In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington, this nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty[L. S.] seven, and of the independence of the United States of America the eighty-first. By the President: JAMES BUCHANAN. LEWIS CASS, Secretary of State. BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: A PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS a convention between the United States of America and his Majesty the King of Denmark, for the discontinuance of the Sound dues, was concluded and signed by their respective plenipotentiaries at Washington, on the eleventh day of April last, which convention is word for word as follows: The United States of America and his Majesty the King of Denmark, being desirous to terminate amicably the differences which have arisen between them in regard to the tolls levied by Denmark on American vessels and their cargoes passing through the Sound and Belts, and commonly called the Sound dues, have resolved to conclude a convention for that purpose, and have named as their plenipotentiaries, that is to say, the President of the United States, Lewis Cass, Secretary of State of the United States, and his Majesty the King of Denmark, Torben Bille, Esquire, Knight of the Dannebrog, and decorated with the Cross of Honor of the same order, his said Majesty's chargé d'affaires near the government of the United States, who, after having communicated to each other their full powers in due form, have agreed to and signed the following articles: ་. April 11, 1857. Negotiators. Belts to be free ARTICLE I. His Majesty the King of Denmark declares entire freedom Navigation of of the navigation of the Sound and the Belts in favor of American vessels the Sound and and their cargoes, from and forever after the day when this convention to American vesshall go into effect as hereinafter provided. And it is hereby agreed that sels. American vessels and their cargoes, after that day, shall not be subject to any charges whatever in passing the Sound or the Belts, or to any detention in the said waters, and both governments will concur, if occasion should require it, in taking measures to prevent abuse of the free flag of the United States by the shipping of other nations which shall not have secured the same freedom and exemption from charges enjoyed by that of the United States. Passages of Sound and Belts ARTICLE II. His Danish Majesty further engages that the passages of the Sound and Belts shall continue to be lighted and buoyed as heretofore to be lighted and without any charge upon American vessels or their cargoes on passing the buoyed as hereSound and the Belts, and that the present establishments of Danish pilots tofore, &c. without charge to in these waters shall continue to be maintained by Denmark. His Danish American vesMajesty agrees to make such additions and improvements in regard to the sels. lights, buoys, and pilot establishments in these waters as circumstances and the increasing trade of the Baltic may require. He further engages that no charge shall be made, in consequence of such additions and improvements, on American ships and their cargoes passing through the Sound and the Belts. It is understood, however, to be optional for the masters of American Masters of vessels either to employ, in the said waters, Danish pilots, at reasonable American vessels may employ rates fixed by the Danish government, or to navigate their vessels without Danish pilots, or such assistance. otherwise. ARTICLE III. In consideration of the foregoing agreements and stipula- United States tion on the part of Denmark, whereby the free and unincumbered navi- to pay to Dengation of American vessels through the Sound and the Belts is forever mark $393,011. 1858, ch. 8. Ante, p. 261. Citizens of the enjoy all further secured, the United States agree to pay to the government of Denmark, once for all, the sum of seven hundred and seventeen thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine rix dollars, or its equivalent, three hundred and ninety-three thousand and eleven dollars in United States currency, at London, on the day when the said convention shall go into full effect, as herein afterwards provided. ARTICLE IV. It is further agreed that any other or further privileges, United States to rights, or advantages which may have been, or may be, granted by Denprivileges grant- mark to the commerce and navigation of any other nation at the Sound ed by Denmark and Belts, or on her coasts and in her harbors, with reference to the transit by land through Danish territory of merchandise belonging to the citizens or subjects of such nation, shall also be fully extended to, and enjoyed by,' the citizens of the United States, and by their vessels and property in that quarter. to commerce of any nation. Convention of except 5th arti force. Vol. viii. p. 340. ARTICLE V. The general convention of friendship, commerce, and naviApril 26, 1826, gation, concluded between the United States and his Majesty the King cle, to be again in of Denmark, on the twenty-sixth of April, 1826, and which was abrogated on the fifteenth of April, 1856, and the provisions contained in each and all of its articles, the fifth article alone excepted, shall, after the ratification of this present convention, again become binding upon the United States and Denmark; it being, however, understood, that a year's notice shall suffice for the abrogation of the stipulations of the said convention hereby renewed. When convention to take effect. 1858, ch. 8. Ante, p. 261. Ratification. Signatures. Exchange of ratifications. ARTICLE VI. The present convention shall take effect as soon as the laws to carry it into operation shall be passed by the governments of the contracting parties, and the sum stipulated to be paid by the United States shall be received by, or tendered to, Denmark; and for the fulfilment of these purposes, a period not exceeding twelve months from the signing of this convention shall be allowed. But if, in the interval, an earlier day shall be fixed upon and carried into effect for a free navigation through the Sound and Belts in favor of any other power or powers, the same shall simultaneously be extended to the vessels of the United States and their cargoes, in anticipation of the payment of the sum stipulated in Article III.; it being understood, however, that in that event the government of the United States shall also pay to that of Denmark four per cent. interest on the said sum, from the day the said immunity shall have gone into operation until the principal shall have been paid as aforesaid. ARTICLE VII. The present convention shall be duly ratified, and the exchange of ratifications shall take place in Washington within ten months from the date hereof, or sooner if practicable. In faith whereof, the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the present convention, in duplicate, and have thereunto affixed their seals. Done at Washington, this eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-first. LEWIS CASS. [L. S.] And whereas the said convention has been duly ratified on both parts, and the respective ratifications of the same were exchanged in the city of Washington on the twelfth instant, by Lewis Cass, Secretary of State of the United States, and W. de Raasloff, his Danish Majesty's chargé d'affaires and consul-general in the United States, on the part of their respective governments: Now, therefore, be it known, that I, JAMES BUCHANAN, President of the United States of America, have caused the said convention to be made public, to the end that the same, and every clause and article thereof, may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and the citizens thereof. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done in the city of Washington, this thirteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and [L. S.] fifty-eight, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-second. By the President: LEWIS CASS, Secretary of State. JAMES BUCHANAN. VOL. XI. TREAT.-94 |