Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 49 Part 2.djvu/1345

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The Commanding Officer, master, or owner of a vessel or apparatus which enters the territory or territorial waters of a country to render assistance to a distressed vessel under the authority of this treaty shall notify the competent authorities of such country upon departure from such territory or territorial waters; and private vessels, so entering, as well as private distressed vessels and the cargo, equipment, stores, crew and passengers thereof, shall be subject to the provisions of the laws in force in the country in whose territorial waters such assistance is rendered.

As used in this treaty, the word “assistance” means any act necessary or desirable to prevent the injury, arising from a marine peril, of persons or property, and the word “vessel” includes aircraft, as well as every kind of conveyance used or capable of being used for transportation on water.

This Treaty shall remain in force for one year, and thereafter until terminated with three months notice by one of the High Contracting Parties.

The High Contracting Parties shall ratify this Treaty in conformity with their respective constitutional provisions. The exchange of ratifications shall take place in the city of Washington, D. C., as soon as possible, and the Treaty shall be in force from the time of the exchange of these ratifications.