registry or other national papers, and thereupon it shall no longer be necessary for such ships to be re-measured in any port or place in Her Majesty's dominions, but such ships shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in their certificates of registry or other papers, in the same manner, to the same extent, and for the same purposes in, to, and for which the tonnage denoted in the certificate of registry of British ships is to be deemed the tonnage of such ships:

And whereas it has been made to appear to Her Majesty that the rules concerning the measurement of tonnage of merchant-ships now in force under "The Merchant Shipping Act, 1854,"* have been adopted by the Government of His Majesty the King of Spain, with the exception of a difference in the mode in certain steamers of estimating the allowance for engine-room, and such rules are now in force in that country, having come into operation on the 2nd day of December, 1874:

Her Majesty is hereby pleased, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, to direct as follows:

1. As regards sailing-ships: that merchant sailing-ships to Spain, the measurement whereof, after the said 2nd day of December, 1874, has been ascertained and denoted in the registers and other national papers of such sailing-ships, testified by the date thereof, shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in such registers and other national papers in the same manner, and to the same extent, and for the same purpose in, to, and for which the tonnage denoted in the certificate of registry of British sailing-ships is deemed to be the tonnage of such ships.

2. As regards steam-ships: that merchant-ships belonging to Spain which are propelled by steam, or any other power requiring engine-room, the measurement whereof shall, after the said 2nd day of December, 1874, have been ascertained and denoted in the registers and other national papers of such steam-ships, testified by the dates thereof, shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in such registers or other national papers in the same manner, and to the same extent, and for the same purpose in, to, and for which the tonnage denoted in the certificate of registry of British ships is deemed to be the tonnage of such ships; provided, nevertheless, that if the owner or master of any such Spanish steam-ship desires the deduction for engine-room in his ships to be estimated under the rules for engine-room, measurement, and deduction applicable to British ships instead of under the Spanish rule, the engine-room shall be measured and the deduction calculated according to the British rules.

EDMUND HARRISON.

* 17 & 18 Vict., c. 104, §§ 21 to 29. Vol. XLV. Page 1347.

BRITISH ORDER IN COUNCIL, delaying until January 1, 1876, the extension of the British System of Tonnage Measurement to Spanish Vessels.-Osborne, August 5, 1875.

At the Court at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, the 5th day of August, 1875.

PRESENT: THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.

WHEREAS by an Order in Council dated the 17th day of March, 1875, Her Majesty, acting in exercise of the powers conferred upon Her by "The Merchant Shipping Act Amendment Act, 1862," was pleased to make certain regulations as to the measurement of merchant-ships of the Kingdom of Spain, the ascertainment of the tonnage thereof, and otherwise incident thereto :

And whereas it has been made to appear to Her Majesty that it is expedient that the operation of the said recited Order in Council should be suspended until the 1st day of January, 1876:

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, is hereby pleased to direct that the operation of the said recited Order of the 17th day of March, 1875, shall be, and the same is hereby, suspended until the 1st day of January, 1876, when the same shall come into operation.

C. L. PEEL.

BRITISH ORDER IN COUNCIL, extending the System of British Tonnage Measurement to Netherland Vessels.-Balmoral, October 26, 1875.

At the Court at Balmoral, the 26th day of October, 1875. PRESENT: THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.

WHEREAS by "The Merchant Shipping Act Amendment Act, 1862," it is enacted that, whenever it is made to appear to Her Majesty that the rules concerning the measurement of tonnage of merchant-ships for the time being in force under the principal Act have been adopted by the Government of any foreign country, and are in force in that country, it shall be lawful for Her Majesty, by Order in Council, to direct that the ships of such foreign country shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in their certificates of registry or other national papers, and thereupon it shall be no longer necessary for such ships to be re-measured in any port or place in * Page 557. +25 & 26 Vict., c. 63, § 60.

Her Majesty's dominions, but such ships shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in their certificates of registry or other papers, in the same manner, to the same extent, and for the same purposes in, to, and for which the tonnage denoted in the certificate of registry of British ships is to be deemed the tonnage of such ships:

And whereas it has been made to appear to Her Majesty that the rules concerning the measurement of tonnage of merchant-ships now in force under "The Merchant Shipping Act, 1854,"* have been adopted by the Government of His Majesty the King of the Netherlands with the exception of a difference in the mode in certain steamers of estimating the allowance for engine-room, and such rules are now in force in that country, having come into operation on the 1st day of January, 1876:

Her Majesty is hereby pleased, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, to direct as follows:

1. As regards sailing-ships: that merchant sailing-ships of the said Kingdom of the Netherlands, the measurement whereof, after the said 1st day of January, 1876, has been ascertained and denoted in the registers and other national papers of such sailing-ships, testified by the date thereof, shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in such registers and other national papers, in the same manner, and to the same extent, and for the same purpose in, to, and for which the tonnage denoted in the certificate of registry of British sailing-ships is deemed to be the tonnage of such ships.

