America, being credibly advised that the labours of the Commission organized pursuant to the Convention which was concluded between the High Contracting Parties at Washington on the 22nd July, 1892, providing for the delimitation of the existing boundary between Her Majesty's possessions in North America and the United States, in respect to such portions of said boundary-line as may not, in fact, have been permanently marked in virtue of Treaties heretofore concluded, cannot be accomplished within the period of two years from the first meeting of the Commission ast fixed by that Convention, have deemed it expedient to conclude a supplementary Convention extending the term for a further period, and for this purpose have named as their respective Plenipotentiaries :

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, his Excellency Sir Julian Pauncefote, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Great Britain; and

The President of the United States, Walter Q. Gresham, Secretary of State of the United States;

Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, which were found to be in due and proper form, have agreed upon the following Articles:

ART. I. The third paragraph of Article I of the Convention of the 22nd July, 1892, states that the respective Commissions shall complete the survey and submit their final Reports thereof within two years from the date of their first meeting. The Joint Commissioners held their first meeting on the 28th November, 1892; hence the time allowed by that Convention expires on the 28th November, 1894. Believing it impossible to complete the required work within the specified period, the two Governments hereby mutually agree to extend the time to the 31st December, 1895.

II. The present Convention shall be duly ratified by Her Britannic Majesty and by the President of the United States of America, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof; and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington at the earliest practicable date.

In faith whereof we, the respective Plenipotentiaries, have signed this Convention, and have hereunto affixed our seals.

Done in duplicate at Washington, the 3rd day of February, 1894.

(L.S.) JULIAN PAUNCEFOTE. (L.S.) W. Q. GRESHAM.

AGREEMENT between Great Britain and Belgium, for the Exchange of Postal Parcels.—Signed at London, January 12, 1894; and at Brussels, February 9, 1894.*

THE Post Office of Great Britain and Ireland and the Administration of the Belgian State Railways agree to organize a regular exchange of parcels, both insured and uninsured, but without the collection of value on delivery, between Great Britain and Ireland and Belgium, on the basis of the stipulations of the Parcel Post Convention of the Universal Postal Union.

The conditions of the exchange of parcels, both those exchanged directly between Great Britain and Belgium and those sent in transit through these countries, are determined by the following rules:

ART. I.-1. Parcels, both insured and uninsured, but without collection of value on delivery, may be forwarded under the designation of postal parcels from the United Kingdom to Belgium up to the weight of 11 lb. English avoirdupois, and from Belgium to the United Kingdom up to the weight of 5 kilog. The rates vary according as the weight of the parcel does not exceed 1 kilog. (3 lb. English), exceeds 1 kilog. (3 lb. English) but does not exceed 3 kilog. (7 lb. English), or exceeds 3 kilog. (7 lb. English) but does not exceed 5 kilog. (11 lb. English).

2. The largest sum for which a parcel may be insured is fixed at 501. in the United Kingdom and 1,250 fr. in Belgium.

3. The tariff to be published by agreement between the Administrations interested will indicate to what conditions of packing, dimension, &c., the parcels must be subject in order to be accepted. for transmission; it will also indicate the kinds of articles which will be excluded from the service.

II.-1. Freedom of transit over the territory of each of the two contracting countries is guaranteed for parcels originating in or addressed to countries for which either of the two countries serves as intermediary.

2. The following stipulations are generally applicable to the relations between the United Kingdom and Belgium, not only as regards parcels exchanged between the two contracting countries, but also as regards parcels sent in transit through those countries. III. Prepayment of postage on postal parcels is obligatory. IV. The postage on parcels sent from the United Kingdom addressed to Belgium, or vice versa, including the rate of 25 centimes per parcel for delivery and the performance of Customs formalities, is apportioned in the manner indicated below. The delivery rate,

*Signed also in the French language. Detailed Regulations for the execution of the Convention were signed on the same dates. See page 276.

instead of being levied from the addressee, is collected from the sender at the same time as the rest of the postage which he has to pay.

(a.) Parcels from Belgium to the United Kingdom :

(b.) Parcels from the United Kingdom to Belgium :

The equivalents are fixed by the Detailed Regulations.

