City of Hamburgh, each separately, Johannes Röhl, Consul for Hamburgh at La Guayra, who, after having communicated to each other their full powers, which were found to be in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles:

ART. I. There shall be perfect and perpetual peace, sincere and unalterable friendship between the Republic of Venezuela and the Hanseatic Republics, and between their citizens and people.

II. There shall also be reciprocal freedom of commerce and navigation between the Republic of Venezuela and the Hanseatic Republics; therefore the citizens of any one of them may freely and securely go with their vessels and cargoes to all those places, ports, and rivers in the territories and dominions of the others to which other foreigners are allowed, or may be allowed to go; to enter, remain, and reside therein, hire and occupy houses and warehouses for the purposes of their commerce, subject, however, to the laws and statutes of the countries respectively.

III. The citizens of the Contracting Republics residing in or passing through the territories of each other, shall enjoy for their persons and property, and in the exercise of their occupation and their religion, the same protection, the same securities, and the same rights and privileges as are conceded, or may hereafter be conceded, to the citizens or subjects of the most favoured nation; they shall have free and easy access to the courts of justice to assert and defend their rights and interests, under the same conditions as are imposed upon the natives of the Republic in which they reside; they cannot be compelled to serve in the regular Army nor in the Navy, nor to contribute to forced loans, nor to pay other or higher. taxes of any kind or denomination than those which are paid, or may hereafter be paid, by the citizens of the country where they may be. Neither can the vessels, crews, merchandize, and effects belonging to them be embargoed or detained for any military expedition or public uses, without a sufficient indemnification to those interested.

IV. If property belonging to the citizens of Venezuela, situated in the territory of the Free and Hanseatic Cities of Lubeck, Bremen, and Hamburgh, or the property of a citizen of the Free and Hanseatic cities of Lubeck, Bremen, and Hamburgh, situated in the territory of Venezuela, should be taken away or depreciated by the lawful authorities of the respective nations, on reclamation and proof by those interested before the Supreme National Government, with the legal formalities showing the deprivation or depreciation sustained, a just indemnification shall be granted to the owner of the property taken away or depreciated; but in all other cases wherein, by reason of the disturbance of public order, the citizens of the Republic of Venezuela may suffer damage or prejudice to their interests or property in the territory of the Free and

Hanseatic Cities of Lubeck, Bremen, and Hamburgh, or the citizens of those Republics to their interests or property in the territory of the Republic of Venezuela, they may claim from those who are liable every kind of indemnity, subject to the ordinary laws in force in the countries where the injuries have occurred, and in the cases prescribed by them.

V. It has also been agreed that the citizens of each of the Contracting Parties may dispose of their personal property within the limits of the jurisdiction of the other, by sale, donation, will, or in any other manner, and their heirs, if they should be citizens of the other party, shall succeed to the said personal property, whether by will or ab intestato, and may take possession thereof either personally or through others that act for them, and may dispose thereof according to their pleasure, paying only the same charges as the inhabitants of the country wherein the property is, would have to pay under the like circumstances. And if in the case of landed property, the heirs should be prevented from taking possession of the inheritance by reason of their being foreigners, the term of 3 years shall be given to them to dispose of it as they may think proper, and to withdraw the proceeds without interference, and exempt from any right to deduction on the part of the Governments of the respective States.

VI. In everything relating to the police of the ports, loading, and unloading the vessels, security of the merchandize, property, and effects, the citizens of the Contracting Parties shall be subject to the local laws and regulations, and they shall also enjoy the same rights and privileges as the inhabitants of the country in which they reside.

VII. All Venezuelan and Hanseatic vessels recognized as such in the countries to which they respectively belong, according to the laws and regulations now in force, or which may be hereafter promulgated, shall be reciprocally considered as such by the Contracting Parties; it is understood, however, that every vessel must be provided with a sea letter, or passport, issued by the competent authority.

VIII. Venezuelan vessels arriving at the ports of the Hanseatic Republics, and reciprocally Hanseatic vessels arriving at those of the Republic of Venezuela, shall be treated and considered at their entry, during their stay, and at their departure, the same as the national vessels coming from the same place, in regard to the collection of tonnage, anchorage, pilotage, lighthouse, and any other port or municipal dues, or fees to public servants, and also in regard to salvage dues in case of shipwreck or damage.

IX. All merchandize and commercial goods, without distinction as to their origin, the importation whereof is allowed in the ports of [1861-62. LII.]

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the Republic of Venezuela, in Venezuelan vessels coming from any foreign country, may also be imported in Hanseatic vessels, without paying other or higher duties of any kind or denomination than those which are paid, or may hereafter be paid, on the same merchandize and commercial goods imported in Venezuelan vessels; and reciprocally all merchandize and commercial goods, without distinction as to their origin, the importation whereof is allowed in the ports of the Hanseatic Republics, in Hanseatic vessels, coming from any foreign country, may also be imported in Venezuelan vessels without paying other or higher duties of any kind or denomination than those which are paid, or may hereafter be paid, on the same merchandize and commercial goods imported in Hanseatic vessels. The stipulations of this Article do not invalidate or annul the laws in force in any of the Contracting Republics respecting the coasting traffic for the trade in foreign goods despatched for consumption, and the transport of native productions from port to port; but it is also agreed that the citizens of the Contracting Parties shall enjoy in this particular all the rights already granted, or that may be granted hereafter to the most favoured nation.

