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LIQUOR TRAFFIC IN AFRICA—NOVEMBER 3, 1906
553

Mr. Tomaz-Antonio Garcia Rosado, Lieutenant-Colonel on the General Staff, Member of His Council and His Honorary Artillery Officer;

His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias,

Mr. N. de Giers, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary near His Majesty the King of the Belgians;

His Majesty the King of Sweden,

Gustave M. M. Baron Falkenberg, His Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary near His Majesty the King of the Belgians;

Who, vested with powers in good and due form, have adopted the following provisions:

Article I

From the putting into operation of this Convention, the import duty on spirits shall be advanced throughout the zone wherein the prohibition régime contemplated in Article XCI of the General Act of Brussels does not exist, to the rate of 100 francs per hectolitre at 50 centesimal degrees.

It is however agreed in regard to Erythrea that the duty may be not more than 70 francs per hectolitre at 50 centesimal degrees, the excess being in a general and continuous way represented by the aggregate of other duties existing in that colony.

The import duty shall be proportionally increased for each degree above 50 centesimal degrees; it may be proportionally decreased for each degree below 50 centesimal degrees.

The Powers retain the right to maintain and advance the tax beyond the minimum fixed by this article in the regions where they now have that right.

Article II

As a consequence of Article XCIII of the General Act of Brussels, distilled beverages made within the regions contemplated in Article XCII of the said General Act and intended for consumption therein, shall be subjected to an excise duty.

This excise duty which the Powers engage to collect as far as practicable shall not be less than the minimum import duty fixed by article I of this Convention.

It is however agreed, in regard to Angola, that the Portuguese Government will be at liberty, with a view to effect the gradual and complete transformation of distilleries into sugar factories, to take out of the proceeds of the said 100 francs duty a sum of 30 francs which would be allowed to the producers on condition that they shall, under the Portuguese Government's supervision carry out the said transformation.

If the Portuguese Government should avail itself of this liberty, the number of distilleries in operation and the producing power of each should not