Vessels, of all kinds of merchandize, (being productions the growth and manufacture of the United Kingdom, or of any Country under the British Dominion) with the exception of such as are prohibited to be imported into the said Colonies, or are permitted to be imported only from Countries under the Dominion of France. And whereas all goods, the produce of any Foreign Country, may now be imported into the Colonies of the United Kingdom, in the Ships of that Country, with the exception of a limited List of specified Articles, which can only be imported into the said Colonies in British Ships, His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom reserves to Himself the power of adding to the said List of excepted Articles any other, the produce of the French Dominions, the addition whereof may appear to His Majesty to be necessary for placing the Commerce and Navigation to be permitted to the Subjects of each of the High Contracting Parties with the Colonies of the other upon a footing of fair reciprocity.

ARTICLE II.

Exports from Colonies in Vessels of either Country. -Bounties, Drawbacks, &c. - National Treatment.

From and after the same period, French Vessels shall be allowed to export from all the Colonies of the United Kingdom (except those possessed by the East India Company) all kinds of merchandize, which are not prohibited to be exported from such Colonies in Vessels other than those of Great Britain; and the said Vessels, as well as the merchandize exported in the same, shall not be subject to other or higher duties than those to which British Vessels may be subject, on exporting the said merchandize, or which are imposed upon the merchandize itself; and they shall be entitled to the same bounties, drawbacks, and other allowances of the same nature, to which British Vessels would be entitled, on such exportation.

The same facilities and privileges shall be granted, reciprocally, in all the Colonies of France, for the exportation, in British Vessels, of all kinds of merchandize, which are not prohibited to be exported from such Colonies in Vessels other than those of France.

These two Additional Articles shall have the same force and validity as if they were inserted, word for word, in the Convention signed this day. They shall be ratified, and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at the same time.

In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the Seals of their Arms.

Done at London, the twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-six.

CONVENTION BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE RELATIVE TO JOINT STOCK COMPANIES.

Signed at Paris, April 30, 1862.*

[Ratifications exchanged at Paris, May 15, 1862.]

HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the Emperor of the French, having judged it expedient to come to an understanding in order to define, within their respective dominions and possessions, the position of commercial, industrial, and financial companies and associations constituted and authorized in conformity with the laws in force in either of the two countries, have resolved to conclude a Convention for that purpose, and have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Henry Richard Charles Earl Cowley, Her Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Emperor of the French;

And His Majesty the Emperor of the French, M. Edouard Antoine Thouvenel, Senator, His Minister and Secretary of State for the Department for Foreign Affairs;

Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles:

ARTICLE I.

Companies to have access to Tribunals.

The High Contracting Parties declare that they mutually grant to all Companies and other Associations, commercial, industrial, or financial, constituted and authorized in conformity with the laws in force in either of the two countries, the power of exercising all their rights, and of appearing before the Tribunals, whether for the purpose of bringing an action, or for defending the same, throughout the dominions and possessions of the other Power, subject to the sole condition of conforming to the laws of such dominions and possessions.

ARTICLE II.

Application of Convention to Companies, &c., constituted
previously to its Signature.

It is agreed that the stipulations of the preceding Article shall apply as well to Companies and Associations constituted and authorized previously to the signature of the present Convention, as to those which may subsequently be so constituted and authorized.

ARTICLE III.

Duration of Convention.

The present Convention is concluded without limit as to duration. Either of the High Powers shall, however, be at liberty to terminate it by giving to the other a year's previous notice. The two High Powers, moreover, reserve to themselves the power to introduce into the Convention, by common consent, any modifications which experience may show to be desirable.

ARTICLE IV.
Ratifications.

The present Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Paris in fifteen days, or sooner if possible.

In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the seals of their

arms.

Done in duplicate at Paris, the 30th of April, 1862.

(L.S.) COWLEY.
(L.S.)

THOUVENEL,

[536]

Y

No. 61.

CONVENTION BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE TO REGULATE THE COMMERCIAL AND MARITIME RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.

Signed at Paris, February 28, 1882.*

[Ratifications exchanged at Paris, May 12, 1882.]

HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the President of the French Republic, being equally animated with the desire of maintaining the ties of friendship which unite the two countries, and considering that the Treaties prolonged by the Declaration of the 4th of this month are to come to an end on the 1st March next, have determined to conclude a Convention to regulate the commercial and maritime relations of the two countries, as well as the status of their subjects, and they have, accordingly, appointed their respective Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Richard Bickerton Pemell Viscount Lyons, a Peer of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, one of Her Britannic Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and Her said Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Government of the French Republic;

And the President of the French Republic, M. Louis Charles de Saulces de Freycinet, Senator, President of the Council, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour; M. Pierre Tirard, Deputy, Minister of Commerce; and M. Maurice Rouvier, Deputy, formerly Minister of Commerce and of the Colonies;

Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles :

ARTICLE I.

Imports. Customs Tariff. - Most-favoured-nation Treatment.

The Customs Tariff for goods the produce or manufacture of the United Kingdom on their importation into France and Algeria, and for goods the produce or manufacture of France or Algeria on their importation into the United Kingdom being from henceforth regulated by the internal legislation of each of the two States, the High Contracting Parties guarantee to each other reciprocally in the United Kingdom and in France and Algeria in all other matters the treatment of the mostfavoured-nation.

Commerce and Industry. -Most-favoured-nation Treatment.

It is therefore understood that, with the exception above stated, each of the High Contracting Parties engages to give the other immediately and unconditionally the benefit of every favour, immunity or privilege in matters of commerce or industry which have been or may be conceded by one of the High Contracting Parties to any third nation whatsoever, whether within or beyond Europe.

1

Transit, Warehousing, Exportation, Re-exportation, Local Dues, Brokerage, Customs Formalities, Trade, Residence, Professions, Taxes, &c., Legal Rights, Acquisition and Disposal of Property. Most-favoured-nation Treatment.

It is likewise understood that in all that relates to transit, warehousing, exportation, re-exportation, local dues, brokerage, Customs formalities, samples, and likewise in all matters relating to the exercise of commerce and industry, and in respect to residence, whether temporary or permanent, the exercise of any calling or profession, the payment of taxes or other impositions, and the enjoyment of all legal rights and' privileges, including the acquiring, holding, and power of disposing of property, British subjects in France or in Algeria, and French in the United Kingdom, shall enjoy the treatment of the most favoured nation.

ARTICLE II.

Transit: Exemption from Duties. - Most-favoured-nation Treatment.-Prohibitions: Munitions of War, Spurious Imitations.— Sanitary Precautions, &c.

The transit of goods of all kinds to and from the United Kingdom shall be free from all transit duties in France and Algeria, and the transit of goods to and from France and Algeria shall be free from all transit duties in the United Kingdom.

The two Governments reserve the faculty of excluding from transit arms and munitions of war, and spurious imitations.

* By a French law promulgated on the 27th February, 1882, it was declared that from that date goods of English origin or manufacture should be liable on their entry into France to the same treatment as those of the most favoured nations, with the exception of Colonial produce, which, it was declared, would remain subject to the General Customs Tariff. Parliamentary Paper, "Commercial No. 9 (1882)," p. 286,

[536]

Y 2