Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 49 Part 2.djvu/1022

 3038 REVISION, GENERAL ACT OF BERLIN, ETC. SEPT. 10, 1919. Access to all marl· time ports. Vessels flying the flag of any of the said Powers shall also have access to all the coast and to all maritime ports in the territories speci- fied in Article 1; they shall be subject to no differential treatment. ga~:t~X:l~rO~s~avl. Subject to these provisions, the States concerned reserve to them- selves complete liberty of action as to the customs and navigation regulations and tariffs to be applied in their territories. Personal and prop- erty protection. ARTICLE 3 In the territories specified in Article 1 and placed under the au- thority of one of the Signatory Powers, the nationals of those Powers, or of States, Members of the League of Nations, which may adhere to the present Convention shall, subject only to the limitations neces- sary for the maintenance of public security and order, enjoy without distinction the same treatment and the same rights as the nationals of the Power exercising authority in the territory, with regard to the protection of their persons and effects, with regard to the acquisi- tion and transmission of their movable and real property, and with regard to the exercise of their occupations. ARTICLE 4 St~bts reserved by Each State reserves the right to dispose freely of its property and to grant concessions for the development of the natural resources of the territory, but no regulations on these matters shall admit of any No differential treat· differential treatment between the nationals of the Signatory Powers ment between nation· • • als,etc. and of States, Members of the League of Nations, whIch may adhere Navigation or tbe Niger. to the present Convention. ARTICLE 5 Subject to the provisions of the present chapter, the navigation of the Niger, Qf its branches and outlets, and of all the rivers, and of their branches and outlets, within the territories specified in Article 1, as well as of the lakes situated within those territories, shall be entirely free for merchant vessels and for the transport of goods and passengers. Equality or treat· Craft of every kind belonging to the nationals of the Signatory ment. Navigation to be un· restricted, etc. Powers and of States, Members of the League of Nations, which may adhere to the present Convention shall be treated in'all respects on a footing of perfect equality. ARTICLE 6 The navigation shall not be subject to any restriction or dues based on the mere fact of navigation. It shall not be held to any obligation in regard to landing, stopping, warehousing, bulk breaking or enforced layover. No maritime or river toll, based on the mere fact of navigation, shall be levied on vessels, nor shall any transit duty be levied on goods on board. Only such taxes or duties shall be collected as may be in compensation for services rendered to navigation itself. The tariff of these taxes or duties shall not admit of nny differential treatment.