CONVENTION of Peace, between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Signed at Rivas, December 8, 1857. (Translation.) THE President, General Don Tomas Martinez, as actual Commander-in-chief of the army of the Republic, of the one part, and of the other part General José Maria Cañas, and Licentiate Don J. Emiliano Cuadra, Ministers Plenipotentiary and Envoys Extraordinary of the Republic of Costa Rica, with the desire of putting an end to the misunderstanding which has unfortunately arisen between Nicaragua and Costa Rica, which never ought to exist between two neighbouring and sister Republics, and which it is more than ever indispensable to terminate under the circumstances of their common independence being threatened by a fresh invasion of filibusters who have already made their invasion upon the river San Juan. The Legation of Costa Rica being sufficiently authorized, according to the tenor of the powers conferred by that Republic, which were presented for exchange and found to be in good and due form; and the Commander-in-chief in campaign acting in regard to arrangements for peace as in similar cases, without omitting to include other points which it has been considered desirable to embrace in this Convention, although, in regard to these, it is to be observed that they are agreed to "sub spe ratis," and are duly subject to the approbation of the Supreme Powers of this Republic, have agreed upon the following arrangements for peace: I. Nicaragua shall again come into possession of Castillo Viejo, which fortification the Legation of Costa Rica has been willing to restore from the beginning; but this is not to put any obstacle in the way should Costa Rica think it necessary, on account of danger of invasion by filibusters, to station forces of her own at the same point, on such conditions as to number, length of time, and the rest, as may be agreed upon between the two Governments according to circumstances. II. While Costa Rica retains the steamers, she shall be allowed to keep at such part of the river as she may think fit, the guard which is intended to serve in them, the total number of which, on board. or ashore, shall not exceed 30 men. The persons employed by Nicaragua shall also aid and assist in the care and preservation of the said steamers. III. The Government of Costa Rica shall not dispose of the steamers without giving previous notice of the agreement to the Government of Nicaragua, and hearing its opinion as to the inconveniences which the alienation may occasion; at all events, Nicaragua shall have a right to the preference in taking all or any of them on the same conditions. IV. So long as the steamers belong to Costa Rica, her Government shall only make use of them for commercial purposes, and subject in all things to the police and exchequer laws of Nicaragua, the same as the vessels of that Republic which trade upon the river and the lake. V. The forces of Nicaragua, on receiving Castillo Viejo, shall also receive all the munitions of war and other goods belonging to that Republic; and the forces of Costa Rica have a right to take away all the elements of war and other goods which may exist there, and belong to that country. VI. Costa Rica shall evacuate the point of Tortuga, as has been arranged by the Legation of that Republic to take place without delay; and as her object in maintaining the picket at that point has been to guard provisions and munitions of war intended for the Costa Rican forces in the castle and the steamers, so long as she keeps them, she is allowed to have her picket at the Virgin to the number of 10 men. VII. By the present Convention, and in consideration of the increased expenses which Costa Rica has been put to in the national war, all claims cease on the part of Nicaragua to which she may consider she has a right, as originating from the disagreements which are now put an end to. Costa Rica, on her part, in witness of the good and cordial understanding now established, gives up any balance which there is, or might be, in her favour and against Nicaragua, on whatever ground. VIII. The boundaries between Nicaragua and Costa Rica shall be those which were established in the last Treaty concluded at Managua, in July of the present year, between the Commissioners, Licenciate D. Gregario Juarez, and General D. José Maria Cañas, or else those which have been recognized of old as the proper ones of the district of Nicoya, and within which the authorities of that district have always exercised their jurisdiction. The Government of Costa Rica shall state which of these two demarcations is adopted, and this is to be included in the act of the ratification of the present Convention. If the second be adopted by that Government, and any difficulties should occur in fixing it from point to point, they shall be decided by arbitrators, to be appointed by the two Governments, in order to come to a definitive resolution, with the assistance of the necessary documents. IX. If, from any unforeseen event, the engagement concerning transit, concluded in The United States by the Minister Plenipotentiary of Nicaragua, D. Antonio José de Irisari, with the Canalisation Company, should be ineffective for that Republic, she shall not enter into any other contract concerning transit, without first taking the opinion of the other Governments of Central America. X. Articles VIII and IX are subject to the respective ratifications. The others are definitively concluded by both parties. In witness whereof they sign two copies of the same tenor, which are countersigned by the respective Secretaries. In the city of Rivas, 8th December, 1857. MAXIMO JEREZ, Secretary. (L.S.) TOMAS MARTINEZ. (L.S.) JOSE MARIA CANAS. JOSE ANTONIO CHAMORRO, Secretary. TREATY of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation, between the States of the German Customs and Commercial Union and the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay.