será nombrado y pagado por el Gobierno de Su Magestad Britanica; y que todos los gastos de los dos Tribunales que por este Tratado se establezcan, serán sufragados por el Gobierno de Su Magestad Britanica.

Artículo IV. Si apareciese algun error ó equivocacion en la traduccion Castellana de este Tratado, se deberá pasar por el texto Ingles.

Estos Artículos Adicionales formaran una parte integrante del Tratado para suprimir el Trafico de Esclavos, que acaba de firmarse, y tendrán la misma fuerza y validez que si se hallasen insertos, palabra por palabra, en aquel Tratado, que será ratificado, y cuyas ratificaciones serán cangeadas en Monte-Video, los mas pronto posible en el termino de ocho meses contados desde la fecha.

Celebrado en Monte-Video, el dia trece de Julio, del año del Señor de mil ochocientos treinta y nueve. (L.S,) J. H. MANDEVILLE.

(L.S.) JOSE ELLAURI.

VENEZUELA.

TREATY between Her Majesty and the Republic of Venezuela, for the abolition of the Slave Trade.-Signed ot Caracas, March 15, 1839.

[Ratifications exchanged at Caracas, Dec. 12, 1839.]

Treaty on the abolition of the Traffic in Slaves, concluded between Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and the Republic of Venezuela.

HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Republic of Venezuela, being mutually animated by a sincere desire to co-operate for the complete extinction of the Traffic in Slaves in all parts of the world, have resolved to proceed to the conclusion of a Treaty for the special purpose of immediately attaining this object, so far as relates to the total and final abolition of this barbarous Traffic, and therefore have named, for this object, as their respective Plenipotentiaries, to wit: Her Britannic Majesty, Sir Robert Ker Porter, Knight, and Knight Commander of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order, Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires in Caracas; and the Republic of Venezuela, Señor Jose Santiago Rodriguez,

Judge and Attorney-General of the Supreme Court of Justice; who, having duly communicated to each other their respective full powers, and found them to be in proper form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles:

ARTICLE I. Great Britain and the Republic of Venezuela declare the Traffic in Slaves abolished for ever. And in order to avoid any doubts that may hereafter occur from any circumstances proving prejudicial to the interests of commerce and navigation, for want of a proper explanation of the real spirit of the phrase "Traffic in Slaves,”—do here mutually declare to be understood by such traffic, such only which is carried on in Negroes brought from Africa, in order to transport them to other parts of the world for sale; but in no manner whatever the conveying from one port or place to another belonging to the Republic, the Slaves existing within it, be such undertaken either with the object of selling them, or with any other not prohibited by the laws.

Article II. The Republic of Venezuela agrees to preserve in force the provisions of the Law of the 18th of February, 1825, the object of which is, to declare as pirates, and punish, with the pain of death, all such Venezuelians who, on the high seas, or in any other place under the jurisdiction of the Republic, may be found embarking, transporting, or disembarking, one or more persons brought from Africa as Slaves.

Article III. Although the law just cited has produced the desired effect, in not having been infringed by any Venezuelians up to this time, Venezuela, notwithstanding, will promulgate every other legislative provision that may be deemed requisite for the prevention of Her citizens engaging in any way in the said Traffic in Slaves, and for the complete extinction thereof, seeing that the same are in harmony with those which may be promulgated by Great Britain for the like object.

Article IV. Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Republic of Venezuela, mutually engage to specify, by an Additional Convention hereafter to be concluded between the Contracting Parties, the acts which constitute piracy, in which will be comprehended the Traffic in Slaves; and that, after the conclusion of such Convention, the Legislative Power of each country shall promulgate, with as little delay as possible, laws for

the punishment of said acts committed by the respective subjects or citizens of either nation.

Article V. In order more effectually to prevent all infringement of the present Treaty, the Contracting Parties mutually agree, that the ships of war of their respective nations, which are furnished with the special Instructions as will be hereinafter mentioned, may visit such merchant vessels of the two nations as may be suspected, upon reasonable grounds, of being engaged in the Traffic in Slaves; provided that such be done only within the waters hereinafter expressed, namely

1st. Along the western coast of Africa, from Cape Verd to the distance of ten degrees to the south of the equator; that is to say, from the 10th degree of south latitude to the 15th degree of north latitude, and as far as the 40th degree of east longitude, reckoning from the meridian of Caracas.

2nd. All round the Island of Madagascar, to the extent of twenty leagues from that island.

3rd. The same distance from the coasts of the Island of Cuba.

