Convention between Great Britain and the Netherlands for an Interchange of Territory on the Gold Coast of Africa
His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, and Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, being of opinion that an interchange of territory on the West Coast of Africa would conduce to their mutual advantage, and would promote the interests of the inhabitants, have resolved to conclude a convention for that purpose, and have therefore named as Their Plenipotentiaries, that is tho say:
His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, monsieur ADOLPH baron BENTINCK, Commander of the order of the Netherland Lion, Knight-Grand-Cross of the order of the Oaken Crown, Chamberlain to His Majesty, His Minister of State, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of St. James; and Monsieur CORNELIS JOHANNES MARIUS NAGTGLAS, Knight of the order of the Netherland Lion, ex-Governor at Saint George d'Elmina;
and Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable HENRY HOWARD MOLINEUX, Earl of Carnarvon, Lord Porchester, a Peer of the United Kingdom, a membre of Her Britannic Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council, Her Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies; and the Right Honourable EDWARD HENRY STANLEY (commonly called Lord STANLEY), a member of Her Britannic Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council, a member of Parliament, Her Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,
who after having communicated to each, other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following articles:
Art. 1.[edit]
His Majesty the King of the Netherlands cedes to Her Britannic Majesty all Netherlands forts, possessions, and rights of sovereignty or jurisdiction, which he possesses on the Gold Coast to the eastward of the mouth of the Sweet River, where Their respective territories are conterminous; and Her Britannic Majesty cedes to His Majesty the King of the Netherlands all British forts, possessions, and rights of sovereignty or jurisdiction, which She possesses on the Gold Coast to the westward of the mouth of the Sweet River, where their respective territories are conterminous.
The boundaries between the possessions of His Majesty the King of the Netherlands and those of Her Britannic Majesty will be a line drawn true North from the centre of the mouth of the Sweet River, as far as the boundary of the present Ashantic Kingdom, but with such deviations within three English miles of the Coast, as shall be necessary to retain within Netherland territory any villages, which have been in habitual dependance on the Netherland Government at St. George d'Elmina, and within British territory any villages which have been in habitual dependance on the British Government at Cape Coast.
Art. 2.[edit]
The two High contracting Parties agree that the following tariff of duties of customs shall be enforced in Their respective possessions upon the Gold Coast.
| On the Netherland possessions | On the British possessions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ale, beer, wine, and all spirits or spirituous liquors | per litre | eight cents | per old wine gallon | six pence |
| Cigars, snuff or tobacco in any shape | per kilogramme | ten cents | per pound | one penny |
| Gunpowder | per kilogramme | ten cents | per pound | one penny |
| Fire arms of any description | each | sixty cents | each | one shilling |
| On all goods of every other kinds | An ad valorem duty of three per cent on the invoice price | |||
Art. 3.[edit]
In order to prevent frauds in the importation of goods, the high contracting Parties engage to empower the officers of their respective customs on the Gold Coast, to require the masters of vessels to make declaration of the nature, quantity, and value of any goods which they may be allowed to land.
If the officers of customs shall be of opinion that the value so to be declared is insufficiënt, they shall be at liberty to take the goods on public account, on paying to the importer the amount of his valuation, with the addition of ten percent thereon, and returning any duty which may have been already paid.
Art. 4.[edit]
The tariff of customs duties specified in art. 2, shall be put into operation from and after a day to be agreed upon between the two Governments, and shall remain in force for a period of ten years; and further until the expiration of twelve months after either of the two contracting Parties shall have given notice to the other of its desire for a revision or termination thereof.
Art. 5.[edit]
The tariff of customs duties may be enforced or relaxed by the local authorities at their own discretion, or according to the orders of their respective Governments, in respect of articles imported for the use of those authorities, or for the personal use and consumption of officers in the actual service of the Government.
Art. 6.[edit]
The mutual transfer of forts, possessions, and rights of sovereignty or jurisdiction, stipulated in art. 1 of the present convention, is dependent upon and subject to the establishment of the proposed tariff, and shall not take effect until the Government of each country shall have procured the exactment of any laws or regulations necessary in order to establish that tariff for the term and under the conditions herein before described, and shall have actually put the same into operation.
Art. 7.[edit]
After the transfer alluded to in the foregoing article shall have been made, a map shall be drawn of the new boundary division according to the terms of art. 1. Two copies of the said map, duly attested by the Governments on either side, shall then be appended to this convention for the purpose of showing the boundary, which shall undergo no alteration, even should any of the villages mentioned at the end of art. 1, be subsequently abandoned, or the tariff be modified or withdrawn.
Art. 8.[edit]
The present convention after receiving, so far as may be necessary, the approval of the legislative authorities, shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at London within a period of four months, or sooner if possible.
In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the seals of their arms.
Done at London, the fifth day of March, in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty seven.
| (L. S.) | (Signed) | BENTINCK. |
| C.J.M. NAGTGLAS. | ||
| CARNARVON. | ||
| STANLEY. |