30 [ No. 99 HISTORY by a convention of November 8, 1884, which acknow ledged the right of the Association to the territories claimed. In return the Association promised to protect the property of German subjects, and to allow them free exercise of their religion and the rights of navigation , commerce, and industry. Further, these engagements extended to any cession of territory by the Association , and were to hold good, any subsequent transfer not withstanding. Great Britain followed suit on Decem ber 16 with a similar convention, but added the very important provision that British consular officers should be allowed to hold Consular Courts for the exercise of civil and criminal jurisdiction over British subjects within the Congo area . Conventions of recognition were also concluded with Italy, Austria -Hungary, Holland, Spain, Russia, Sweden and Norway, and Denmark, while on February 23, 1885, Belgium form ally recognized the Association . An agreement with France proved more difficult to arrange, but by dint of surrendering certain territories to the north of the Congo coveted by France, King Leopold persuaded the French Government to renounce their territorial claims on the south side of the Congo. Further, France promised her good offices in the dispute with Portugal. The Portuguese Government, therefore, abandoned by France and pressed by Great Britain , gave up its claim to both banks of the mouth of the Congo. On the north bank, however, she received an enclave at Cabinda which she valued especially as the origin of one of the royal titles . Further, Portuguese national honour was satisfied by the acquisition of Cape Padrone, on which the Portuguese explorer, Diogo Cão, had set up a stone pillar three hundred years earlier, and of the southern bank of the Congo 1 The United States had already (April 10, 1884) recognized the Association as a sovereign Power.