afin d'affirmer en même temps et de nouveau certains principes essentiels dont celui-ci n'entend pas se dessaisir, a l'honneur de remettre la présente note à Son Excellence Nubar Pacha, Ministre des Affaires Étrangères et du Commerce de Son Altesse le Khédive:

1. L'Article XI du Règlement relatif à la compétence des tribunaux nouveaux en matière administrative ayant donné lieu à des interprétations divergentes et pouvant, s'il n'était exactement défini, devenir une source de difficultés entre Son Altesse le Khédive et les étrangers, le Gouvernement Français croit de son devoir de s'expliquer sur les limites dans lesquelles les effets de cette disposition doivent, suivant lui, demeurer circonscrits. Dans sa pensée, la juridiction des nouveaux tribunaux ne saurait s'étendre jusqu'à leur conférer la faculté de consacrer la légalité des taxes, contributions ou impôts qu'il pourrait convenir à l'administration Égyptienne d'établir. La nouvelle magistrature serait donc sans droit pour sanctionner par des arrêts toute mesure fiscale qui serait contestée par la voie diplomatique, et l'action des Gouvernements étrangers ou de leurs Agences et Consulats pourra toujours s'interposer pour obtenir la cessation ou la réparation d'actes contraires soit aux stipulations des Traités, soit aux prescriptions du droit des gens dont leurs nationaux auraient à souffrir de la part du Gouvernement Égyptien ou de ses agents. Le Gouvernement Français fait, à cet égard, les réserves les plus formelles et se refusera à accepter pour ses nationaux la juridiction et la compétence des nouveaux tribunaux dans les cas ci-dessus spécifiés.

2. Les Consuls-Généraux et Consuls de France, et tous agents investis par la loi Française du pouvoir de rendre la justice en Égypte, continueront d'exercer la même juridiction que par le passé, hors les cas expressément déterminés par la nouvelle organisation judiciaire à instituer.

3. Les Capitulations, telles qu'elles ont été appliquées jusqu'ici en Égypte, demeurent la loi absolue des rapports entre le Gouvernement Égyptien et les étrangers, à l'exception des dérogations partielles et explicites formellement consenties à titre d'essai par le Gouvernement Français, et qui portent principalement sur les usages particuliers à l'Égypte. Au cas où, conformément aux prévisions du deuxième paragraphe de l'Article XL du Règlement Organique, les Puissances jugeraient qu'il y a lieu de retirer leur approbation au nouvel ordre de choses, il demeure entendu, en ce qui nous touche, que le régime actuel, n'étant que temporairement suspendu, reprendrait son caractère obligatoire, et que la juridiction des Consuls, telle qu'elle s'exerce aujourd'hui, revivrait dans sa plénitude, sauf Conventions contraires à débattre ultérieurement.

4. Soit que le Gouvernement Égyptien ne remplisse pas les conditions stipulées, soit que le résultat de l'expérience ne soit pas

satisfaisant, ou que la protection que les Consuls ont le droit et le devoir d'exercer dans l'intérêt de la sécurité de leurs nationaux devienne inefficace et impuissante, le Gouvernement Français se réserve, ainsi que l'a fait la Cour de Russie, d'aviser immédiatement ou même de revenir au régime actuel sans attendre l'expiration de la période quinquennale d'essai.

M. Pellissier de Reynaud saisit cette occasion de renouveler à Son Excellence Nubar Pacha l'assurance de ses sentiments de haute considération avec lesquels, &c.

Le Caire, le 15 Novembre, 1875.

HADJOUTE PELLISSIER.

PORTUGUESE DECREE, declaring the Freedom of Libertos in the Province of Cape de Verde.-Lisbon, October 31,

1874.

(Translation.)

WHEREAS a memorial has been laid before me on the part of the Board for the protection of the freedmen (libertos) in the Province of Cape de Verde, petitioning that the complete emancipation of the freedmen (libertos) existing in that province should be decreed at once; and

Whereas the measure petitioned for, which anticipates what the law ordains should take place in 1878, is worthy of special attention, not only because it does away altogether, and immediately, with the last vestiges of slavery, but also because it bears witness to the state of civilization and to the humane tendencies of the inhabitants of that province, who are fully disposed to accept the consequences of the immediate abolition of the state of freedmen (libertos);

And whereas no disturbance is to be apprehended in the present condition of the public life of that province from their immediate emancipation, as shown by the reports and data furnished by the aforesaid Board, by the respective Governor-General, and by the Committee appointed by him for the purpose of drawing up a draft of the regulations to which the freedmen (libertos) were to be subject after their emancipation-a task which the Committee unanimously pronounced to be unnecessary;

Availing myself of the authority accorded to my Government in virtue of Article XV, Section 1, of the Additional Act to the Constitutional Charter of the kingdom:

After having heard the opinion of the Consultative Board for the Colonies and the Council of Ministers;

I am pleased to decree as follows:

ART. I. All the freedmen (libertos) existing in the Province of Cape de Verde are declared free.

II. All legislation to the contrary is hereby revoked.

The Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and, ad interim, for the Navy and Colonies, shall accordingly cause this Decree to be carried into effect.

At the Palace, October 31, 1874.

