TREATY OF COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION

Nov. 10, 1845. Between the United States of America and his Majesty the King of the Belgians.

Ratifications exchanged, March 30, 1846. Proclamation

of the President March 31, 1846.

of the U. S.,

Freedom of commerce between the two countries.

The same du ties, taxes, &c. to be paid, as are paid by citizens of either country, &c.

Belgian vessels shall pay in the

ports of the U.S. no other or

higher duties of tonnage, &c.

Vessels of U.S.

shall pay in the ports of Belgium no other or higher duties of tonnage, &c.

THE United States of America on the one part, and his Majesty the King of the Belgians on the other part, wishing to regulate in a formal manner their reciprocal relations of commerce and navigation, and further to strengthen, through the development of their interests respectively, the bonds of friendship and good understanding so happily established between the governments and people of the two countries; and desiring, with this view, to conclude, by common agreement, a treaty establishing conditions equally advantageous to the commerce and navigation of both states, have, to that effect, appointed as their plenipotentiaries, namely: the President of the United States, Thomas G. Clemson, Chargé d'affaires of the United States of America to his Majesty the King of the Belgians; and his Majesty the King of the Belgians, M. Adolphe Dechamps, officer of the Order of Leopold, knight of the Order of the Red Eagle of the first class, grand cross of the Order of St. Michel of Bavaria, his minister for foreign affairs, a member of the Chamber of Representants, who, after having communicated to each other their full powers, ascertained to be in good and proper form, have agreed and concluded the following articles:

ARTICLE I.

There shall be full and entire freedom of commerce and navigation between the inhabitants of the two countries; and the same security and protection which is enjoyed by the citizens or subjects of each country, shall be guarantied on both sides. The said inhabitants, whether established or temporarily residing within any ports, cities, or places whatever, of the two countries, shall not, on account of their commerce or industry, pay any other or higher duties, taxes, or imposts, than those which shall be levied on citizens or subjects of the country in which they may be; and the privileges, immunities, and other favors, with regard to commerce or industry, enjoyed by the citizens or subjects of one of the two states, shall be common to those of the other.

ARTICLE II.

Belgian vessels, whether coming from a Belgian or a foreign port, shall not pay, either on entering or leaving the ports of the United States, whatever may be their destination, any other or higher duties of tonnage, pilotage, anchorage, buoys, light-houses, clearance, brokerage, or generally other charges whatsoever, than are required from vessels of the United States in similar cases. This provision extends, not only to duties levied for the benefit of the state, but also to those levied for the benefit of provinces, cities, countries, districts, townships, corporations, or any other division or jurisdiction, whatever may be its designation.

ARTICLE III.

Reciprocally, vessels of the United States, whether coming from a port of said States, or from a foreign port, shall not pay, either on entering or leaving the ports of Belgium, whatever may be their destination, any other or higher duties of tonnage, pilotage, anchorage, buoys, light-houses, clearance, brokerage, or generally other charges

TRAITÉ DE COMMERCE ET DE NAVIGATION

Entre sa Majesté le Roi des Belges et les Etats-Unis d'Amérique.

SA Majesté le Roi des Belges d'une part, et les Etats-Unis d'Amérique d'autre part, voulant régler d'une manière formelle les relations réciproques de commerce et de navigation, et fortifier de plus en plus, par le dévéloppement des intérêts respectifs, les liens d'amitié et de bonne intelligence si heureusement établis entre les deux gouvernements et les deux peuples; désirant, dans cet but, arrêter, de commun accord, un traité stipulant des conditions également avantageuses au commerce et à la navigation des deux états, ont, à cet effet, nommé pour leurs plenipotentiaires, savoir: Sa Majesté le Roi des Belges, le sieur Adolphe Dechamps, officiere de l'Ordre de Léopold, chevalier de l'Ordre de l'Aigle Rouge de première classe, Grand croix de l'Ordre de St. Michel de Bavière, Ministre des Affaires Etrangères, Membre de la Chambre des Représentants; et Son Excellence le Président des EtatsUnis, le sieur Thomas G. Clemson, chargé d'affaires des Etats-Unis d'Amérique près sa Majesté le Roi des Belges; lesquels après s'ètre communiqué leurs pleins pouvoirs, trouvés en bonne et due forme, ont arrêté et conclu les articles suivants :

ARTICLE 1.

Il y aura pleine et entière liberté de commerce et de navigation entre les habitans des deux pays, et la même sécurité et protection dont jouissent les nationaux, seront garanties des deux parts. Ces habitans ne payeront point, à raison de leur commerce ou de leur industrie, dans les ports, villes, ou lieux quelconques des deux états, soit qu'ils s'y établissent, soit qu'ils y résident temporairement, des droits, taxes, ou impôts autre ou plus élévés que ceux qui se percevront sur les nationaux; et les privilèges, immunités, et autres faveurs dont jouissent en matière de commerce ou d'industrie les citoyens ou sujets de l'un des deux états, seront communs à ceux de l'autre.

