CONVENTIONS ADOPTED BY THE SECOND CENTRAL AMERICAN CONFERENCE. Convention for the Unification of the Currency. The Governments of the Republics of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa-Rica and Guatemala, with a view to preparing for the future unification of an international Central American circulating medium of currency, have determined to enter into a Convention for that purpose and to that end have named as Delegates: El Salvador, Dr. Salvador Rodriguez G. Costa-Rica, Señor Roberto Brenes Mesén, and Guatemala, Señor Manuel María Girón. After having communicated to each other their respective full powers, which were found in due form, they have agreed to bring about their purpose in the following way: WHEREAS; First, In the preceding Conference held at the City of Tegucigalpa certain measures were adopted looking to the unification of Central American currency upon a gold and silver basis on conditions of parity; and, second, that Convention did not meet with the approval of the Governments because of monetary conditions peculiar to each country, which the Second Conference has been able to take into account, and whereas it finds itself in general agreement with the conclusions of the preceding Conference, IT IS RESOLVED THAT: ARTICLE I. The Conference recommends to the Governments here represented to adopt measures for the establishment of a gold standard with fixed ratio to American gold. ARTICLE II. As soon as the Governments shall have established the gold basis, a date shall be fixed for the equalization of value and the coinage of international Central American currency. ARTICLE III. The fineness, the weight, tolerance, the diameter and the design of the Central American currency, as well as its inscription, shall be determined. in the Conference which consents to its coinaege. Signed in the city of San Salvador, the second day of February, 1910. (Signed) SALVADOR RODRÍGUEZ G. Convention Concerning the Approval of Plans, Estimates and Manner of Payment for the Construction and Equipment of the Pedagogical Institute of Central America. The Governments of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala, deeming that the immediate founding of the Central American Pedagogical Institute is a work of transcendent merit as agreed upon in the Conventions of Washington, because such Foundation. would mean the unifying of the tendencies and aspirations of Central American Public Instruction, the basis upon which must rest any moral or material union of the five Republics, have named Delegates, for the purpose of agreeing upon the plans and estimates, as well as to fix upon. the manner of payments, as follows: El Salvador, Dr. Salvador Rodríguez G. Costa Rica, Señor Roberto Brenes Mésen; and The Delegates, having met at Casa Blanca, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers which were found in due form, have agreed upon the following: Art. 1. The plans submitted by the Government of Costa Rica for the construction of the buildings for the Central American Pedagogical Institute, following the system of separate buildings, are approved. Art. 2. The estimate of expenses for the building and equipment of the establishment, to the amount of three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000), or sixty thousand dollars for each Republic ($60,000), is approved. Art. 3. The first quota of five thousand dollars ($5,000) shall be transmitted to the Government of Costa Rica before the 31st of March of the current year. The Government of Nicaragua shall transmit its first quota six months after the reestablishment of order in the Republic. The successive quotas shall be monthly and for the amount of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more, at the option of the remitting Government. Art. 4. The Government of Costa Rica, shall send every three months a statement of its accounts for the information of the other signatory Governments. Signed in the city of San Salvador, the second day of February, 1910. (Signed) (Signed) (Signed) Convention Concerning the Functions of the International Central American Bureau. WE, the undersigned, Delegates of the Republics of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Guatemala, met at the Second Central American Conference, Believing that, for the good progress of the International Central American Bureau, established by the Convention signed at Washington the 20th of December, 1907, it is necessary to determine clearly and positively what are the functions of the said Bureau and what the scope of its powers, Have agreed, in the name of our respective Governments, to make the following Declaration: ARTICLE I. The functions committed to the International Central American Bureau are the following: 1. To strive to advance the Central American interests enumerated in Article I of the Convention of the 20th of December, 1907, which established the Bureau: 2. To carry out the measures which the signatory Republics may deem necessary and appropriate for. the purposes set forth in the aforesaid Convention, in conformity with Art. IV thereof. 3. To specify in its By-Laws the functions which, by virtue of the above paragraphs 1 and 2, appertain to it. 4. To take provisions for its internal organization conducive to the maintenance and development of the Central American interests which have been placed or may in future be placed under its care and vigilance, and 5. To propose a program for the annual Central American Conferences instituted by the Convention of Washington of the 20th of December, 1907, and to carry out the work which those Conferences commit to it. ARTICLE II. The International Central American Bureau has no political function. or power, save the obtaining and propagating of information in favor of such Central American interests as are confided to it. Otherwise the Bureau shall not interfere in the internal or external politics of the States. ARTICLE III. It shall be left exclusively to each of the interested Governments to appoint its Delegate to the Bureau, as well as to remove him when it may see fit, and to fix the emoluments which he shall enjoy. ARTICLE IV. The Delegates shall enjoy diplomatic immunities in the Republic of Guatemala. ARTICLE V. The annual estimates of expenses of the International Central American Bureau shall be subject to the approval of the interested Governments which shall be informed of the general By-Laws which the Bureau issues, as well as any later amendments. ARTICLE VI. Each of the contracting parties shall give immediate notice to the others of the legislative ratification of the present Declaration, and this announcement shall be held to be an exchange of ratifications. In witness whereof we sign the present Declaration in the city of San Salvador, the 3d day of February, 1910. Convention Relative to the Unification of Weights and Measures. The Governments of the Republics of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala have appointed the following delegates for the purpose of taking steps for the unification of the weights and measures: El Salvador, Dr. Salvador Rodríguez G. Nicaragua, Dr. Manuel Pérez Alonso. Honduras, Dr. Salvador Córdova. Costa Rica, Señor Roberto Brenes Mesén, and These Delegates, meeting at Casa Blanca, have agreed to effect their purpose in the following manner: ARTICLE I. The legal system of weights and measures for the five Republics of Central America shall be the French metric system to the absolute exclusion of any other kind of units, for the measurement of lines, areas, weights and volumes, which must always be expressed in meters, areas, grammes and liters, or by their multiples or sub-multiples. ARTICLE II. In the Capital of each of the five Republics there shall be founded at "Bureau of Comparison" supplied with the fundamental prototypes of the meter and kilogram, obtained from the International Bureau of Weights and Measures in Paris; of exact models of the usual measures; and of the instruments of comparison which will permit precise verification to within at least ten milimeters and ten miligrams of the limits of tolerance of the fundamental standards for the offices of the Departments or, of the second class, standards whose real value may therefore differ to the extent of 0.0001 from the latter. ARTICLE III. Each Government shall make its own regulations for the establishment and the use of the metric system in conformity with the basis set forth in the preceding articles. ARTICLE IV. Upon the approval of this Convention, the Governments of the signatory Republics shall make it obligatory in their schools to give instruction in the French metric system to the exclusion of any other system. Signed in San Salvador, the 3d day of February, 1910. (Signed) SALVADOR RODRÍGUEZ G. M. PÉREZ ALONSO. do Convention Concerning Central American Commerce. The Governments of the Republics of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala, to the end of fomenting international Central American commerce it not being possible for reasons peculiar to some of them to establish free trade have appointed as their Delegates: |