ACT No. XVI.

(Translation, as laid before Parliament.)

Regulations for the free Navigation of Rivers.

Articles concerning the Navigation of the Rivers, which, in their Navigable Course, separate or cross different States.

(General Arrangements.)

I. The Powers whose States are separated or traversed by the same navigable river, engage to regulate, by common consent, all that regards its navigation. For this purpose they will name Commissioners, who shall assemble, at latest, within six months after the termination of Congress, and who shall adopt, as the bases of their proceedings, the following principles:

(Principles.—Liberty of Navigation.)

II. The navigation of the rivers, along their whole course, referred to in the preceding Article, from the point where each of them becomes navigable, to its mouth, shall be entirely free, and shall not, in respect to commerce, be prohibited to any one; it being, however, understood, that the regulations established with regard to the police of this navigation shall be respected; as they will be framed alike for all, and as favourable as possible to the commerce of all nations.

(Uniformity of System.)

III. The system that shall be established, both for the collection of the duties and for the maintenance of the police, shall be, as nearly as possible, the same along the whole course of the river; and shall also extend, unless particular circumstances prevent it, to those of its branches and junctions, which, in their navigable course, separate or traverse different states.

(Tarif.)

IV. The duties on navigation shall be regulated in an uniform and settled manner, and with as little reference as possible to the different quality of the merchandise, in order that a minute examination of the cargo may be rendered unnecessary, except with a view to prevent fraud and evasion. The amount of the duties, which shall in no case exceed those now paid, shall be determined

près les circonstances locales, qui ne permettent guères d'établir une règle générale à cet égard. On partira néanmoins, en dressant le tarif, du point de vue d'encourager le commerce en facilitant la navigation, et l'octroi établi sur le Rhin pourra servir d'une norme approximative.

Le tarif une fois réglé, il ne pourra plus être augmenté, que par un arrangement commun des Etats Riverains, ni la navigation grévée d'autres droits quelconques, outre ceux fixés dans le réglement.

(Bureaux de Perception.)

V. Les bureaux de perception, dont on réduira, autant que possible, le nombre, seront fixés par le réglement, et il ne pourra s'y faire ensuite aucun changement que d'un commun accord, à moins qu'un des Etats Riverains ne voulût diminuer le nombre de ceux qui lui appartiennent exclusivement.

(Chemins de Halluge.)

VI. Chaque Etat Riverain se chargera de l'entretien des chemins de hallage, qui passent par son territoire, et des travaux nécessaires pour la même étendue dans le lit de la rivière, pour ne faire éprouver aucun obstacle à la navigation.

Le réglement futur fixera la manière dont les Etats Riverains devront concourir à ces derniers travaux, dans le cas où les deux rives appartiennent à différens Gouvernemens.

(Droit de Relâche.)

VII. On n'établira nulle part des droits d'étape, d'échelle, ou de relâche forcée. Quant à ceux qui existent déjà, ils ne seront conservés qu'en tant que les Etats Riverains, sans avoir égard à l'intérêt local de l'endroit ou du pays où ils sont établis, les trouveroient nécessaires ou utiles à la navigation et au commerce en général.

(Douanes.)

VIII. Les douanes des Etats Riverains n'auront rien de commun avec les droits de navigation. On empêchera, par des dispositions réglementaires, que l'exercice des fonctions des Doua

by local circumstances, which scarcely allow of a general rule in this respect. The tarif shall, however, be prepared in such manner as to encourage commerce by facilitating navigation; for which purpose the duties established upon the Rhine, and now in force on that river, may serve as an approximating rule for its construction.

The tarif once settled, no increase shall take place therein, except by the common consent of the States bordering on the Rivers; nor shall the navigation be burthened with any other duties than those fixed in the regulation.

(Offices for the collection of Duties.)

V. The offices for the collection of duties, the number of which shall be reduced as much as possible, shall be settled in the above regulation; and no change shall afterwards be made but by common consent, unless any of the States bordering on Rivers should wish to diminish the number of those which exclusively belong

thereto.

