“ Nevertheless, the territorial power of the coast retains the right to stop, exceptionally and provisionally, the transit of improved arms and ammunition across its territory, if, in consequence of inland disturbances or other serious danger, there is ground for fearing lest the despatch of arms and ammunition may compromise its own safety. ”

“ When the officers in command of war-vessels of any of the signatory powers have reason to believe that a vessel whose tonnage is less than 500 tons, and which is found navigating in the above-named zone, is engaged in the slave-trade or is guilty of the fraudulent use of a flag, they may examine the ship's papers. ”

“ Independently of the repressive or protective action which they exercise in the centres of the slave-trade, it shall be the duty of the stations, cruisers and posts, whose establishment is provided for in Article II, and of all other stations established or recognized by Article IV, by each government in its possessions, to watch, so far as circumstances shall permit, and in proportion to the progress of their administrative organization, the roads traveled in their territory by slave-dealers, to stop convoys on their march, or to pursue them wherever their action can be legally exercised. ”

“ If, in performing the acts of supervision mentioned in the preceding articles, the officer in command of the cruiser is convinced that an act connected with the slave-trade has been committed on board during the passnge, or that irrefutable proofs exist against the captain, or fitter-out, for accusing him of fraudulent use of the flag, or fraud, or participation in the slave-trade, he shall conduct the arrested vessel to the nearest port of the zone where there is a competent magistrate of the power whose flag has been used. ”

“ No negro can be engaged as a seaman on a vessel without having previously been questioned by the authority of the power whose colors it carries, or, in default thereof, by the territorial authority, with a view to ascertaining the fact of his having contracted a free engagement. ”

“ Any person having incurred a penalty in consequence of an offence provided for by the present general act, shall incur the obligation of furnishing security before being able to engage in any commercial transaction in countries where the slave-trade is carried on. ”

“ The experience of all nations that have intercourse with Africa having shown the pernicious and preponderating part played by firearms in operations connected with the slave-trade as well as internal wars between the native tribes ”

“ In the possessions of each of the contracting powers, it shall be the duty of the government to protect liberated slaves, to return them, if possible, to their country, to procure means of subsistence for them, and, in particular, to take charge of the education and subsequent employment of abandoned children. ”

“ Independently of the measures directly taken by governments for the arming of the public force and the organization of their defence, individual exceptions may be allowed in the case of persons furnishing sufficient guarantees that the weapon and ammunition delivered to them shall not be given, assigned or sold to third parties, and for travelers provided with a declaration of their government stating that the weapon and ammunition are intended for their personal defence exclusively. ”

“ The diplomatic and consular agents and the naval officers of the contracting powers shall, within the limits of existing conventions, give their assistance to the local authorities in order to assist in repressing the slave-trade where it still exists. They shall be entitled to be present at trials for slave-trading brought about at their instance, without, however, being entitled to take part in the deliberations. ”

“ At each withdrawal of arms and ammunition of this kind for sale, the local authorities shall determine the regions in which such arms and ammunition may be sold. The regions in which the slave-trade is carried on shall always be excluded. Persons authorized to take arms or powder out of the public warehouses, shall present to the State government, every six months, detailed lists indicating the destinations of the arms and powder sold, as well as the quantities still remaining in the warehouses. ”

“ Caravans arriving at the coast or in its vicinity, as well as those arriving in the interior at a locality occupied by the territorial power, shall, on their arrival, be subjected to a minute inspection as to the persons composing them. Any such person being ascertained to have been captured or carried off by force, or mutilated, either in his native place or on the way, shall be set free. ”

“ The above-named fitters-out or owners of ships, as well as the captain of the vessel, shall prove that they enjoy a good reputation, and that in particular they have never been sentenced to punishment for acts connected with the slave-trade. ”

“ The Governments shall take all such measures as they may deem necessary to insure as complete a fulfilment as possible of the provisions respecting the importation, sale and transportation of fire-arms and ammunition, as well as to prevent either the entry or exit thereof via their inland frontiers, or the passage thereof to regions where the slave-trade is rife. ”

“ 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 States exercising sovereign powers or protectorates in Africa may in all cases delegate to companies provided with charters all or a portion of the engagements which they assume in virtue of Article III. They remain, nevertheless, directly responsible for the engagements which they contract by the present act, and guarantee the execution thereof. ”

“ The Representatives of the Powers acknowledged to the Minister of France the deposit of the ratification by the President of the French Republic, as well as the exception concerning Articles XXI, XXII, XXIII, and XLII to LXI.
It is understood that the Powers which have ratified the General Act in its entirety recognize that they are reciprocally bound with respect to all its clauses. ”

