TREATY BETWEEN GERMANY AND JAPAN.
336e
Such stranded or wrecked ship or vessel and all parts thereof, and all furnitures and appurtenances belonging thereunto, and all goods and merchandize saved there- from, including those which may have been cast into the sea, or the proceeds thereof if sold, as well as all papers found on board such stranded or wrecked ship or vessel, shall be given up to the owners or their agents, when claimed by them. If such owners or agents are not on the spot, the same shall be delivered to the respective Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, or Consular Agents, upon being claimed by them within the period fixed by the laws of the country, and such Consular Officers, owners, or agents shall pay only the expenses incurred in the preservation of the property, together with the salvage or other expenses, which would have been payable in the case of a wreck of a national vessel.
The goods and merchandize saved from the wreck shall be exempt from all the duties of the Customs, unless cleared for consumption, in which case they shall pay the ordinary duties.
When a vessel belonging to the subjects of one of the Contracting Parties is stranded or wrecked in the territories of the other, the respective Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice Consuls, and Consular Agents shall be authorized, in case the owner or master, or other agent of the owner, is not present, to lend their official assistance in order to afford the necessary assistance to the subjects of the respective States. The same rule shall apply in case the owner, master, or agent is present but requires such assistance to be given.
Art. XIII.-All vessels which according to Japanese law are to be considered Japanese vessels, and all vessels, which according to German law are to be considered German vessels, shall for the purposes of this Treaty be deemed Japanese and German vessels respectively.
Art. XIV.-If any seaman should desert from any man-of-war or merchant ship belonging to either of the Contracting Parties within the territory of the other, the local authorities shall be bound to give every assistance in their power for the appre- hension and handing over of such deserter, on application to that effect being made to them by the Consul of the country to which the ship of the deserter may belong, or by the deputy or representative of the Consul.
It is understood that this stipulation shall not apply to the subjects or citizens of the country where the desertion takes place.
Art. XV.-German vessels entering Japanese ports shall pay tonnage and light dues at the time of entry at the Custom House according to one of the following rates, at the option of the masters, owners, or agents of such vessels:-
1. 25 sen per ton for one Japanese port of call only.
2. 30 sen per ton for a period of two months, with the option to call at any number of Japanese ports, but at no foreign port or ports.
3. 80 sen per ton for a period of 6 months, with the option to call at any Japanese or foreign port or ports.
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4. Mail companies may, if they desire, free their vessels from tonnage and light dues for seven consecutive schedule voyages, on paying a duty of 80 sen per ton on the average tonnage of the vessels making such voyages. This payment must be made at the time of th first entry. It shall be calculated according to the schedule arrangement of the company, on condition that reimbursement shall be made either by the Customs Authorities or by the mail companies, as the cas may be at the time of the seventh entry, of any excess or deficiency in the dues paid, arising from any changes which may have tak n place in the vessels employed.
The dutiable tonna re of German vessels shall be the net tonnage. The capacity of the vessels as stated in their registers shall serve as the basis upon which the tonnage and light dues are to be calculated.
The following vessels shall be exempt from the payment of tonnage and rightdues:— 1. Men-of-war.
2. Pleasure yachts.
3. Fishing vessels having no cargo on board.
4. Vessels of less than 20 tons burthen.