Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 11.djvu/763

 CONVENTION WITH DENMARK. APRIL 11, 1857. 719 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA¥ A PROCLAMATION. Wmmsas a convention between the United States of America. and his AP6! 1Li857· Majesty the King of Denmark, for the discontinuance of the Sound dues, Preamble. was concluded and signed by their respective plenipotentiaries at Washington, on the eleventh day of April last, which convention is word for word as follows: The United States of America. and his Majesty the King of Denmark, being desirous to terminate amicably the diiferences which have arisen between them in regard to the tolls levied by Denmark on American vessels and their cargoes passing through the Sound and Belts, and commonly called the Sound dues, have resolved to conclude a convention for that purpose, and have named as their plenipotentiaries, that is to say, the President of the United States, Lewis Cass, Secretary of State of the N¤S°tiW>F¤· United States, and his Majesty the King of Denmark, Torben Bille, Esquire, Knight of the Dannebrog, and decorated with the Cross of Honor of the same order, his said Majesty’s chargé d’aH`aires near the government of the United States, who, after having communicated to each other their full powers in due form, have agreed to and signed the following articles: Anricnr. I. His Majesty the King of Denmark declares entire freedom Navigation or of the navigation of the Sound and the Belts in favor of American vessels '%tSSQg“#° $2 and their cargoes, from and forever after the day when this convention to Ammcmivssshall go into effect as hereinafter provided. And it is hereby agreed that $*315- American vessels and their cargoes, after that day, shall not be subject to any charges whatever in passing the Sound or the Belts, or to any detention in the said waters, and both governments will concur, if occasion should require it, in taking measures to prevent abuse of the free flag of the United States by the shipping of other nations which shall not have secured the same freedom and exemption from charges enjoyed by that of the United States. Anriomt II. His Danish Majesty further engages that the passages of S0P**SS¤8°s gil the Sound and Belts shall continue to be lighted and buoyed as heretofore mggjigwd guts without any charge upon American vessels or their cargoes on passing the buoyed as here- Sound and the Belts, and that the present establishments of Danish pilots g‘;£"’;Lg°g *2%}* in these waters shall continue to be maintained by Denmark. His Danish Amgyicgg vas- Majesty agrees to make such additions and improvements in regard to the welights, buoys, and pilot establishments in these waters as circumstances and the increasing trade of the Baltic may require. He further engages that no charge shall be made, in consequence of such additions and improvements, on American ships and their cargoes passing through the Sound and the Belts. It is understood, however, to be optional for the masters of American Masters of vessels either to employ, in the said waters, Danish pilots, at reasonable $‘;’°’;;“K)°““°1“ rates fixed by the Danish government, or to navigate their vessels without psggsh {jigs, or such assistance. 0*h¤YWiS°· Awrxcnm III. In consideration of the foregoing agreements and stipula- United States tion on the part of Denmark, whereby the free and uuincumbered navi- fltafjléggg 0?f“‘ gation of American vessels through the Sound and the Belts is forever’ `