“ The passengers shall be questioned, and after it has been ascertained that they embarked of their own free will, they shall be entered in a special manifest, bearing the description of each of them alongside of his name, and specially sex and height. Negro children shall not be taken as passengers unless they are accompanied by their relations, or by persons whose respectability is well known. At the departure, the passenger roll shall be visaed by the aforesaid authority after it has been called. If there are no passengers on board, this shall be specially mentioned in the crew-list. ”

“ The gradual establishment in the interior, by the powers to which the territories are subject, of strongly occupied stations, in such a way as to make their protective or repressive action effectively felt in the territories devastated by slave hunting. ”

“ A strict watch shall be organized by the local authorities at the ports and places near the coast, with a view to preventing the sale and shipment of slaves brought from the interior, as well as the formation and departure landwards of bands of slave-hunters and dealers. ”

“ Being equally actuated by the firm intention of putting an end to the crimes and devastations engendered by the traffic in African slaves, of efficiently protecting the aboriginal population of Africa, and of securing for that vast continent the benefits of peace and civilization ”

“ At least one international bureau shall be created; it shall be established at Zanzibar. The high contracting parties engage to forward to it all the documents specified in Article XLI, as well as all information of any kind likely to assist in the suppression of the slave-trade. ”

“ Section II. Of the exchange between the Governments of documents and information relating to the slave-trade
Article LXXXI
The powers shall communicate to one another, to the fullest extent and with the least delay that they shall consider possible:
1. The text of the laws and administrative regulations, existing or enacted by application of the clauses of the present general act; 2. Statistical information concerning the slave-trade, slaves arrested and liberated, and the traffic in fire-arms, ammunition, and alcoholic liquors. ”

“ 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 construction of roads, and in particular of railways, connecting the advanced stations with the coast, and permitting easy access to the inland waters, and to such of the upper courses of the rivers and streams as are broken by rapids and cataracts, with a view to substituting economical and rapid means of transportation for the present system of carriage by men. ”

“ Each power shall determine the limits of the zone of prohibition of alcoholic liquors in its possessions or protectorates, and shall be bound to make known the limits thereof to the other powers within the space of six months. ”

“ The signatory powers engage to adopt all measures necessary to facilitate the speedy exchange of information calculated to lead to the discovery of persons taking part in operations connected with the slave-trade. ”

“ Penal provisions similar to those provided for by Article V shall be enacted against persons importing, transporting, and trading in African slaves, against the mutilators of male children or adults, and those who traffic in them, as well as against their associates and accomplices. ”

“ Lastly, it is clearly understood that, with regard to the Power which has ratified it partially, the matters forming the subject of Articles XLII to LXI shall continue, until a subsequent agreement, to be governed by the stipulations and agreements now in force. ”

“ In the districts of this zone where it shall be ascertained that, either on account of religious belief or from some other causes, the use of distilled liquors does not exist or has not been developed, the powers shall prohibit their importation. ”

“ All arms, in the cases provided for in the preceding paragraph, shall be registered and marked by the supervising authorities, who shall deliver to the persons in question permits to bear arms, stating the name of the bearer and showing the stamp with which the weapon is marked. ”

“ These regulations shall immediately be submitted to the approval of such signatory powers as shall have signified their intention of being represented in this office. They shall decide in this respect within the shortest possible time. ”

“ The capturing officer and the authority which has conducted the inquiry shall each appoint a referee within forty-eight hours, and the two arbitrators shall have twenty-four hours to choose an umpire. ”

“ Entered into force August 31, 1891; for the United States April 2, 1892 Proclaimed by the President of the United States April 2, 1892 Provisions relating to duties on spirituous liquors revised by conventions of June 8, 1899, [3] and November 3, 1906 [4] Replaced, as between contracting parties to the later conventions, by the convention of September 10, 1919, [5] revising the general acts of Berlin and Brussels (except for the stipulations contained in article 1 of the 1919 convention) and by the convention of the same date on the subject of the liquor traffic in Africa [6]
27 Stat. ”

“ In witness whereof, this Protocol has been drawn up, and a certified copy thereof will be sent by the Government of His Majesty the King of the Belgians to each of the other Powers that have ratified the General Act and the Declaration of July 2, 1890.
[For Germany:] Alvensleben [For Austria-Hungary:] R. Khevenhüller [For Belgium:] Lambermont E. Banning [For Denmark:] Schack de Brockdorff [For Spain:] J. G. de Aguëra [For the Congo:] Edm. ”