TREATY BETWEEN HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY AND HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF THE NETHERLANDS. Signed at the Hague, the 4th of May 1818. Treaty between His Britannic Majesty and His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, for preventing Their Subjects from engaging in any Traffic in Slaves.Signed at the Hague, May 4th 1818. In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity. HIS Majesty the King of the United King dom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, animated with a mutual desire to adopt the most effectual measures for putting a stop to the carrying on of the Slave Trade by their respective subjects, and for preventing their respective flags from being made use of as a protection to this nefarious traffic, by the people of other countries who may engage therein; Their said Majesties have accordingly resolved to proceed to the arrangement of a Convention for the attainment of their objects, and have therefore named as Plenipotentiaries, ad hoc, His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honour able Richard Earl of Clancarty, Viscount Dunlo, Baron Kilconnel, Baron Trench of Garbally, in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, one of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council in Great Britain and also in Ireland, Member of the Committee of the first for the affairs of Commerce and Colonies, Colonel of the Regiment of Militia of the County of [1818.] T Galway, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Örder of the Bath, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of His said Majesty to His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxemburg; and His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, Anne, William Charles Baron de Nagell d'Ampsen, Member of the Body of Nobles of the Province of Guelderland, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Belgic Lion and of that of Charles the Third, Chamberlain and Minister of State, holding the department of Foreign Affairs; and Cornelius Felix van Maanen, Commander of the Order of the Belgic Lion, and Minister of State, holding the department of Justice; who, having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed on the following Articles: Art. 1. The laws of the United Kingdom of Great Britian and Ireland rendering it already highly penal for the subjects of His Britannic Majesty to carry on, or to be in any way engaged in Trade in Slaves, His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, referring to the 8th Article of the Convention entered into with His Britannic Majesty on the 13th August 1814, engages in pursuance thereof, and within eight months from the Ratification of these presents, or sooner if possible, to prohibit all His subjects, in the most effectual manner, and especially by penal law the most formal, to take any part whatever in the Trade of Slaves; and in the event of the measures already taken by the British Government, and to be taken by that of the Netherlands, being found ineffectual or insufficient, the High Contracting Parties mutually engage to adopt such further measures, whether by legal provision or ; " otherwise, as may from time to time appear to be best calculated, in the most effectual manner, to prevent all their respective subjects from taking any share whatever in this nefarious traffic. Art. 2. The two High Contraeting Parties, for the more complete attainment of the object of preventing all traffic in Slaves, on the part of their respective subjects, mutually consent that the ships of their Royal Navies, which shall be provided with special instructions for this purpose, as herein-after mentioned, may visit such merchant vessels of the two nations, as may be suspected, upon reasonable grounds, of having Slaves on board for an illicit traffic and in the event only of their finding such Slaves on board, may detain and bring away such vessels, in order that they may be brought to trial before the tribunals established for this purpose, as shall herein-after be specified. ; Art. 3. In the intention of explaining the mode of execution of the preceding Article it is agreed; 1st. That such reciprocal right of visit and detention shall not be exercised within the Mediterranean Sea, or within the Seas in Europe lying without the Straits of Gibraltar, and which lie to the northward of the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude, and also within, and to the eastward of the meridian of longitude twenty degrees west of Greenwich, 2d. That the names of the several vessels furnished with such instructions, the force of each, and the names of their several Commanders shall be, from time to time, immediately upon their issue, communicated by the Power issuing |
