immunities which may at any future time be granted to the agents of the same rank of the most favored nation."

ARTICLE XIII.-(Duration of convention.)-"The present convention shall remain in force for the space of ten years from the day of the exchange of the ratifications, which shall be made in conformity with the respective constitutions of the two countries, and exchanged at Washington within the period of six months, or sooner if possible. In case neither party gives notice twelve months before the expiration of the said period of ten years of its intention not to renew this convention, it shall remain in force a year longer, and so on from year to year, until the expiration of a year from the day on which one of the parties shall give such notice.

"In testimony whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this convention, and hereunto affixed their respective seals.

"Done at the city of Washington the twenty-third day of February, Anno Domini, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.

"EDWARD EVERETT. "SARTIGES."

BELGIUM, 1880.

CONVENTION CONCERNING THE RIGHTS, IMMUNITIES AND PRIVILEGES OF CONSULAR OFFICERS.

Concluded March 9, 1880. Ratifications exchanged at Washington, February 25, 1881. Proclaimed March 1, 1881.

"The President of the United States of America and His Majesty the King of the Belgians, being mutually desirous of defining the rights, privileges and immunities of consular officers in the two countries, deem it expedient to conclude a consular convention for that purpose, and have accordingly named as their Plenipotentiaries:

"The President of the United States, William Maxwell Evarts, Secretary of State; and His Majesty the King of the Belgians, Maurice Delfosse, Commander of the Order of Leopold, &c., &c., his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in the United States; who after having communicated

to each other their respective full powers, found to be in good and proper form, have agreed upon the following articles: "

ARTICLE I.-(Liberty to appoint Consuls.) "Each of the high contracting parties agrees to receive from the other, Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents, in all its ports, cities and places, except those where it may not be convenient to recognize such officers. This reservation, however, shall not apply to one of the high contracting parties without also applying to every other power."

ARTICLE II.-(Most favored nation privileges accorded to Consuls-Exequaturs.)-" The Consuls-General, Consuls, ViceConsuls, and Consular Agents of each of the two high contracting parties shall enjoy reciprocally, in the States of the other, all the privileges, exemptions and immunities that are enjoyed by officers of the same rank and quality of the most favored nation. The said officers, before being admitted to the exercise of their functions, and the enjoyment of the immunities thereto pertaining, shall present their commissions in the forms established in their respective countries. The government of each of the two high contracting powers shall furnish them the necessary exequatur free of charge, and, on the exhibition of this instrument, they shall be permitted to enjoy the rights, privileges and immunities granted by this convention."

ARTICLE III.-(Rights of Consuls, citizens of the States appointing them.)-" Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents, citizens of the State by which they are appointed, shall be exempt from preliminary arrest except in the case of offences which the local legislation qualifies as crimes and punishes as such; they shall be exempt from military billetings, from service in the regular army or navy, in the militia, or in the national guard; they shall likewise be exempt from all direct taxes, national, State or municipal, imposed upon persons, either in the nature of capitation tax or in respect to their property, unless such taxes become due on account of the possession of real estate, or for interest on capital invested in the country where the said officers exercise their functions. This exemption shall not, however, apply to Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, or Consular Agents engaged in any profession, business or trade, but the said officers. shall in such case be subject to the payment of the same taxes

that would be paid by any other foreigner under the like circumstances."

ARTICLE IV. (Evidence of Consuls in courts of justice.)— "When a court of one of the two countries shall desire to receive the judicial declaration or deposition of a Consul-General, Consul, Vice-Consul or Consular Agent, who is a citizen of the State which appointed him, and who is engaged in no commercial business, it shall request him, in writing, to appear before it, and in case of his inability to do so, it shall request him to give his testimony in writing, or shall visit his residence or office to obtain it orally.

"It shall be the duty of such officer to comply with this request with as little delay as possible.

"In all criminal cases, contemplated by the sixth article of the amendments to the Constitution of the United States, whereby the right is secured to persons charged with crimes to obtain witnesses in their favor, the appearance in court of said consular officer shall be demanded, with all possible regard to the consular dignity and to the duties of his office. A similar treatment shall also be extended to the consuls of the United States in Belgium, in the like cases."