JOÃO DE ANDRADE CORVO.

THE KING.

LAW of the Netherlands, relative to the Abolition of Light, Beacon, and Tonnage Dues, and to the Measurement of Ships.-June 3, 1875.

(Translation.)

WE, William III, by the grace of God King of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Grand Duke of Luxemburg, &c., unto all who shall see or hear read these presents greeting, take notice :

Whereas we have taken into consideration that it is desirable to abolish the light, buoy, and beacon dues, and to regulate anew the measuring of sea-ships;

Having regard to the Laws of August 13, 1849 (Statute No. 40), and July 14, 1855 (Statute No. 105);

Now therefore we, having heard the Council of State, and with the advice of the States-General, have concluded and enacted, as we do conclude and enact by these presents:

ART. I. Light, beacon, and tonnage dues which are raised in accordance with the Law of August 13, 1849, are abolished.

No charge is made for the placing of buoys, lights, or beacons in navigable waters, as referred to in that Law, except in the following cases :

(a.) Light dues charged at particular places for the lighting of harbour lights, not in the interest of the general navigation of the channel, but for the purpose of facilitating the approach to those places;

(b.) Beacon dues for the placing of beacons in creeks and small channels leading to particular places, and exclusively for the purpose of facilitating the approach to those places.

11. The proprietors, shipowners, or masters of sea-ships, who are bound by the Law of May 28, 1869, to be provided with an ordinary Netherland certificate, are required to have their ships

measured by officials appointed for that purpose, at the place where the ship is stationed, whenever it is thought necessary.

III. The unit of the ship's measurement is the cubic mètre.

The certificate of measurement to be handed over to the master shall state the capacity of the ship, both in that unit and in register tons of 2.83 cubic mètres. A general measure of internal administration shall further regulate the measurement of the ships in accordance with the Moorsom system, and fixes the time at which the provisions of this Article shall come into operation.

IV. To commence at the time appointed, according to the latter part of the previous Article, the Consular fees, for the calculation of which the ton at 1 of the cube of the mètre has hitherto served as basis, shall be raised according to the scale of one cubic mètre. The tariff of those fees shall be modified by a general measure of internal administration in such a manner that they shall not be increased by the change of the unit and mode of measurement.

V. Foreign vessels shall be measured in the same manner as Netherland ships, on their first arrival in Holland. If those vessels are provided with a foreign certificate of measurement, given to them by a competent authority, their capacity can be calculated according to Dutch measurement. The declaration respecting this calculation is to take the place of the certificate of measurement, according to Articles VII and VIII of the Law of July 14, 1855. The calculation is further to be determined by a general measure of internal administration.

VI. Vessels belonging to countries in which the same system of measurement exists as in the Netherlands, may be exempted from measurement in this country, on condition of reciprocity and the further necessary provisions.

VII. Articles II, III, and IV of the above-mentioned Law of July 14, 1855, are revoked. The last sentence of Article II shall, however, remain in force up to the time to be determined according to the latter part of Article II of this Law.

VIII. This Law shall come into operation on July 1, 1875.

We direct and command that these presents shall be inserted in the "State Journal," and that all ministerial departments, authorities, boards, and functionaries whom it may concern, shall attend to the exact fulfilment thereof.

Given at the Loo, June 3, 1875.

H. J. VAN DER HEIM, Minister of Finance.

WILLIAM.

SPANISH LAW, abrogating the Royal Decree of May 19, 1861,* under which the Territory of the Dominican Republic was declared to be reincorporated into the Monarchy.Madrid, May 1, 1865.

Translation.)

ISABELLA II, by the grace of God and by the Constitution Queen of Spain, to all to whom these presents shall come, be it known that the Cortes have decreed, and we have sanctioned the following Law:

ART. I. The Royal Decree of May 19, 1861, by which it was declared that the Dominican Republic was re-incorporated into the Monarchy is abrogated.

II. The Government of Her Majesty is authorized to dictate the measures which may best conduce to the execution of this Law, and for the protection and security to be afforded to the persons and interests of the Dominicans who have remained loyal to the Spanish cause, giving an account of all such measures to the Cortes in due

season.

We accordingly order the tribunals, courts, chiefs, governors, and other authorities, whether civil or military, or ecclesiastical, of whatsoever rank or dignity, to keep, and require to be kept, comply with, and execute the present Law in all its provisions.

The Palace, May 1, 1865.

RAMON MARIA NARVAEZ, President of the Council

THE QUEEN.

of Ministers.

LOI de la Belgique, sur les Extraditions.-Bruxelles, le 15 Mars, 1874.

LÉOPOLD II, Roi des Belges, à tous présents et à venir, salut. Les Chambres ont adopté et nous sanctionnons ce qui suit: ART. I. Le Gouvernement pourra livrer aux Gouvernements des pays étrangers, à charge de réciprocité, tout étranger poursuivi, ou mis en prévention ou en accusation, ou condamné, par les tribunaux des dits pays, comme auteur ou complice, pour l'un des faits ci-après énumérés, qui auraient été commis sur leur territoire:1. Pour assassinat, empoisonnement, parricide, infanticide, meurtre, viol;

* Vol. LII. Page 1351.