to India, or from India to Germany, may send those letters either paid to destination or unpaid. Registered letters and other registered articles of correspondence, newspapers, articles of the book post, and patterns of merchandize must always be paid to destination.

IV. The postage of a single letter exchanged between Germany and India shall be (1), for a paid letter from Germany 6 groschen, and for a paid letter from India 5 annas 6 pies; (2), for an unpaid letter to Germany 8 groschen, and for an unpaid letter to India 7 annas 6 pies. Letters shall, if the postage is received in Germany, be regarded as single, the weight of which does not exceed 15 grammes. For letters exceeding the weight of 15 grammes an additional single rate shall be charged for each 15 grammes or fraction thereof. If, however, the postage is received in India letters shall be regarded as single the weight of which does not exceed half-an-ounce. For letters exceeding the weight of half-anounce an additional single rate shall be charged for each half-ounce or fraction thereof. Post-cards shall be regarded as equivalent to single paid letters.

V. The postage as well upon newspapers as upon articles of the book-post, especially upon periodical works, pamphlets, books, music, catalogues, prospectuses, announcements, and advertisements of different kinds, whether printed, engraved, or lithographed, also upon engravings, lithographs, photographs, and upon all printed or written papers, if not bearing the character of a letter or personal correspondence, unless such letter or personal correspondence be wholly printed, exchanged between Germany and India shall be, if sent from Germany, 1 groschen for each 50 grammes or fraction thereof; if sent from India 1 anna 6 pies for 2 ounces, 3 annas for 4 ounces, and a like rate, viz., 3 annas extra for every additional 4 ounces or fraction thereof. The reduced postage fixed in this Article shall only be applied to the objects before mentioned if they answer to the conditions about their conveyance and mode of packing prescribed by the Laws or Ordinances of the country whence they originated. Such of the objects above mentioned which do not answer to the requisite conditions, or are not paid to destination, may be either detained or treated as letters and taxed accordingly. The weight of a packet of newspapers or other printed papers shall not exceed 2 kilogrammes. The provisions of this Article shall limit in no way the right of the two Offices to prevent within their territories the conveyance or delivery of those objects pointed out in the present Article in respect of which the conditions of publication and circulation might not be in accordance with the Laws and Ordinances as well in Germany as in India. ·

VI. The postage upon patterns of merchandize exchanged between the two countries shall be-if sent from Germany 14 groschen

for each 50 grammes or fraction thereof; if sent from India 1 anna 8 pies for 2 ounces, 3 annas 4 pies for 4 ounces, and a like rate, viz., 3 annas 4 pies extra for every additional 4 ounces or fraction thereof. The reduced postage fixed in this Article shall only be applied to patterns of merchandize in case they are laid under wrapper or packed in such other manner that their contents may be inspected without difficulty. They must have no mercantile value. and bear no other written communication but the name and address of the receiver, the name and address of the sender, the manufacturer's or trade mark, the numbers and prices. Patterns of merchandize not answering to the conditions above mentioned, or not paid to destination, may be either detained or treated as letters and taxed accordingly. The weight of a packet of patterns of merchandize shall not exceed 250 grammes.

VII. Correspondence of every kind forwarded from one country to the other may be paid by means of the postage stamps in use in the country whence it originated. The objects of correspondence insufficiently paid by means of postage stamps shall be taxed as unpaid letters, after deducting, however, the value of the stamps affixed by the sender. In computing the supplementary postage to be raised from the receiver, whenever a fraction of a half-groschen or 6 pies occurs there shall be levied by the German Post Office a halfgroschen for the fraction of a half-groschen, and by the Indian Post Office 6 pies for the fraction of 6 pies.

VIII. The objects of correspondence of every kind mutually exchanged between the inhabitants of Germany and the inhabitants of India may be sent under registration. For the registered article shall be levied, besides the postage fixed in the preceding Articles IV, V, and VI, the registration fees raised in the country whence they originated.

IX. The German Post Office shall pay to the Indian Post Office as inland postage:-For prepaid letters from Germany 4d. for 30 grammes net weight; for newspapers, articles of the book-post, and patterns of merchandize from Germany, 1s. 8d. per kilogramme net weight; for unpaid and insufficiently prepaid letters, from India 8d. per 30 grammes net weight. The Post Office of India shall pay to the Post Office of Germany as inland postage:-For paid letters from India 4d. per 30 grammes net weight; for newspapers, articles of the book-post, and patterns of merchandize from India, 1s. 8d. per kilogramme net weight; for unpaid and insufficiently prepaid letters from Germany, 8d. per 30 grammes net weight. Moreover, the German Post Office shall pay to the Post Office of India the value of the stamps affixed to insufficiently prepaid letters from Germany, and the Post Office of India to the German Post Office the value of the stamps affixed to insufficiently prepaid letters from India. The

Contracting Parties explicitly stipulate that no tax or fee whatever si all be charged under any pretext or title upon the delivery at the original destination of the objects mentioned in the preceding Articles if they are duly paid.

X. The exchange of correspondence between India and the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg undertaken by the German Post Office shall be effected according to the regulations fixed in the preceding Articles for the postal communications between India and Germany. The German Post Office shall undertake the settlement of the accounts of the postage for the transmission of the mails in that territory.

