vicinity of the frontier, and which are in the direction towards a principal port whence the transit trade may be carried on, and the town of the Argentine Confederation appointed by the Government of that Republic, for verifying or inspecting the introduction of foreign merchandize brought in transit. The towns which, in virtue of this Article, become the centre of the respective communications of one country with the other, shall be united by the Government in whose territory they are situated, by means of regularly established posts, with the other towns to which the commercial relations of both countries are extended.

XXXVIII. The despatches or official communications of the respective Governments, and of their diplomatic agents, shall be conveyed free by the overland posts of both countries, and shall be circulated free of charge by all the overland posts of the country to which they are addressed.

Newspapers, or other periodicals, published official documents of both countries, reviews, pamphlets, and other printed papers intended for general circulation, shall likewise be conveyed free.

XXXIX. Both Contracting Parties recognize as the limits of their respective territories those which they possessed as such at the time of their separation from the Spanish dominion in 1810, and they agree to reserve the questions which have arisen, or may hereafter arise upon this matter, in order to discuss them pacifically and amicably afterwards, without ever having recourse to violent measures, and in case a complete settlement should not be arrived at, to submit the decision to the arbitration of a friendly nation.

XL. The present Treaty shall last for 12 years, reckoned from the day upon which the ratifications are exchanged; and if, 12 months before the expiration of the above term, neither of the two Contracting Parties announces by an official declaration, its intention of putting an end to it, the said Treaty shall still be binding for one year more, and so on successively till the expiration of the 12 months following the official declaration in question, whatever may be the time at which it is made.

It is well understood that in case this declaration should be made by either of the Contracting Parties, it is only the provisions of the Treaty which relate to commerce and navigation, the effect whereof shall be considered as having ceased and expired, and that the Treaty shall not therefore be the less perpetually obligatory on the two Powers, as regards the Articles concerning the relations of peace and friendship.

XLI. The present Treaty shall be ratified, and its ratifications shall be exchanged within the term of 12 months, or sooner if possible, in this city of Santiago.

In faith whereof we, the Undersigned, Plenipotentiaries of the Argentine Confederation, and of the Republic of Chile, have signed and sealed, in virtue of our full powers, the present Treaty of Peace, Friendship, Commerce and Navigation.

Done and concluded in this city of Santiago de Chile, on the 30th day of August, in the year of the Lord, 1855. (LS.) CARLOS LAMARCA.

(L.S.) D. J. BENAVENTE.

TREATY of Friendship and Limits, between Brazil and Venezuela.-Signed at Caracas, November 25, 1852.

(Translation.)

In the name of the Most Holy and Indivisible Trinity.

The Republic of Venezuela and His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, being desirous that the propitious harmony which now so fortunately exists between the two Powers, should still remain firmly established, as well as that every occasion of future disagreement should be removed as far as possible; recognizing, also, as they do, the necessity of coming to a definitive adjustment of the boundaries between their territories, have agreed, for this object, to conclude a Treaty, and have appointed their Plenipotentiaries as follows, that is to say

The President of the Republic of Venezuela, Señor Dr. Joaquin Herrera, Government Councillor and Minister, Secretary of State for the Home Department and for those of Foreign Affairs and Justice.

And His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, Señor Miguel Maria Lisboa, Commander of the Order of Christ, and His Majesty's Resident Minister at the Republic of Venezuela; who, after exchanging their respective full powers, and finding the same in due and regular form, have agreed upon the following Articles:

ART. I. There shall be perfect peace and sincere and lasting friendship between the Republic of Venezuela and its citizens, and His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil and his successors and subjects, throughout all their respective possessions and territories.

II. The Republic of Venezuela and His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil agree upon and recognize as a basis for the determination of the frontier between their respective territories, the uti possidetis, and in conformity with this principle they declare and define the boundary line to be in the manner following:

§ 1. The boundary line shall commence at the sources of the

river Memachi, and following the course of the highest ground, shall pass by those of the Aquio and the Tomo, as well as by those of the Guaicia and Izquiare or Issana, so that all the streams which flow into the Aquio and the Tomo may still belong to Venezuela, while such as run into the Guaicia, the Xie and the Issana may appertain to Brazil; the said line shall then cross the Rio Negro opposite to the island of San José which adjoins the rock of Cucuz.

§ 2. From the Island of San José it shall pursue a right line, cutting the Maturaca stream in mid-water, or at any other point the boundary commissioners may agree upon, and which may conveniently divide the said stream; thence passing by the group of the Capi, Interi, Guai, and Urnensivo high lands, it shall intersect the road by which the river Castaño communicates by land, with the Marari, and by the ridge of Tiperapecò it will ascend the crests of the Parima ridge; so that the waters which run into the Padarivi, Marari, and Cababuri may still belong to Brazil, and those which flow into the Turnaca, or Idapa, or Xiaba, to Venezuela.

