718463-1863-GOVERNMENT-NOTIFICATION-NO-104 — Page 1

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ROIT

THE HONGKONG

Government Gazette.

Published by Authority.

No. 40.

No. 104.

VICTORIA, SATURDAY, 3RD OCTOBER, 1863.

VOL. X.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

The following Treaty between Her Majesty and the United States of America for the suppression of the African Slave Trade, and an additional Article thereto, are published for general information.

W. H. ALEXANDER, Acting Colonial Secretary.

By Order,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 30th September, 1863.

TREATY BETWEEN HER MAJESTY AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE.

Signed at Washington, April 7, 1862.

[RATIFICATIONS exchanged at London, May 20, 1862.]

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the United States of America, being desirous to render more effectual the means hitherto adopted for the suppres- sion of the Slave Trade carried on upon the coast of Africa, have deemed it expedient to conclude a Treaty for that purpose, and have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honour- able Richard Bickerton Pemell Lord Lyons, a Peer of Her United Kingdom, a Knight Grand Cross of Her Most Honourable Order of the Bath, and Her Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States of America;

And the President of the United States of America, William H. Seward, Secretary of State; Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles :—

ARTICLE I.

The two High Contracting Parties mutually consent that those ships of their respective navies which shall be provided with special Instructions for that purpose, as hereinafter mentioned, may visit such merchant-vessels of the two nations as may, upon reasonable grounds, be suspected of being engaged in the Africah Slave Trade, or of having been fitted out for that purpose, or of having, during the

voyage on which they are met by the said cruizers, been engaged in the African Slave Trade, contrary to the provisions of this Treaty; and that such cruizers may detain, and send or carry away, such vessels, in order that they may be brought to trial in the manner hereinafter agreed upon.

In order to fix the reciprocal right of search in such a manner as shall be adapted to the attain- ment of the object of this Treaty, and at the same time avoid doubts, disputes, and complaints, the said right of search shall be understood in the manner and according to the rules following:--

First. It shall never be exercised except by vessels of war, authorized expressly for that object, according to the stipulations of this Treaty.

Secondly. The right of search shall in no case be exercised with respect to a vessel of the navy f either of the two Powers, but shall be exercised only as regards merchant-vessels; and it shall not be exercised by a vessel of war of either Contracting Party within the limits of a settlement or port,

or within the territorial waters, of the other Party.