in the aforesaid note, I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that the provisions contained in Articles XXX to XLI of the Brussels General Act will be readily applied by the Government of the Republic in the territory of Obock and, as necessary, in the Island of Madagascar and the Comoro Islands.
"Accept, Excellency, the assurances of my high consideration.
(Signed) "A. Bourée
"His Excellency
Prince de Chimay,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, etc., etc., etc."
His Excellency Baron Gericke de Herwynen stated, in the name of his Government, that, in signing the Protocol today, he was obliged to call attention to the fact that the constitutional provisions governing the Netherlands require that this Protocol be approved by the States-General. Since it had not been possible to request its approval before January 2, the Government of the Queen Regent intended to take care of the matter at the next session of the First and Second Chambers.
The statement of the Minister of the Netherlands was acknowledged to him.
After examination, the ratifications by His Majesty the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, the President of the French Republic, His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, and His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans were found to be in good and due form. According to the provisions of Article XCIX, these documents, together with the instruments of ratification delivered on July 2, 1891, will be deposited in the archives of the Government of the Kingdom of Belgium.
The Representatives of the Powers gave the Representative of Belgium official confirmation of that deposit.
His Excellency M. d'Antas stated that, since the circumstances had not permitted the Portuguese upper and lower chambers to make a decision on the General Act and the Declaration of July 2, 1890, he had been instructed by his Government to request that the Protocol remain open for the deposit of the ratifications by His Very Faithful Majesty until February 2, 1892.
The Assembly approved the extension of the time limit proposed by the Minister of Portugal.
In witness whereof, this Protocol has been drawn up, and a certified copy thereof will be transmitted by the Government of His Majesty the King of the Belgiums to each of the other Powers that have signed the General Act and the Declaration of July 2, 1890.
Done at Brussels on January 2, 1892.