4th. The same distance from the coasts of the Island of Puerto Rico; and

5th. The same distance from the coasts of Brazil.

It is however understood, that a suspected vessel descried, and begun to be chased by the cruizers, whilst within the said space of twenty leagues, may be searched by them beyond those limits, if, without ever having lost sight of her, they should only succeed in coming up with her at a greater distance from the coast.

Article VI. The cruizers may detain vessels trafficking in Slaves, be it that they have been fitted out with this object, or that, during the voyage on which they are met with, they may have been employed in the before-mentioned Traffic, in contravention of what is stipulated in the present Treaty; and may send or conduct them to those places where they may be brought before the proper tribunals that take cognizance of piracy, according to the laws of the respective countries. It is not by this to be understood, that Venezuela is obliged to fit out cruizers expressly to aid in the pursuit of vessels engaged in the Traffic in Slaves.

Article VII. In order to regulate the mode of carrying into effect the provisions of the two preceding Articles, the Contracting Parties have agreed :

1st. That all ships of the navies of the two nations, which shall be hereafter employed to prevent the Traffic in Slaves, shall be furnished by their respective Governments with a copy of the present Treaty, in the English and Spanish languages; and also of the Instructions for Cruizers annexed thereto, which Annex shall be considered as an integral part of this Treaty.

2nd. That Great Britain shall communicate from time to time to Venezuela, the names of the several ships furnished with such Instructions, the force of each, and the names of their respective commanders, and the same will be done by Venezuela towards Great Britain, whenever cruizers on her part shall be established with the like object.

3rd. That if, at any time, there shall be just cause to suspect that any merchant vessel under the flag, and proceeding under convoy of any ship or ships of war, of either of the Contracting Parties, is engaged, or intended to be engaged, in the Traffic in Slaves, or is fitted out for that purpose, or was, during the voyage in which she may be met with, engaged in the Traffic in Slaves,-it shall be lawful for the commander of any ship of the navy of either of the two Contracting Parties to visit the said merchant vessel, provided such be done within the limits specified in Article V of this Treaty; and such commander shall proceed to effect the same in communication with the commanding officer of the convoy, who, it is hereby agreed, shall give every facility to such visit, and to the eventual detention of such vessel, and in all things shall assist, to the utmost of his power, in the due execution of the present Treaty.

4th. It is further mutually agreed that the commanders of the ships of the two navies, who shall be employed on this service, shall adhere strictly to the exact tenour of the aforesaid Instructions annexed to this Treaty.

Article VIII. The Contracting Parties engage mutually to make good any losses which their respective subjects or citizens may incur by the arbitrary or illegal detention of their vessels; it being understood that this indemnity shall

invariably be borne by the Government whose cruizer shall have been guilty of such arbitrary and illegal detention; agreeing likewise, that the visit and detention of vessels specified in Articles V and VI of this Treaty, can only be executed by British and Venezuelian ships of war, and by those only which are furnished with the special Instructions annexed to the present Treaty for its complete execution.

Article IX. In case the commanding officer of any of the ships of the navies of Great Britain and of Venezuela respectively, duly commissioned according to the provisions in the Articles V and VI of this Treaty, shall deviate in any respect from the stipulations of the said Treaty, or from the Instructions annexed to it, the Government which shall conceive itself to be wronged thereby, shall be entitled to demand reparation; and, in such case, the Government to which such commanding officer may belong, binds itself to cause inquiry to be made into the subject of the complaint, and to inflict upon the said officer a punishment proportionate to the transgression committed.

Article X. It is hereby further agreed, that every merchant vessel, British or Venezuelian, which shall be visited, by virtue of what is expressed in the Vth and VIth Articles of the present Treaty, may lawfully be detained, and sent or brought before the corresponding tribunal of the nation to which she belongs, if, in her equipment, there shall be found any of the things hereafter mentioned, namely:

1st. Hatches with open gratings, instead of the close hatches which are usual in merchant vessels.

2nd. Divisions or bulkheads in the hold or on deck, in greater number than are necessary for vessels engaged in lawful trade.

3rd. Spare planks, fitted for laying down as a second or slave-deck.

4th. Shackles, bolts, and handcuffs.

5th. A larger quantity of water in casks, or in tanks, than is requisite for the consumption of a crew of the vessel as a merchant vessel.

6th. An extraordinary number of water casks, or of other vessels for holding liquid, unless the master shall produce a certificate from the custom-house at the place from which he cleared outwards, stating that a sufficient