ARTICLE V.-(Arms and flags.)-" Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents may place over the outer door of their offices the arms of their nation, with this inscription: Consulate-General, or Consulate, or Vice-Consulate, or Consular-Agency of the United States or of Belgium.

"They may also raise the flag of their country on their offices, except in the capital of the country when there is a legation there. They may, in like manner, raise the flag of their country over the boat employed by them in the port for the exercise of their functions."

ARTICLE VI.-(Consular offices inviolable-Not to be used as asylums-Consular archives.)-"The Consular offices shall at all times be inviolable. The local authorities shall not, under any pretext, invade them. In no case shall they examine or seize the papers there deposited. In no case shall those offices be used as places of asylum. When a consular officer is engaged in other business, the papers relating to the consulate shall be kept separate."

ARTICLE VII.-(Rights of Acting Consuls.)-"In the event of

the death, incapacity or absence of Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls and Consular Agents, their chancellors or secretaries, whose official character may have previously been made known to the Department of State at Washington, or to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Belgium, may temporarily exexcise their functions, and while thus acting they shall enjoy all the rights, prerogatives and immunities granted to the incumbents."

ARTICLE VIII.-(Power of Consuls to appoint Vice-Consuls.) -"Consuls-General and Consuls may, so far as the laws of their country allow, with the approbation of their respective governments, appoint Vice-Consuls and Consular Agents in the cities, ports and places within their consular jurisdiction. These agents may be selected from among citizens of the United States or of Belgium, or those of other countries. They shall be furnished with a regular commission, and shall enjoy the privileges stipulated for consular officers in this convention, subject to the exceptions specified in Articles III. and IV."

ARTICLE IX.—(Application by Consuls to governmental authorities.)-See Article IV. of the Convention of 1853 with

France.

ARTICLE X.-(Verification and custody of certain papers.)— "Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls and Consular Agents may take at their offices, at their private residences, at the residence of the parties, or on board ship, the depositions of the captains and crews of vessels of their own country, of passengers on board of them, and of any other citizen of their nation. They may also receive at their offices, conformably to the laws and regulations of their country, all contracts between the citizens of their country and the citizens or inhabitants of the country where they reside, and even all contracts between the latter, provided they relate to property situated or to business to be transacted in the territory of the nation to which the said consular officer may belong.

"Such papers and official documents of every kind, whether in the original, in copies, or in translation, duly authenticated and legalized by the Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls and Consular Agent, and sealed with their official seal, shall be received as legal documents in courts of justice throughout the United States and Belgium."

ARTICLE XI. (Power of Consuls relative to the vessels of their country and their masters and crews.)-"The respective Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls and Consular Agents shall have exclusive charge of the internal order of the merchant vessels of their nation, and shall alone take cognizance of all differences which may arise, either at sea or in port, between the captains, officers and crews, without exception, particularly in reference to the adjustment of wages and the execution of contracts. The local authorities shall not interfere except when the disorder that has arisen is of such a nature as to disturb tranquillity and public order on shore, or in the port, or when a person of the country or not belonging to the crew shall be concerned therein.

"In all other cases, the aforesaid authorities shall confine themselves to lending aid to the Consuls and Vice-Consuls or Consular Agents, if they are requested by them to do so, in causing the arrest and imprisonment of any person whose name is inscribed on the crew-list, whenever, for any cause, the said officers shall think proper."

ARTICLE XII. (Deserters.)—“The respective Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls and Consular Agents may cause to be arrested the officers, sailors, and all other persons making part of the crews, in any manner whatever, of ships of war or merchant vessels of their nation, who may be guilty, or be accused, of having deserted said ships and vessels, for the purpose of sending them on board or back to their country. To this end they shall address the competent local authorities of the respective countries, in writing, and shall make to them a written request for the deserters, supporting it by the exhibition of the register of the vessel and list of the crew, or by other official documents, to show that the persons claimed belonged to the said ship's company.

"Upon such request alone thus supported, the delivery to them of the deserters cannot be refused, unless it should be duly proved that they were citizens of the country where their extradition is demanded at the time of their being inscribed on the crew-list. All the necessary aid and protection shall be furnished for the pursuit, seizure and arrest of the deserters, who shall even be put and kept in the prisons of the country, at the request and expense of the consular officers until there