2. As regards steam-ships: that merchant-ships belonging to the said Kingdom of the Netherlands which are propelled by steam or any other power requiring engine-room, the measurement whereof shall, after the said 1st day of January, 1876, have been ascertained and denoted in the registers and other national papers of such steam-ships, testified by the dates thereof, shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in such registers or other national papers, in the same manner, and to the same extent, and for the same purpose in, to, and for which the tonnage denoted in the certificate of registry of British ships is deemed to be the tonnage of such ships: Provided, nevertheless, that if the owner or master of any Dutch steam-ship desires the deduction for engine-room in his ships to be estimated under the rules for engine-room, measurement, and deduction applicable to British ships instead of under the Dutch rule, the engine-room shall be measured and the deduction calculated according to the British rules.

EDMUND HARRISON.

* 17 & 18 Vict., cap. 104, §§ 21 to 29. Vol. XLV. Page 1347.

ADDITIONAL POSTAL CONVENTION between the United States of America and the Government of New South Wales. Signed at Sydney, June 1, 1875, and at Washington, July 20, 1875.

AMENDED ARTICLE to replace Article III of the Postal Convention between the United States of America and the Government of New South Wales, signed at Washington, the 15th day of January, A.D. 1874.*

The Undersigned, being thereunto duly authorized by their respective Governments, have agreed to replace Article III of the Postal Convention of 15th January, 1874, by the following Article :

:

ART. III. No accounts shall be kept between the Post Departments of the two countries upon the international correspondence, written or printed, exchanged between them, but each country shall retain to its own use the postage which it collects.

The single rate of international letter postage shall be 12 cents in the United States, and 6d. in New South Wales, on each letter weighing half an ounce or less, and an additional rate of 12 cents (6d.) for each single weight of half an ounce or fraction thereof, which shall in all cases be prepaid, at least one single rate, by means of postage stamps, at the office of mailing in either country. Letters unpaid or prepaid less than one full rate of postage shall not be forwarded, but insufficiently paid letters, on which a single rate or more has been prepaid, shall be forwarded, charged with the deficient postage, to be collected and retained by the Post Department of the country of destination.

The United States Post Office shall levy and collect to its own use, on newspapers addressed to New South Wales, a postage charge of 2 cents, and on all other articles of printed matter, patterns, and samples of merchandize addressed to New South Wales, a postage charge of 4 cents per each weight of 4 ounces or fraction of 4 ounces.

The Post Office of New South Wales shall levy and collect to its own use, on newspapers and other articles of printed matter, patterns and samples of merchandize addressed to the United States, the regular rates of domestic postage chargeable thereon by the laws and regulations of the Colony of New South Wales.

Letters, newspapers, and other articles of printed matter, patterns, and samples of merchandize fully prepaid, which may be received in either country from the other, shall be delivered free of all charge whatever.

Newspapers and all other kind of printed matter, and patterns * Vol. LXV. Page 1312.

and samples of merchandize, are to be subject to the laws and regulations of each country respectively, in regard to their liability to be rated with letter postage when containing written matter, or for any other cause specified in said laws and regulations, as well as in regard to their liability to customs duty under the revenue laws. The provisions of this amended Article shall be carried into operation on the 1st of July, A.D. 1875.

Done in duplicate and signed at Sydney, the 1st day of June, 1875, and at Washington, the 20th day of July, A.D. 1875.

(L.S.) J. F. BURNS, Postmaster-General of

New South Wales.

(L.S.) MARSHALL JEWELL, PostmasterGeneral of the United States.

I hereby approve the aforegoing amended Article, and in testimony thereof I have caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. (L.S.) U. S. GRANT.

By the President:

HAMILTON FISH, Secretary of State. Washington, July 29, 1875.

CONVENTION between the Argentine Republic, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, [Brazil,*] Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Peru, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, United States, and Venezuela, respecting the creation of an International Office of Weights and Measures. -Signed at Paris, May 20, 1875.

[Ratifications (between some of the Parties*) exchanged at Paris, December 20, 1875.]

SA Majesté le Roi des Belges, Sa Majesté l'Empereur d'Allemagne, Sa Majesté l'Empereur d'Autriche-Hongrie, Sa Majesté l'Empereur du Brésil, Son Excellence le Président de la Confédération Argentine, Sa Majesté le Roi de Danemark, Sa Majesté le Roi d'Espagne, Son Excellence le Président des États-Unis d'Amérique, Son Excellence le Président de la République Française, Sa Majesté le Roi d'Italie, Son Excellence le Président de la République du Pérou, Sa Majesté le Roi de Portugal et des Algarves, Sa Majesté l'Empereur de Toutes les Russies, Sa Majesté le Roi de Suède et de Norvége, Son Excellence le Président de la Confédération Suisse, Sa Majesté l'Empereur des Ottomans, et Son Excellence le Président

* See Procès-Verbal of December 20, 1875. Page 674.