the Chinese Government, and shall hold official intercourse and correspondence with the latter, either personal or in writing, as occasions may require, on terms of equality and reciprocal respect. If disrespectfully treated or aggrieved in any way by the local authorities, said Officers on the one hand shall have the right to make representation of the same to the superior Officers of the Chinese Government, who will see that full inquiry and strict justice be had in the premises : and on the other hand the said Consuls will carefully avoid all acts of unnecessary offence to, and collision with, the Officers and people of China.

Art. V. At each of the said Five ports the subjects of His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, lawfully engaged in commerce, shall be permitted to import, from their own or any other ports, into China and sell there, and purchase therein, and export to their own or any other ports, all manner of merchandize of which the importation or exportation is not prohibited by this Treaty, paying the duties which are prescribed by the Tariff hereinbefore established, and no other charges whatsoever.

Art. VI. Whenever any merchant vessel, belonging to Sweden or Norway, shall enter either of the said Five ports for trade, her papers shall be lodged with the Consul or person charged with affairs, who will report the same to the Commissioner of Customs; and tonnage duty shall be paid on same vessel at the rate of five mace per ton if she be over one hundred and fifty tons burden; and one mace per ton if she be of the burden of one hundred and fifty tons, or under, according to the amount of her tonnage as specified in the register; said payement to be in full of the former charges of measurement and other fees, which are wholly abolished. And if any vessel, which having anchored at one of the said ports and there paid tonnage duty, shall have occasion to go

to any other of the said ports to complete the disposal of her cargo, the Consul, or person charged with affairs, will report the same to the Commissioner of Customs, who on the departure of the said vessel will note in the port clearance that the tonnage duties have been paid, and report the same to the other Customhouses; in which case, on entering another port, the said vessel will only pay duty there on her cargo, but shall not be subject to the payment of tonnage duty a second time.

Art. VII. No tonnage duty shall be required on boats belonging to subjects of His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, employed in the conveyance of passengers, baggage, letters and articles of provision, or others not subject to duty to or from any of the Five ports. All cargo-boats, however, conveying merchandize subject to duty, shall pay the regular tonnage duty of one mace per ton, provided they belong to subjects of His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, but not if hired by them from subjects of China.

Art. VIII. Subjects of His Majesty the King af Sweden and Norway, for their vessels bound in, shall be allowed to engage pilots, who will report said vessels at the passes and take them into port, and when the lawful duties have all been paid, they may engage pilots to leave port. It shall also be lawful for them to hire at pleasure servants, compradores, linguists and writers, and passage- or cargo-boats, and to employ laborers, seamen, and persons for whatever necessary service for a reasonable compensation to be agreed on by the parties, or settled by application to the Consular Officer of their Government, without interference on the part of the local Officers of the Chinese Government.

Art. IX. Whenever merchant vessels, belonging to Sweden or Norway, shall have entered port, the Superintendent of Customs will, if he see fit, appoint Customhouse Officers, to guard said vessels, who may live on board the ship, or their own boats, at their convenience; but provision for the subsistence of said Officers shall be made by the Superintendent of Customs, and they shall not be entitled to any allowance from the vessel or owner thereof; and they shall be subject to suitable punishment for any exaction practised by them in violation of this regulation.

Art. X. Whenever a merchant vessel, belonging to Sweden or Norway, shall cast anchor in either of said ports, the Supercargo, Master or Consignee, will within forty eight hours deposit the ship's-papers in the hands of the Consul, or person charged with affairs of Sweden and Norway, who will cause to be communicated to the Superintendent of Customs a true report of the name and tonnage of such

vessel, the names of her men and of the cargo on board, which being done, the Superintendent will give a permit for the discharge of her cargo. And the Master, Supercargo or Consignee, if he proceed to discharge the cargo without such permit, shall incur a fine of Five Hundred Dollars; and the goods so discharged without permit shall be subject to forfeiture to the Chinese Government. But if the master of any vessel in port desire to discharge a part only of the cargo, it shall be lawful for him to do so, paying duties on such part only, and to proceed with the remainder to any other ports. Or if the master so desire, he may within fourty eight hours after the arrival of the vessel, but not later, decide to depart without breaking bulk; in which case he will not be subject to pay tonnage or other duties or charges, untill on his arrival at another port he shall proceed to discharge cargo, when he will pay the duties on vessel and cargo according to law. And the tonnage duties shall be held to be due after the expiration of said forty eight hours.

Art. XI. The Superintendent of Customs, in order to the collection of the proper duties, will, on application made to him through the Consul, appoint suitable Officers, who shall proceed in the presence of the Captain, Supercargo or Consignee, to make a just and fair examination of all goods in the act of being discharged for importation, or laden for exportation on board any merchant vessel of Sweden or Norway; and if dispute occur in regard to the value of goods, subject to an ad valorem duty, or in regard to the amount of tare, and the same cannot be satisfactorily arranged by the parties, the question may within twenty four hours, and not afterwards, be referred to the said Consul, to adjust with the Superintendent of Customs.

Art. XII. Sets of standard, balances, and also weights and measures, duly prepared, stamped and sealed, according to the standard of the Customhouse of Canton, shall be delivered by the Superintendent of Customs to the Consuls at each of the Five ports, to secure uniformity and prevent confusion in measures and weights of merchandize.

Art. XIII. The tonnage duty on vessels, belonging to subjects of His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, shall be paid on their being admitted to entry. Duties of import shall be paid on the discharge of the goods, and duties of export on the lading of the same. When all such duties shall have been paid, and not before, the Superintendent of Customs shall give a port clearance, and the Consul shall return the ship's-papers, so that she may depart on her voyage. The duties shall be paid to the Shroffs, authorized by the Chinese Government to receive the same in its be