NICARAGUA. 1908. NATURALIZATION CONVENTION. Signed at Managua December 7, 1908; ratification advised by the Senate January 21, 1909; ratified by the President March 1, 1909; ratified by Nicaragua March 28, 1912; ratifications exchanged at Managua March 28, 1912; proclaimed May 10, 1912. (Treaty Series, No. 566; 37 Statutes at Large, 1560.) I. Naturalization recognized. II. Renunciation of naturalization. ARTICLES. V. Citizenship defined. VII. Ratification. The President of the United States of America and the President of the Republic of Nicaragua, desiring to regulate the citizenship of those persons who emigrate from the United States of America to Nicaragua, and from Nicaragua to the United States of America, have resolved to conclude a Convention on this subject and for that purpose have appointed their Plenipotentiaries to conclude a Convention, that is to say: the President of the United States of America, John Hanaford Gregory Jr., Chargé de'Affaires ad Interim of the United States at Managua, and the President of Nicaragua, Rodolfo Espinosa R., Minister for Foreign Affairs, who having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form have agreed to and signed the following articles. ARTICLE I. 1. Citizens of the United States who have been or may be voluntarily naturalized in Nicaragua in conformity with the laws thereof, shall be considered and treated by the Government of the United States as citizens of Nicaragua. 2. Reciprocally, citizens of Nicaragua who have been or may be voluntarily naturalized in the United States in conformity with the laws thereof, shall be considered and treated by the Government of Nicaragua as citizens of the United States. ARTICLE II. 1. If a citizen of the United States naturalized in Nicaragua renews his residence in the United States without the intention to return to Nicaragua, it shall be considered that he has renounced his citizenship in Nicaragua. 2. Reciprocally, if a citizen of Nicaragua naturalized in the United States renews his residence in Nicaragua without intention to return to the United States it shall be deemed that he has renounced his citizenship in the United States. 3. The intention not to return shall be deemed to exist when a person naturalized in one of the two countries resides for more than two years continuously in the other country; however, such presumption may be destroyed by evidence to the contrary. ARTICLE III. A mere declaration of intention to become naturalized in either country shall not, in either country, have the effect of legally acquired citizenship. ARTICLE IV. Citizens naturalized in one of the two countries and returning to the country of their origin shall be subject to trial and punishment. in the latter for any punishable act committed before their emigration, but not for the act of emigration itself, always excepting cases of limitation or any other remission of liability. ARTICLE V. It is agreed between both parties to define the word "citizenship," as used in this Convention, to mean the status of a person possessing the nationality of the United States or Nicaragua. ARTICLE VI. The present Convention shall be in force for a period of ten years from the date of the exchange of ratifications. If, one year before the expiration of this period, neither of the parties gives notice to the other that it shall expire, it shall continue in force until twelve months after such notice is given. ARTICLE VII. The present Convention shall be ratified constitutionally by each country, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington or at Managua within two years from date at the latest. DONE in Managua the seventh of December one thousand nine hundred and eight, sealed and signed in two copies of same tenor in English and Spanish. [SEAL.] [SEAL.] JOHN HANAFORD GREGORY JR. 1911. SUPPLEMENTARY CONVENTION. Signed at Managua June 17, 1911; ratification advised by the Senate August 15, 1911; ratified by the President January 24, 1912; ratifications exchnaged at Managua March 28, 1912, proclaimed May 10, 1912. (Treaty Series, No. 567; 37 Statutes at Large, 1563.) The President of the United States of America and the President of the Republic of Nicaragua, considering it expedient to prolong the period in which, by article VII of the Naturalization Convention signed by the respective plenipotentiaries of the United States and Nicaragua at Managua on December 7, 1908, the exchange of the ratifications of the said Convention shall be effected, have for that purpose appointed their respective plenipotentiaries, namely: The President of the United States of America, Elliott Northcott, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America; and The President of the Republic of Nicaragua, Tomás Martinez, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Nicaragua, Who, after having communicated each to the other their respective full powers, which were found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the following additional and amendatory article to be taken as a part of the said Convention: SOLE ARTICLE. The respective ratifications of the said Convention shall be exchanged at Washington or at Managua as soon as possible and within two years from December 7, 1910. In faith whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the present Supplementary and Amendatory Convention in duplicate in the English and Spanish languages and have hereunto affixed their seals. Done at Managua this seventeenth day of June, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and eleven. ELLIOTT NORTHCOTT [SEAL.] 1914. CONVENTION RESPECTING A NICARAGUAN CANAL ROUTE, Signed at Washington August 5, 1914; ratification advised by the Senate with amendments February 18, 1916; ratified by the President June 19, 1916; ratified by Nicaragua April 13, 1916; ratifications exchanged at Washington June 22, 1916; proclaimed June 24, 1916. (Treaty Series. No. 624; 39 Statutes at Large, 1661.) ARTICLES. I. Perpetual grant of interoceanic canal route by way of San Juan