X. All merchandize and commercial goods, the exportation or or re-exportation whereof is permitted from the ports of the Republic of Venezuela, in Venezuelan vessels, may also be exported, or re-exported in Hanseatic vessels, without paying other or higher duties of any kind or denomination, than those which are paid, or may hereafter be paid, on the same merchandize and contmercial goods exported or re-exported in Venezuelan vessels; and reciprocally, all merchandize and commercial goods the exportation or reexportation whereof is permitted from the ports of the Hanseatic Republics in Hanseatic vessels, may also be exported or re-exported in Venezuelan vessels, without paying other or higher duties of any kind or denomination than those which are paid, or may hereafter be paid, on the same merchandize and commercial goods, exported or re-exported in Hanseatic vessels. And the same premiums, discounts, duties, or bounties shall be granted whether the exportation or re-exportation from either country take place in Venezuelan or in Hanseatic vessels.

XI. No other or higher duties of any kind or denomination shall be paid in the territories of the Republic of Venezuela, or in those of the Hanseatic Republics, on the importation or on the reexportation of any articles of the natural produce or manufacture of either country, than those which are paid, or may hereafter be paid, on similar articles of the natural produce or manufacture of any other nation.

It is, moreover, stipulated that for the effects of this Article, the manufactured produce of any country bordering on the Republic

of Venezuela, is also to be considered and reputed as Venezuelan, when it is exported from the Venezuelan ports; and that the natural and manufactured produce of all the states of the German Confederation, is also to be considered and reputed as Hanseatic, when exported from Hanseatic ports; and it is also agreed that in these cases the Venezuelan and Hanseatic vessels shall be equally favoured by both the Contracting Parties.

XII. No other or higher duties of any kind or denomination shall be paid either in the Republic of Venezuela or in the Hanseatic Republics, on the exportation of articles from one of them to the other, than those which are paid, or may hereafter be paid, on the exportation of such articles to any foreign country; nor shall the importation, exportation, or re-exportation of any article of the natural produce or manufacture of the respective countries, be prohibited in any of the Contracting Republics, unless the prohibition be extended to the commerce of all nations.

XIII. The Republic of Venezuela and the Hanseatic Republics reciprocally bind themselves not to grant particular favours to other nations in regard to commerce and navigation, which shall not be immediately common to both parties, and they shall enjoy them freely if the concession should have been made freely, or on giving the same compensation, if the concession should have been conditional.

XIV. Whenever the citizens of either of the Contracting Parties may be under the necessity of seeking refuge or asylum in the rivers, bays, ports, or dominions of the other, with their vessels, on account of bad weather, pursuit of pirates or enemies, they shall be received and treated with humanity; all requisite favour and protection being afforded to them for the reparation of the damages they may have suffered for procuring provisions, and for enabling them to continue their voyage, without obstacle or impediment of any kind. In all the territories and dominions of each of the Contracting Parties, leave shall be granted to the vessels of the other whose crews may have been diminished by sickness or any other cause, to recruit such seamen as may be necessary to enable them to continue their voyage, provided that the local regulations be observed, and that the recruitment be voluntary.

XV. Whenever any vessel belonging to citizens of either of the Contracting Parties may be shipwrecked, run aground, or suffer any damage on the coasts, or in the dominions of the other, all aid and protection shall be given to them, according to the use and custom of the nation where the damage occurs, with its own vessels; allowing them to unload if necessary, without collecting any duty, impost, or tax, on that account, unless the merchandize or goods unloaded should be intended for consumption.

XVI. All vessels, merchandize, and goods belonging to citizens

of one of the Contracting Parties, which may be captured by pirates, whether within the limits of its own jurisdiction or on the high seas, and be taken to the rivers, roadsteads, bays, ports or dominions of the other, shall be delivered to the owners thereof, on their proving their rights in due and proper form before the competent tribunals: on the understanding, however, that the claim is to be made within the space of a year, by the parties themselves, their attorneys, or the Agents of the respective Governments.

XVII. In case one of the Contracting Parties should be at war, while the other remains neutral, it is agreed that whatever may have been stipulated between the belligerent party and other Powers in favour of the neutral flag, shall also serve as a rule between the Republic of Venezuela and the Hanseatic Republics; and in order to prevent any doubt as to what is to be considered as contraband of war, it has been agreed (saving the general principle expressed above) to restrict the definition thereof to the following articles:

1. Cannon, mortars, howitzers, swivel-guns, blunderbusses, muskets, guns, rifles, carbines, pistols, pikes, swords, sabres, lances, spears, halberds, grenades, bombs, gunpowder, matches, balls, with all other things belonging to the use of these arms.

2. Shields, helmets, breast-plates, coats of mail, equipments, military uniforms.

3. Belts, and horses with their arms and harness.

4 And finally, all kinds of arms and instruments of iron, steel, bronze, copper, and any other materials manufactured, prepared, or formed expressly for carrying on war by sea or land.

XVIII. In case that any merchant-vessel of one of the Contracting Parties should be visited by a man-of-war belonging to the other, it has been agreed that such visitation shall only be made by a boat, with as many men as are necessary to manage it; the visited vessel remaining out of cannon shot. The examination of the papers must only take place on board the visited vessel, from which they must not be taken, nor can the captain or officers be required to go on board the examining vessel on any pretence. The commanders of armed vessels are responsible in person and property for any infraction of these rules, and for any unjust and irregular conduct.

XIX. To prevent any doubt and any abuse in the examination of the papers respecting the ownership of vessels belonging to citizens of the Contracting Parties, and the nature of the cargoes, the parties have agreed that in case one of them should be at war, the sea-letters or passports which the vessels are to carry in conformity with Article VII of this Treaty, must express the name, ownership and size of the vessel, as well as the name and place of residence of the master or commander, and must, besides, be provided with certificates containing the details of the cargo, and the