4

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

HER Majesty the Queen of the United
Kindgom of Great Britain and Ireland, and
His Majesty the King of the Belgians, being
equally animated by the desire to facilitate
and extend the relations of commerce and
navigation between their respective dominions;
and being desirous, with a view to so beneficial
an object, to remove the obstacles which im-
pede the commercial relations between the two
countries, have resolved to conclude a Treaty
for that purpose, and have named as their
Plenipotentiaries, that is is say:

Her Majesty the Queen of the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right
Honorable John Earl Russell, Viscount Amber-
ley, of Amberley and Ardsalla, a Peer of the
United Kindgom, Knight of the Most Noble
Order of the Garter, a member of Her Britannic
Majesty's Most Honorable Privy Council, Her
Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs; and the Right
Honourable Thomas Milner Gibson, a Mem-
ber of Her Britannic Majesty's Most Honour-
able Privy Council, a Member of Parliament
and President of the Committee of Privy
Council for affairs of Trade and Foreign Plan-
tations;

And His Majesty the King of the Belgians,
the Sieur Sylvain Van de Weyer, His Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to
Her Britannic Majesty, Grand Cross of the
Order of Leopold, decorated with the Iron
Cross, Grand Cross of the Order of Charles
III of Spain, of the Order of the Ernestine
Branch of Saxony, of the Tower and Sword,
of St. Maurice and St Lazarus Commander of
the Legion of Honour, &c.;

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.

There shall be reciprocal liberty of Com-
merce between all the dominions and possess-
sions of the two High Contracting Parties;
and the subjects of each of them shall, through-
out the whole extent of the territories and
possessions of the other, enjoy the same rights
priviliges, liberties, favours, immunities, and
exemptions, in matters of commerce and navi-
gation, which are or may be enjoyed by native
subjects.

ARTICLE II.

The subjects of one of the two High Con-
tracting Parties residing in the dominions of
the other, shall have the same liberty as native
subjects to manage their own affairs themselves,
or to commit them to the management of any
other persons, as brokers, factors, agents, or
interpreters. They shall not be restrained in
their choice, and shall not be obliged to pay
any salary or remuneration to any person whom
shall not choose to employ in those capacities;
buyers and sellers being at perfect liberty to
bargain together, and to fix the price of any
goods or merchandize imported or destined for
exportation, on condition of observing the regu-
lations and the Customs laws of the country.

ARTICLE III.

In all that relates to navigation and com-
merce, the High Contracting Parties shall not
grant any privilege, favour, or immunity to any
other country, which shall not be also and im-
mediately extended to their respective subjects.

ARTICLE IV.

All vessels which according to the laws of
Great Britain are to be deemed British vessels,
and all vessels which according to the laws of
Belgium are to be deemed Belgian vessels, are
declared to be British and Belgian vessels res-
pectively.

ARTICLE V.

No duties of tonnage, harbour, light-house,
pilotage, quarantine, or other similar or cor-
responding duties, of whatever nature or under
whatever denomination, levied for the profit or
in the name of the Government, public func-
tionaries, communes, corporations or establish-
ments of whatever kind, shall be imposed in the
ports of either country, upon the vessels of the
other country from whatever port or place
arriving, which shall not be equally imposed in
the like cases on national vessels.

ARTICLE VI.

In all that regards the stationing, the load-
ing, and unloading of vessels in the ports,
basins, docks, roadsteads, harbours, or rivers of
the two countries, no privilege shall be granted
to national vessels, which shall not be equally
granted to vessels of the other country; the
intention of the High Contracting Parties
being, that in this respect also the res-
pective vessels shall be treated on the footing
of perfect equality.

ARTICLE VII.

British vessels entering a port of Belgium,
and, reciprocally, Belgian vessels entering a
port of Great Britain or of the British Posses-
sions, and desiring to discharge only a part of
their cargo, may, subject to compliance with
the laws and regulations of the respective
countries, retain on board that part of the
cargo which is destined for another port,
whether in the same country or in any other
country, and may re-export the same, without
being compelled to pay, upon such retained
part of their cargo, any duty of Customs save
those for watching, which, of course, shall be
levied only at the rate fixed for national
vessels.

ARTICLE VIII.

Goods of every kind which are or may be
legally importable into the ports of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, its
Colonies, and Possessions, in British vessels,
may likewise be imported into such ports in
Belgian vessels, without being liable to other
or higher duties, of whatever denomination,
than if such goods were imported in national
vessels.

Reciprocally, goods of every kind which are
or may be legally importable into the ports of
Belgium in Belgian vessels, may likewise be
imported into such ports in British vessels,