120 [No. 99 APPENDIX Declaration of Her Britannic Majesty's Government. The Government of Her Britannic Majesty declare their sympathy with , and their approval of , the humane and bene volent purposes of the Association , and hereby recognize the flag of the Association and of the Free States under its admini stration as the flag of a friendly Government.

IB > EXTRACTS FROM THE CONVENTION BETWEEN HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND THE INTERNATIONAL Asso CIATION OF THE CONGO , DECEMBER 16, 1884 ART . V. Every British Consul or Consular Officer within the said territories who shall be thereunto duly authorized by Her Britannic Majesty's Government may hold a Consular Court for the district assigned to him, and shall exercise sole and exclusive jurisdiction, both civil and criminal, over the persons and property of British subjects within the same, in accordance with British law .

ART . VI . Nothing in the last preceding article contained shall be deemed to relieve any British subject from the obligation to observe the laws of the said Free States applicable to foreigners, but any infraction thereof by a British subject shall be justiciable only by a British Consular Court.

[These advantages belong by express grant to Italy, France, Austria -Hungary, Denmark, Portugal, and Russia, and by most -favoured -nation clauses to the United States, Germany , Spain , Norway and Sweden, and Holland ; the operation of Art. VI is conditional on Art . V being put in effect by the erection of such courts ; otherwise the territorial jurisdiction applies , and in the absence of the courts has always been exercised .] ART . X. In the case of the Association being desirous to cede any portion of the territory now or hereafter under its govern ment , it shall not cede itjotherwise than as subject to all the en gagements contracted by the Association under this convention . Those engagements and the rights thereby accorded to British subjects shall continue to be in vigour after every cession made to any new occupant of any portion of the said territory .