[Inclosure.—Translation.]
Decree of June 22, 1878, providing for the exemption from admeasurement of vessels belonging
to the United States of North America.
We, William III, by the grace of God, King of the Netherlands, Prince of
Orange-Nassau, Grand Duke of Luxemburg, &c., &c., &c., in
view of article 6 of the law of June 3, 1875 (Official Journal No. 101),
whereby we reserved to ourself the exemption from admeasurement in our
ports of vessels from countries in which the same system of
admeasurement is in use as in the Netherlands, on condition of
reciprocity and other necessary regulations; in view of our decree of
August 21, 1875 (Official journal No. 146); in consideration of the
proposal of our minister of finance of June 12, 1878, No. 9, import
duties and excises:
Whereas the system of admeasurement which has been adopted in the
Netherlands since January 1, 1876, has been in use in the United States
of America since January 1, 1885; and whereas vessels of the Netherlands
having a certificate of admeasurement according to the aforesaid system,
issued to them in the Netherlands, are exempted from admeasurement in
those States, under the necessary regulations;
Have decreed and do decree:
Article I.
Vessels belonging in the United States of North America, and having a
certificate of admeasurement issued since December 31, 1864, by the
competent authorities in those States, are hereby exempted from
admeasurement in the Netherlands.
Article II.
The capacity of the vessel stated in the aforesaid certificate of
admeasurement shall be recognized as valid, just as if such capacity had
been found by official measurement in the Netherlands.
Article III.
In the case of Article I of this decree, the captain of the vessel shall
nevertheless have the right to demand a Netherlands certificate of
admeasurement therefor, without being obliged to have the entire vessel
admeasured. In case of such demand, the mode of procedure shall be as
follows:
The capacity of the vessel as stated in the foreign certificate of
admeasurement shall be increased by the space occupied by the immovable
covered and closed compartments on the upper deck, which in the United
States are not included in the admeasurement.
The capacity thus increased shall be stated in the Netherlands
certificate of admeasurement as gross capacity.
The net capacity shall be determined in precisely
the same manner as in the admeasurement of vessels of the
Netherlands.
In the execution of the foregoing, the parts referred to of the vessel
shall be admeasured according to the regulations in force in the
Netherlands.
For the various operations provided for in this article no charges shall
be made. If, however, the captain shall request that his vessel be
readmeasured, the provisions of the last paragraph of article 35 of the
aforesaid decree shall be observed.
Article IV.
This decree shall take effect July 1, 1878.
Our minister of finance shall have charge of the execution of this
decree, which shall be inserted simultaneously in the Official Journal
and the State Courant.
WILLIAM.
Het
Loo, June 22,
1878.
The minister of finance.
GLEICHMAN.
Promulgated the 28th day of June, 1878.
The minister of justice.
H. J.
SCHMIDT.