XI. The German Post Office and the Indian Post Office may mutually deliver to each other in open mails correspondence of every kind to and from those countries for which they serve as the route. The two Post Offices reserve to themselves the right of fixing by mutual agreement the conditions of such exchange.

XII. There shall take place no other transmission, free of postage, except in respect of correspondence on the service of the Post Office.

XIII. The account concerning the exchange of the correspondence shall be prepared monthly by each of the two Departments for the mails received from the other Office. These accounts shall be embodied in a general account quarterly by the German Post Office. The payment of the balance of this quarterly account shall be effected by bills of exchange on Berlin, if the balance be in favour of the German Post Office; and by bills of exchange on London, if the balance be in favour of the Indian Post Office. If by experience another method of payment should be found more suitable, the two Post Offices may adopt it by mutual agreement.

XIV. The German Post Office and the Indian Post Office shall fix by mutual agreement the forms of the accounts mentioned in the preceding Article XIII, as well as all further particulars necessary to secure the execution of the present Convention,

XV. In the event of any future change in the amount of the rates charged for territorial and sea transit, on which the rates of postage herein provided have been calculated, it shall be open to the two Post Offices, by mutual arrangement, to make a corresponding change in the postage rates.

XVI. The two Departments may mutually arrange for the introduction of a parcel post between Germany and India.

XVII. The present arrangement shall be brought into operation as soon as possible, and at latest on the 1st of January, 1875, and shall continue in force until one year from the date when one of the two Post Offices shall have announced to the other its intention to terminate it.

XVIII. The present arrangement shall be executed after having been submitted for sanction to the Office of the Chancellor of the German Empire and to the Government of India.

Done in duplicate in Berlin, the 9th day of May, 1874.

A. M. MONTEATH

H. STEPHAN.

VENEZUELAN DECREE of the Blockade of the Coasts of State Falcon, from the Mouth of the River Tocuyo to that of the River Oribono.-Caracas, October 31, 1874.

(Translation.)

ANTONIO GUZMAN BLANCO, President of the United States of Venezuela, &c.

In use of the faculties with which I am invested, and considering that in the State Falcon an armed rising has taken place against the political institutions of the nation and against the General Government,

I decree :

ART. 1. The coasts of the State Falcon from the mouth of the River Tocuyo to that of the River Oribono are declared closed and in a state of blockade.

2. To make this blockade effective, the necessary naval force is appointed.

3. The vessels of war of friendly and neutral nations can enter, depart, and remain in the port of La Vela de Covo, on the understanding that they lend no assistance in any manner to the enemies of the Republic.

4. The commanders of the blockading vessels will act in conformity with the Ordinance of Letters of Marque of the 30th March, 1822, and with the following dispositions :

(1.) Vessels sailing from Europe having left their ports within two months, counting from the date of the present Decree; those sailing from the United States of North America within one month, counting from the same date; those sailing from the Antilles, excepting Curaçoa, and Trinidad, within 15 days from the mentioned date; and those leaving Curaçoa, Trinidad, and Demerara after the day on which this blockade is notified to their respective authorities, upon entering the waters of the blockaded coast, will be notified by the commander of the nearest blockading vessel of war that they cannot pass the line of blockade; and only in case of insisting in their design of continuing in said waters are they to be considered in the case of violating the blockade.

(2.) The vessels to which the preceding resolution refers will be

informed at the moment of the first notification of their right to enter and discharge in any of the other ports of the Republic not occupied by the insurgents.

(3.) The terms which are fixed having transpired, any ship which may enter into the waters of the blockaded coast will be held to be notified, and will be sent with the proper guard to Puerto Cabello, in order to be judged by the Marine Tribunal of the said arsenal.

5. The Minister of State in the Offices of War and Marine is charged with the execution of this Decree and with communicating it to whom it may concern.

Given, signed by my hand, and countersigned by the Minister of State in the Offices of War and Marine, in the Federal Palace of Caracas, the 31st of October, 1874, 11th year of the Constitution and 16th of the Federation.

M. GIL, Minister of War and Marine.

GUZMAN BLANCO.

VENEZUELAN DECREE raising the Blockade of the Coasts of State Falcon.-Caracas, March 17, 1875.

(Translation.)

ANTONIO GUZMAN BLANCO, President of the Republic, &c.
Considering:

That with the complete pacification of the territory of the Republic the motives which obliged the National Executive to declare in a state of blockade the coasts of the State Falcon from the mouth of the River Tocuyo to that of the River Oribono have ceased,

I decree :

ART. 1. The blockade of the coasts of the State Falcon is raised, the Decree of the 31st of October of the year just passed,* which established it, being annulled.

2. The Minister of War and Marine will communicate this Decree to whom it may concern.

Given, signed by my hand, sealed with the seal of the Republic, and countersigned by the Minister of War and Marine, in the Federal Palace of Caracas, on the 17th of March, 1875, 11th year of the Constitution and 17th of the Federation.

M. GIL, Minister of War and Marine.

GUZMAN BLANCO.

* Page 1033.