River and Lake Nicaragua. II. Ninety-nine year leases of Great and Little Corn Islands and of naval base rights on Gulf of Fonseca; leases renewable. III. United States to pay Nicaragua $3.000.000. IV. Ratification. The Government of the United States of America and the Government of Nicaragua being animated by the desire to strengthen their ancient and cordial friendship by the most sincere cooperation for all purposes of their mutual advantage and interest and to provide for the possible future construction of an interoceanic ship canal by way of the San Juan River and the great Lake of Nicaragua, or by any route over Nicaraguan territory, whenever the construction of such canal shall be deemed by the Government of the United States conducive to the interests of both countries, and the Government of Nicaragua wishing to facilitate in every way possible the successful maintenance and operation of the Panama Canal, the two Governments have resolved to conclude a Convention to these ends. and have accordingly appointed as their plenipotentiaries: The President of the United States, the, Honorable William Jennings Bryan, Secretary of State; and The President of Nicaragua, Señor General Don Emiliano Chainorro, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Nicaragua to the United States; Who, having exhibited to each other their respective full powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following articles: ARTICLE I. The Government of Nicaragua grants in perpetuity to the Government of the United States, forever free from all taxation or other public charge, the exclusive proprietary rights necessary and convenient for the construction, operation and maintenance of an interoceanic canal by way of the San Juan River and the great Lake of Nicaragua or by way of any route over Nicaraguan territory, the details of the terms upon which such canal shall be constructed, operated and maintained to be agreed to by the two governments whenever the Government of the United States shall notify the Government of Nicaragua of its desire or intention to construct such canal. ARTICLE II. To enable the Government of the United States to protect the Panama Canal and the proprietary rights granted to the Government of the United States by the foregoing article, and also to enable the Government of the United States to take any measure necessary to the ends contemplated herein, the Government of Nicaragua hereby leases for a term of ninety-nine years to the Government of the United States the islands in the Caribbean Sea known as Great Corn Island and Little Corn Island; and the Government of Nicaragua further grants to the Government of the United States for a like period of ninety-nine years the right to establish, operate and maintain a naval base at such place on the territory of Nicaragua bordering upon the Gulf of Fonseca as the Government of the United States may select. The Government of the United States shall have the option of renewing for a further term of ninety-nine years the above leases and grants upon the expiration of their respective terms, it being expressly agreed that the territory hereby leased and the naval base which may be maintained under the grant aforesaid shall be subject exclusively to the laws and sovereign authority of the United States during the terms of such lease and grant and of any renewal or renewals thereof. ARTICLE III. In consideration of the foregoing stipulations and for the purposes contemplated by this Convention and for the purpose of reducing the present indebtedness of Nicaragua, the Government of the United States shall, upon the date of the exchange of ratification of this Convention, pay for the benefit of the Republic of Nicaragua the sum of three million dollars United States gold coin, of the present weight and fineness, to be deposited to the order of the Government of Nicaragua in such bank or banks or with such banking corporation as the Government of the United States may determine, to be applied by Nicaragua upon its indebtedness or other public purposes for the advancement of the welfare of Nicaragua in a manner to be determined by the two High Contracting Parties, all such disbursements to be made by orders drawn by the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Nicaragua and approved by the Secretary of State of the United States or by such person as he may designate. ARTICLE IV. This Convention shall be ratified by the High Contracting Parties in accordance with their respective laws, and the ratifications thereof shall be exchanged at Washington as soon as possible. In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the present treaty and have affixed thereunto their seals. Done at. Washington, in duplicate, in the English and Spanish languages, on the 5th day of August, in the year nineteen hundred and fourteen. WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN [SEAL.] EMILIANO CHAMORRO [SEAL.] (Treaty Series, No. 624.) BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. A PROCLAMATION. Whereas a Convention between the United States of America and the Republic of Nicaragua granting to the United States the exclusive proprietary rights for the construction and operation of an interoceanic canal by a Nicaraguan route, the lease of certain islands, and the right to establish a naval base on the Gulf of Fonseca, was concluded and signed by their respective Plenipotentiaries at Washington, on the fifth day of August, one thousand nine hundred and fourteen, the original of which Convention, being in the English and Spanish languages is, as amended by the Senate of the United States, word for word as follows: [The treaty as above.] And whereas, the advice and consent of the Senate of the United States to the ratification of the said Convention was given with the following proviso: "Provided, That, whereas, Costa Rica, Salvador and Honduras have protested against the ratification of the said Convention in the fear or belief that said Convention might in some |