§ 3. The line shall then continue along the summit of the Sierra Parima, as far as the angle made by the latter with the Sierra Pacaraima, so that all the streams which run into the Rio Blanco, may still belong to Brazil, and those which flow into the Vrinoco, to Venezuela; the line continuing along the most elevated summits of the said Pacaraima Sierra, so that the waters which run into the Rio Blanco may belong, as before said, to Brazil, and those which discharge themselves into the Esequivo, Cuyunì and Caronì to Venezuela, as far as the territories of the two States extend themselves eastward.

III. After the ratification of the present Treaty, the two High Contracting Powers shall each appoint a commissioner, who shall proceed in concert as soon as possible to lay down the line of demarcation at such points as may be necessary in conformity with the preceding stipulations.

IV. If during the laying down of the line of demarcation any grave doubts should occur, arising from inaccuracies in the directions given in the present Treaty, in consequence of the want of correct maps, and of minute researches, such doubts shall be amicably resolved by both Governments, to which they shall be submitted by the Commissioners, the solution so agreed upon being considered as an interpretation of, or an addition to the said Treaty: it is at the same time understood that if such doubts should occur at any particular point, the laying down of the line of demarcation shall, nevertheless, be continued for the remaining course as directed in the Treaty.

V. Should an exchange of territory be deemed advisable for the purpose of fixing more natural or convenient boundaries for either nation, such exchange of territory may be effected by opening new negotiations for that object, the line of demarcation being, in the meantime, proceeded with as if no exchange whatever was to be made.

VI. His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil declares that in treating with the Republic of Venezuela, relatively to the territory situated to the west of the Rio Negro, and bathed by the streams of the Tomo and the Aquio, and which, though asserted by Venezuela to belong to it, is nevertheless claimed by New Granada; it is not his intention to prejudice whatsoever rights the last mentioned Republic may succeed in making good over the said territory.

VII. The present Treaty of Friendship and Boundaries shall be ratified by the President of the Republic of Venezuela, or the person charged with the Executive Power, with the consent and approbation of the Congress thereof, and by His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, and the ratifications shall be exchanged in Rio Janeiro, within the term of 18 months, reckoned from the date hereof, or sooner if possible.

In testimony whereof, we, the Undersigned, Plenipotentiaries of the Republic of Venezuela, and of His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, in virtue of our full powers have signed this Treaty with our own hands, and have hereunto affixed our seals.

Done in the city of Caracas, on the 25th day of the month of November, in the year of our Lord, 1852.

(L.S.) JOAQUIN HERRERA.

(L.S.) MIGUEL MARIA LISBOA.

TREATY of Commerce and Navigation, between Brazil and Uruguay.-Signed at Rio de Janeiro, September 4, 1857.

(Translation.)

In the name of the Most Holy and Indivisible Trinity. THE President of the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay and His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, considering that the geographical position of their respective countries, the nature and extent of their frontiers, and the course of the waters which exist in them, and traverse both territories, naturally establish very special relations, which require to be attended to and regulated by very special stipulations, which at the same time that they favour the economical interests and the material prosperity of both countries, may unite their inhabitants in good will, and make them practically

understand the strict dependence which peace, riches, and reciprocal welfare have upon each other, have agreed upon the revision of the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation of the 12th of October, 1851, and upon the expediency of an experiment which may furnish them with the necessary data and information whereby to adjust a definitive Treaty, which may progressively bring about the abolition of the fiscal and protective duties upon the natural and agricultural produce of the two countries, and at last free trade, the reciprocal utility of which they acknowledge as a principle.

For this purpose they have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

His Excellency the President of the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay, his Excellency Don Andres Lamas, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary on a special mission to His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, Grand Cross of the Order of Christ of Brazil, Advocate of the Tribunals of the Republic, Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of History in Spain, Member of the Institute of the Order of Brazilian Advocates, and of the Historical and Geographical Institutes of France, of Brazil, &c.

And His Majesty the Emperor of Brazil, his Excellency Señor Paulino José Suarez de Souza, Viscount of the Uruguay, of his Council and of the Council of State, Senator of the Empire, Officer of the Imperial Order of the Southern Cross, Grand Cross of the Imperial Austrian Order of the Iron Crown, of the Neapolitan Order of St. Januarius, of the Royal Order of Danebrog of Denmark, of the Royal Military Order of Christ of Portugal, &c.

Who, after having presented their full powers, which were found sufficient, have agreed upon the following Articles :

ART. I. Live cattle, which shall be exported across the frontier from the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay into the province of Rio Grande de San Pedro del Sud, shall be free from all export duty whatever on the part of the said Republic; and to avoid any doubt respecting the extent of this concession it is declared that such cattle shall not be subject to any duty from the fact of their going out with that destination from the department or district in which they may be.

II. The cattle introduced for the purpose of breeding or fattening from the province of Rio Grande de San Pedro del Sud into the territory of the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay, shall not be subject to any duty whatsoever. These cattle, as well as those which the Brazilians possess in the territory of the Republic, shall not be subject to other or higher duties than those paid by the cattle of the citizens of the Republic, so that with respect to imposts upon live cattle there may be between the said citizens of the Republic and the Brazilians the most perfect equality.