To this fee is added a registration fee of 25 centimes per parcel, which

is retained by the British Post Office.

V. The two Administrations are accountable to one another for the sums indicated below :-

(1.) Parcels addressed to Belgium.

The British Post Office pays to the Belgian Administration : (a.) For each parcel not exceeding 7 lb. avoirdupois, 85 centimes; for each parcel exceeding 7 lb. but not exceeding 11 lb., 1 fr. 10 centimes;

(b.) In the case of an insured parcel, an additional rate of 15 centimes for each 300 fr. or fraction of 300 fr. of the value insured.

(2.) Parcels in Transit through Belgium.

For the combined territorial and sea service the British Post Office pays to the Belgian Administration :

(a.) For each parcel not exceeding 11 lb. avoirdupois, 50 centimes;

(b.) In the case of an insured parcel, an additional rate of 5 centimes for each 300 fr. or fraction of 300 fr. of the value insured. These rates must be increased by the sums due for the onward service.

(3.) Parcels addressed to the United Kingdom.

The Belgian Administration pays to the British Post Office: (a.) For each parcel not exceeding 1 kilog., 60 centimes; for each parcel exceeding 1 kilog., but not exceeding 3 kilog., 1 fr. 10 centimes; for each parcel exceeding 3 kilog., but not exceeding 5 kilog., 1 fr. 50 centimes.

(b.) In the case of an insured parcel, an additional rate of 5 centimes for each 300 fr. or fraction of 300 fr. of the value insured.

(4.) Parcels in Transit through the United Kingdom.

The Belgian Administration pays to the British Post Office: (a.) For each parcel not exceeding 1 kilog., 50 centimes; for each parcel exceeding 1 kilog. but not exceeding 3 kilog., 1 fr.; for each parcel exceeding 3 kilog. but not exceeding 5 kilog., 1 fr. 40 centimes;

(b.) In the case of an insured parcel, an additional rate which must not exceed the insurance fee levied in the United Kingdom on parcels addressed to the same place.

These rates must be increased by the sums due for the onward service.

VI. The parcels to which the present Agreement applies cannot be subjected to any postal charge other than those contemplated by the foregoing Articles IV and V and by Article VII following.

VII. The redirection of postal parcels from one country to another, in consequence of the removal of the addressees, as well as the return of undelivered postal parcels, gives rise to a supplementary charge of the rates fixed by Articles IV and V against the addressees or the senders, as the case may be, without prejudice to any claim for reimbursement of customs duties paid.

VIII. It is forbidden to send by post parcels containing letters, or notes having the character of private correspondence, or articles the admission of which is not authorized by the Customs or other laws or regulations of the countries concerned.

IX.-1. Insurance is obligatory in the case of parcels containing coin, articles of gold or silver, or other precious articles.

2. When a parcel containing articles of this kind is forwarded uninsured, the Administration which discovers the irregularity proceeds with regard to the sender or addressee, as the case may be, according to its own regulations.

X.-1. Except in cases beyond control, when an uninsured postal parcel has been lost or damaged, compensation is paid to the sender or, in default of or at the request of the sender, to the addressee according to the laws and regulations of each of the two contracting countries; provided that, as regards the English and the sea service, the indemnity may not exceed 25 fr. The sender of a lost parcel has, moreover, a right to have the postage refunded to hm.

2. For insured parcels the responsibility is regulated in the manner indicated in section 1; but the indemnity may not exceed the amount of the value insured.

3. The obligation of paying the indemnity rests with the Administration to which the dispatching Office is subordinate. That Administration has its remedy against the responsible Administration, that is to say, against the Administration on the territory or in the service of which the loss or the damage took place.

4. Until the contrary be proved, the responsibility rests with the Administration which, having received the parcel without making any observation, is unable to establish either the delivery to the addressee or the regular transfer to the following Administration, as the case may be.

5. The payment of the indemnity by the dispatching Office shall take place as soon as possible, and at the latest within a year of the date of the application.

6. The responsible Office is bound to refund to the dispatching [1893-94. LXXXVI.] с