THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 8TH JANUARY, 1876.
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And it is moreover agreed that, whenever any of Her Majesty's ships of war shall arrive in the Bay of Tunis and shall fire a salute of twenty-one guns, the Castle of the Goletta, or the Tunisian ships of war, shall return the same number of guns as the Royal salute to Her Majesty's colours, according to ancient usage.
ARTICLE XXXIV.
The Government of the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in consideration of the sincere friendship that has at all times existed between Her Majesty and His Highness the Bey, agrees that Tunisian ships and cargoes shall be received at the ports and harbours of the British dominions upon the same footing as British vessels and cargoes.
ARTICLE XXXV.
British vessels arriving in any of the Tunisian ports for the purpose of trade or by reason of stress of weather, or to repair damages, shall not be compelled to discharge their cargoes or any portion of their cargoes, and they shall not be made to change their destination or to receive any passengers on board unless it be with their own free will, but they shall be respected, and they shall be allowed to deport without any hindrance. Should they be compelled to land their cargoes, or a portion thereof, in order to effect repairs, they shall also be permitted to re-embark such goods free of any duty or charge whatsoever.
Tunisian vessels shall receive the like friendly treatment in ports and harbours of the British dominions.
ARTICLE XXXVI.
If any British subject should die in any place or territory appertaining to His Highness the Bey, no Governor or other Tunisian officer shall, on any pretence whatsoever, take possession or dispose of, or interfere with the goods and property of the deceased, but such goods and property, of whatever description, may be taken possession of by his heirs, or by the British Consular authority, without any hindrance or impediment whatsoever on the part of such Governor or Tunisian officer.
If, however, a British subject should die at a place where there is no British Consul, or whilst travelling, in such a case the Tunisian authorities of the place where he died shall be bound to preserve and protect his goods and effects: they shall make, with the assistance of notaries, a faithful inventory of them, which inventory they shall lose no time in sending to the nearest Governor of a place where an English Consul resides.
Should the deceased British subject leave behind him debts due from him to a native, the Cousul- General or his deputy shall assist the creditor in the recovery of his claim upon the estate of the deceased; and, likewise, if the deceased should leave behind debts due to him from Tunisians, the Governor, or those who have such power, shall compel the debtors to pay what is due by them to the Consul- General or his deputy, for the benefit of the estate of the deceased.
ARTICLE XXXVII.
The British Government and His Highness the Bey, moved by sentiments of humanity and having regard to the free institutions which, under Providence, their respective countries happily enjoy, mutu- ally engage to do all in their power for the suppression of slavery. Whilst, on the one part, the Bri- trish Government engage not to relax their efforts with friendly powers for the prevention of the bar- barous traffic in human beings, and for the emancipation of slaves, His Highness the Bey especially engages, on the other, to cause the Declaration of Moharem, 1262 (23rd January, 1846), abolishing for ever slavery in the Regency, to be obeyed and respected, and to use his utmost efforts to discover and punish all persons within his Regency who contravene or act contrary thereto.
ARTICLE XXXVIII.
The British Government and His Highness the Bey engage to do all in their power for the suppression of piracy; and Ilis Highness especially engages to use his utmost efforts to discover and punish all persons on his coasts or within his territory who may be guilty of that crime, and to aid the British Government in so doing.
ARTICLE XXXIX.
Privateering is now and for ever abolished: Ilis Highness the Bey being desirous to maintain inviolable the neutrality of the Regency of Tunis, it has been established and agreed that, in case of war or hostilities, he shall not permit the enemies of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain to fit out privateers in the ports of the Regency, or to sail from them to prey upon the ships and commerce of her subjects; and it is moreover established that His Highness shall not permit or tolerate in the Regency of Tunis the sale of any prize whatsoever which shall have belonged or may belong to the belligerents.
The Queen of Great Britain will cause to be observed the same rules of neutrality towards Tuni- sian ships and subjects in all the seaports of Her Majesty's dominions.
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