—Signed at Monte Video, June 23, 1856. [Ratifications exchanged at Monte Video, April 3, 1857.] (Translation.) His Majesty the King of Prussia, both for himself and as representing the Sovereign States and Provinces, adhering to his system of customs and taxation, namely, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the Grand Ducal Mecklenburg enclosed territories (enclaven) Rossow, Netzeband, and Schönberg, the Grand Ducal Oldenburg Principality of Birkenfeld, the Duchies of AnhaltDessau-Cöthen, and Anhalt-Bernburg, the Principalities of Waldeck and Pyrmont, the Principality of Lippe, and the LandgraveHessian High Bailiwick of Meissenheim, as also in the name of the other members of the German Customs and Commercial Union, namely, the Crown of Bavaria, the Crown of Saxony, the Crown of Hanover, and the Crown of Wirtemberg, the Grand Duchy of Baden, the Electorate of Hesse, the Grand Duchy of Hesse, together with the Landgrave-Hessian Bailiwick of Homberg; and the States forming the Thuringian Customs and Commercial Union, namely, the Grand Duchy of Saxony, the Duchies of Saxe-Meiningen, Saxe Altenburg, and Saxe Coburg and Gotha, the Principalities of Schwartzburg-Rudolstadt and SchwarzburgSondershausen, Reuss of the elder and Reuss of the younger line, the Duchy of Brunswick, the Duchy of Oldenburg, the Duchy of Nassau, and the Free Town of Frankfort, on the one side, and The President of the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay, on the other side, animated with the desire of extending and consolidating the friendly relations as well as those of commerce and navigation between the States of the Zollverein and the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay, have considered it suitable and expedient to open negotiations and to conclude a Treaty for the said purpose, and have therefore appointed Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: His Majesty the King of Prussia, Herr Herrmann Herbort Friedrich von Gülich, His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires and ConsulGeneral; and His Excellency the President of the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay, Don Joaquin Requena, LL.D., his Excellency's Minister for Foreign Affairs; Who, after communicating to each other their full powers, and finding them in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles: ART. I. There shall be continual peace and friendship between the States of the Zollverein and the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay, and between their respective subjects and citizens. II. There shall be reciprocal freedom of commerce between the States of the Zollverein and all the territories of the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay. The subjects and citizens of the High Contracting Parties shall be allowed to go with their ships and cargoes freely and with all security into those places, harbours, and rivers, which other foreigners are now or may hereafter be allowed to visit, to run in there, and to stay or reside in every port of the said territories, as well as to hire and make use of houses and warehouses for the purposes of their trade; and in general the merchants and traders of each of the Contracting Parties shall enjoy in the territory of the other the completest protection and the most perfect security for their traffic, being subject therein, nevertheless, to the laws and regulations of the country. In like manner the ships of war of the Contracting Parties shall be allowed to go freely and securely into all those harbours, rivers, and places in the territory of either party respectively, which other foreign ships of war are now or may hereafter be allowed to visit, and they shall be free to enter, anchor, stay, and refit therein, subject, however, to the laws and regulations of the country. It is hereby expressly declared that the stipulations of the present Article do not include the coasting navigation between different ports in the same territory; it shall not, however, be considered as coasting navigation if a ship coming from over sea completes her cargo, or discharges the cargo which she has brought by degrees at different ports of the territory of either of the Contracting Parties. If further privileges on this point be granted by the Oriental Free State to any other nation excepting the adjoining or neighbouring States, such privileges shall be considered as granted also to the subjects and ships of the Zollverein. III. There shall be reciprocal freedom of commerce and navigation between and among the subjects and citizens of the Contracting Parties, and the said subjects and citizens shall pay in the ports, roads, places, and towns in each of the Contracting States, without exception, no other or higher duties, taxes, or charges, under whatever denomination they may exist or be comprehended, than those which are paid there by the subjects and citizens of the most favoured nation; and the subjects and citizens of the Contracting Parties shall enjoy the same rights, privileges, liberties, favours, immunities, and exemptions in matters of commerce and navigation as are, or as may hereafter be conceded to the subjects or citizens of the most favoured nation in any of the Contracting States. On the importation of Zollverein productions by sea or land into the Oriental Republic, or on the importation of the productions of the Republic by sea or land into the Zollverein, no higher customs duties or charges shall be levied than the duties or charges which are levied upon goods of the same kind, the produce of any other country, or imported from thence. The States of the Zollverein and the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay hereby bind themselves to extend, without delay, to the subjects of each other respectively all privileges and exemptions from duty, in matters of trade and navigation, which have been or may hereafter be granted to the subjects or citizens of any other State, and that gratuitously, if the concession in favour of the other State has been gratuitous, or for a compensation as nearly equivalent as possible, in case the concession has been conditional. The equalization or assimilation which is stipulated in this Article does not include those cases wherein favours, privileges, or exemptions in matters of trade and navigation are granted to the adjoining and neighbouring countries, or to the citizens and subjects thereof. But if the advantage should be granted to any other country not belonging to the aforesaid category, without the restriction contained in the present Treaty of being regarded as the most favoured nation, then this advantage is to be considered as granted at once to the States of the Zollverein. IV. In no port of the Contracting States shall there be levied on the ships of the respective parties for tonnage, lighthouse, port, or pilot dues, or salvage in case of damage or shipwreck, or local charges, any other or higher dues or payments than those which the national ships also have to pay in the same port. V. Upon all articles of commerce, without distinction as to their origin, the same duties shall be levied on their importation into the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay, whether their importation take place in the ships of the said Republic or in ships belonging to one |