Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 49 Part 2.djvu/1019

 REVISION, GENERAL ACT OF BERLIN, ETC. SEPT. 10, 1919. 3035 Tl'anslati(>n of the Oont'ention THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, BELGIUM, THE BRITISH EMPIRE, Contracting Powers. FRANCE, ITALY, JAPAN, AND PORTUGAL, 'Vhereas the General Act of the African Conference, signed at Objt'cts declarerl. Berlin on February 26, 1885, was primarily intended to demonstrate the agreement of the Powers with regard to the general principles which should guide their commercial and civilizing action in the little known or inadequately organized regions of a continent where slavery and the slave trade still flourished; and Whereas by the Brussels Declaration of July 2, 1890, it was found necessary to modify for a provisional period of fifteen years the system of free imports established for twenty years by Article 4 of the said Act, and since that date no agreement has been entered into, notwithstanding the provisions of the said Act and Declaration; and Whereas the territories in question are now under the control of recognized authorities, are provided with administrative institutions suitable to the local conditions, and the evolution of the native populations continues to make progress; Wishing to ensure by arrangements suitable to modern require- ments the application of the general principles of civilization established by the Acts of Berlin and Brussels, Have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries: PIl·nillot~U1iarie~. TIlE PRESIDENT OF THE UXITED STATES OF AMERICA: The Honorable FRANK LYON POLK, Under-Secretary of State; The Honorable HENRY 'V HITE, formerly Ambassador Extraor- dinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States at Rome and Paris; General TASKER H. BLISS, Military Representative of the United States on the Supreme War Council; HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE BELGIANS: Mr. PAUL HYMANS, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister of State; Mr. JULES VAN DEN HEUVEL, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of His Majesty the King of the Belgians, Minister of State; Mr. EMILE VANDERVELDE, Minister of Justice, Minister of State; HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND AND O}' THE BRITISH DOMINIONS BEYOND THE SEAS, ElIPEROR OF INDIA: The Right Honorable ARTHUR JA1'.IE" BALFOUR, O. M ., M. P ., His Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; The Right Honorable ANDREW BONAI{ LAW, M. P ., His Lord Privy Seal; The RIght Honorable Viscount MILNER, G. C . B., G. C . M. G ., His Secretary of State for the Colonies; The Right Ho'nornble GEORGE NICOLL BARNES, M. P ., Minister without Portfolio;