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Rh

The present general act shall be ratified within the shortest possible period, which shall not in any case exceed one year.

Each power shall address its ratification to the Government of the King of the Belgians, which shall give notice thereof to all the other powers that have signed the present general act.

The ratifications of all the powers shall remain deposited in the archives of the Kingdom of Belgium.

As soon as all the ratifications shall have been furnished, or at the latest one year after the signature of the present general act, their delivery shall be recorded in a protocol which shall be signed by the representatives of all the powers that have ratified.

A certified copy of this protocol shall be forwarded to all the powers interested.

The present general act shall come into force in all the possessions of the contracting powers on the sixtieth day, reckoned from the day on which the protocol provided for in the preceding article shall have been drawn up.

In witness whereof, the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the present general act, and have thereto affixed their seals.

Done at Brussels the 2nd day of the month of July, 1890.