ARTICLE 2.

Les navires Belges venant d'un port Belge ou d'un port étranger, ne payeront point à leur entrée dans les ports des Etats-Unis, ou à leur sortie, quelle que soit leur destination, d'autres ni de plus forts droits de tonnage, de pilotage, d'ancrage, de balisage, de feux et de fanaux, d'expédition et de courtage, ni généralement d'autres charges que celles exigées des bâtimens de l'Union dans les mêmes cas. Ce qui précède s'entend, non seulement des droits perçus au profit de l'état, mais encore de tous droits perçus au profit des provinces, villes, arrondissemens, communes, juridictions, corporations, etc., sous quelque terme qu'elles puissent étre designées.

ARTICLE 3.

Réciproquement, les navires des Etats-Unis, venant d'un port national ou d'un port étranger, ne payeront point, à leur entrée dans les ports de Belgique ou à leur sortie, quelle que soit leur destination, d'autres ni de plus fort droits de tonnage, de pilotage, d'ancrage, de balisage, de feux et de fanaux, d'expedition et de courtage, ni généralement d'autres

Restitution guarantied of certain duties levied by the Netherlands.

Steam vessels to be exempt from duties of tonnage, &c.

Coasting trade

between the

ports of either

country.

Articles proceeding from the soil, &c. of Belgium, to pay no other duties,

&c.

Productions of

U. S. imported into Belgium in vessels of U. S., to pay no other duties, &c.

Articles im

ported into U.S. in Belgian vessels, to pay no other duties

whatever, than are required from Belgian vessels in similar cases. This provision extends not only to duties levied for the benefit of the state, but also to those levied for the benefit of provinces, cities, countries, districts, townships, corporations, or any other division or jurisdiction, whatever may be its designation.

ARTICLE IV.

The restitution by Belgium of the duty levied by the government of the Netherlands on the navigation of the Scheldt, in virtue of the third paragraph of the ninth article of the treaty of April nineteenth, eighteen hundred and thirty-nine, is guarantied to the vessels of the United States.

ARTICLE V.

Steam vessels of the United States and of Belgium, engaged in regular navigation between the United States and Belgium, shall be exempt in both countries from the payment of duties of tonnage, anchorage, buoys, and light-houses.

ARTICLE VI.

As regards the coasting trade between the ports of either country, the vessels of the two nations shall be treated on both sides on the same footing with the vessels of the most favored nations.

ARTICLE VII.

Articles of every description, whether proceeding from the soil, industry, or warehouses of Belgium, directly imported therefrom, into the ports of the United States, in Belgian vessels, shall pay no other or higher duties of import than if they were imported under the flag of

said States.

And, reciprocally, articles of every description directly imported into Belgium from the United States, under the flag of the said States, shall pay no other or higher duties than if they were imported under the Belgian flag.

It is well understood:

1st. That the goods shall have been really put on board in the ports from which they are declared respectively to come.

2d. That a putting-in at an intermediate port, produced by uncontrollable circumstances, duly proved, does not occasion the forfeiture of the advantage allowed to direct importation.

ARTICLE VIII.

Articles of every description, imported into the United States from other countries than Belgium, under the Belgian flag, shall pay no other or higher duties whatsoever, than if they had been imported under the flag of the most favored foreign nation, other than the flag of the counthan if they had try from which the importation is made. And, reciprocally, articles of been imported, every description, imported under the flag of the United States into Belgium, from other countries than the United States, shall pay no other or higher duties whatsoever, than if they had been imported under the flag of the foreign nation most favored, other than that of the country from which the importation is made.

&c.

Reciprocal as to U. S.

Articles exported by Belgian or Ú. S.

vessels from the

ARTICLE IX.

Articles of every description, exported by Belgian vessels, or by those of the United States of America, from the ports of either country to any country whatsoever, shall be subjected to no other duties or formalino other duties, ties than such as are required for exportation under the flag of the

ports of either

country, to pay

charges, qui celles exigées des bâtimens Belges dans les mêmes cas. Ce qui précède s'entend non seulement des droits perçus au profit de l'état, mais encore de tous droits perçus au profit des provinces, villes, arrondissemens, communes, juridictions, corporations, etc., sous quelque terme qu'elles puissent étre désignées.

ARTICLE 4.

Le remboursement par la Belgique du droit perçu sur la navigation de l'Escaut par le gouvernement des Pays-Bas, en vertu du paragraphe troisième de l'article neuf du traité du dix-neuf Avril, mil huit cent trente-neuf, est garanti aux navires des Etats-Unis.

ARTICLE 5.

Les bateaux à vapeur Belges et des Etats-Unis faisant un service régulier de navigation entre la Belgique et les Etats-Unis, seront exemptés, dans l'un et l'autre pays, du paiement des droits de tonnage, d'ancrage, de balisage, de feux et de fanaux.