(Towing Paths.)

VI. Each State bordering on the Rivers shall be at the expense of keeping in good repair the towing paths which pass through its territory, and of maintaining the necessary works through the same extent, in the bed of the river, in order that no obstacle may be experienced in the navigation.

The intended regulation shall determine the manner in which the States bordering on Rivers are to participate in these latter works, where the opposite banks belong to different Govern

ments.

(Harbour Duties.)

VII. There shall no where be established store-house, port or forced harbour duties: those already existing shall be preserved for such time only as the States bordering on the Rivers (without regard to the local interest of the place or the country where they are established) shall find them necessary or useful to navigation and commerce in general.

(Custom-houses.)

VIII. The custom-houses belonging to the States bordering on Rivers shall not interfere in the duties of navigation. Regulations shall be established to prevent officers of the Customs, in the

niers ne mette pas d'entraves à la navigation; mais on surveillera, par une police exacte sur la rive, toute tentative des habitans de faire la contrebande à l'aide des bateliers.

(Réglement.)

IX. Tout ce qui est indiqué dans les Articles précédens sera déterminé par un réglement commun, qui renfermera également tout ce qui auroit besoin d'être fixé ultérieurement. Le réglement une fois arrêté, ne pourra être changé que du consentement de tous les Etats Riverains, et ils auront soin de pourvoir d'une manière convenable, et adaptée aux circonstances et aux localités, son exécution.

(Articles concernant la Navigation du Rhin.)

I. La navigation dans tout le cours du Rhin, du point où il de vient navigable jusqu'à la mer, soit en descendant, soit en remontant, sera entièrement libre, et ne pourra, sous le rapport de commerce, être interdite à personne, en se conformant toutefois aux réglemens qui seront arrêtés pour sa police, d'une manière uniforme pour tous, et aussi favorable que possible au commerce de toutes les nations.

II. Le système qui sera établi, tant pour la perception des droits que pour le maintien de sa police, sera le même pour tout le cours de la rivière, et s'étendra, autant que faire se pourra, aussi sur ceux de ses embranchemens et confluens qui, dans leurs cours navigables, séparent ou traversent différens états.

III. Le tarif des droits à percevoir sur les marchandises transportées par le Rhin, sera réglé de manière que la totalité du droit à payer entre Strasbourg et la frontière du royaume des Pays-Bas, soit en remontant de deux francs, et en descendant d'un franc, et trente-trois centimes par quintal, et que ce même tarif pourra être étendu (en augmentant par là dans la même pro

exercise of their functions, throwing obstacles in the way of the navigation; but care shall be taken, by means of a strict police, on the bank, to preclude every attempt of the inhabitants to smuggle goods, through the medium of boatmen.

(Regulation.)

IX. Every thing expressed in the preceding Articles shall be settled by a general arrangement, in which there shall also be comprised whatever may need any ulterior determination.

The arrangement once settled, shall not be changed, but by and with the consent of all the States bordering on Rivers, and they shall take care to provide for its execution, with due regard to circumstances and locality.

Articles concerning the Navigation of the Rhine.

I. The navigation of the Rhine, along its whole course, from the point where it becomes navigable to the sea, either in ascending or descending, shall be entirely free, and shall not, in respect to commerce, be prohibited to any one: due regard, however, being had to the regulations established with respect to its police, which shall be framed alike for all, and as favourable as possible to the commerce of all nations.

II. The system to be adopted for the collection of the duties, as well as for the maintenance of the police, shall be the same along the whole course of the river, and shall extend, as far as circumstances may permit, to those of its branches and junctions which, in their navigable course, separate or traverse different

states.

III. The tarif of duties to be levied on merchandise conveyed along the Rhine, shall be so regulated that the whole amount of duty to be paid between Strasbourg and the frontier of the kingdom of the Netherlands, shall be, in passing up the river, two francs, and in passing down the river, one franc and thirty-three centimes, per hundred-weight; and that the levying of this tarif