ARTICLE 6.

En ce qui concerne l'exercice de cabotage, (commerce de port à port,) les navires des deux nations seront traités, de part et d'autre, sur le même pied que les navires des nations les plus favorisées.

ARTICLE 7.

Les objets de toute nature provenant soit du sol, soit de l'industrie, soit des entrepôts de Belgique, importés en droiture de Belgique par navires Belges, dans les ports des Etats-Unis d'Amerique, ne paieront d'autres ni de plus forts droits d'entrée que s'ils étaient importés en droiture sous le pavillon des dits Etats.

Et réciproquement, les objets de toute nature importés en droiture en Belgique des Etats-Unis d'Amerique, sous pavillon de ces Etats, n'acquitteront d'autres ni de plus forts droits que s'ils étaient importés en droiture sous pavillon Belge.

Il est bien entendu :

1°. Que les marchandises devront avoir été rëellement chargées dans les ports d'où elles auront été déclarés respectivement provenir.

2°. Que la relàche forcée dans les ports intermédiaires pour des causes de force majeure dûment justifiée, ne fait pas perdre le benéfice de l'importation en droiture.

ARTICLE 8.

Les objets de toute nature importés aux Etats-Unis d'ailleurs que de Belgique, sous pavillon Belge, ne payeront d'autres ni de plus forts droits quelconques, que si l'importation était effectuée sous le pavillon de la nation étrangère la plus favorisée, autre que le pavillon du pays même d'ou l'importation a lieu. Et réciproquement, les objets de toute nature, importés sous pavillon des Etats-Unis en Belgique, d'ailleurs que des Etats-Unis, ne paieront d'autres ni de plus forts droits quelconques, que si l'importation était effectuée sous le pavillon de la nation étrangère la plus favorisée, autre que celui du pays même d'où l'importation a lieu.

ARTICLE 9.

Les objets de toute nature quelconque exportés par navires Belges ou par ceux des Etats-Unis d'Amérique des ports de l'un ou de l'autre de ces états vers quelque pays que ce soit, ne seront assujettis à des droits ou à des formalités autres que ceux exigés pour l'exportation par pavillon national.

Premiums,

allowed upon

ARTICLE X.

All premiums, drawbacks, or other favors of like nature, which may drawbacks, &c. be allowed in the states of either of the contracting parties, upon goods goods imported imported or exported in national vessels, shall be likewise, and in the directly from same manner, allowed upon goods imported directly from one of the two countries, by its vessels, into the other, or exported from one of the two countries, by the vessels of the other, to any destination whatsoever.

one of the two countries, &c.

Preceding ar

ticle not to ap. ply to the importation of salt, &c.

Vessels provided with a passport, &c. to be recognised as national vessels, &c.

Parts of the

cargo of vessels may remain on board in the respective ports

ARTICLE XI.

The preceding article is, however, not to apply to the importation of salt, and of the produce of the national fisheries; each of the two parties reserving to itself the faculty of granting special privileges for the importation of those articles under its own flag.

ARTICLE XII.

The high contracting parties agree to consider and to treat as Belgian vessels, and as vessels of the United States, all those which, being provided by the competent authority with a passport, sea letter, or any other sufficient document, shall be recognised conformably with existing laws as national vessels in the country to which they respectively belong.

ARTICLE XIII.

Belgian vessels and those of the United States may, conformably with the laws of the two countries, retain on board, in the ports of both, such parts of their cargoes as may be destined for a foreign country; and such parts shall not be subjected, either while they remain on board, without charge. or upon re-exportation, to any charges whatsoever, other than those for the prevention of smuggling.

Assistance, &c. in case of

ARTICLE XIV.

During the period allowed by the laws of the two countries respectively for the warehousing of goods, no duties, other than those of watch and storage, shall be levied upon articles brought from either country into the other, while awaiting transit, re-exportation, or entry for consumption. Such goods shall in no case be subject to higher warehouse charges, or to other formalities, than if they had been imported under the flag of the country.

ARTICLE XV.

In all that relates to duties of customs and navigation, the two high contracting parties promise, reciprocally, not to grant any favor, privilege, or immunity, to any other state, which shall not instantly become common to the citizens and subjects of both parties respectively; gratuitously, if the concession or favor to such other state is gratuitous, and on allowing the same compensation or its equivalent, if the concession is conditional.

Neither of the contracting parties shall lay upon goods proceeding from the soil or the industry of the other party, which may be imported into its ports, any other or higher duties of importation or re-exportation than are laid upon the importation and re-exportation of similar goods coming from any other foreign country.

ARTICLE XVI.

In cases of shipwreck, damages at sea, or forced putting-in, each shipwreck, &c. party shall afford to the vessels of the other, whether belonging to the