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  4. Document 7

No. 7.
Mr. Tree to Mr. Bayard.

Legation of the United States,
Brussels , November 24, 1885. (Received December 7.)
No. 20.]

Sir: Mr. Edward van Eetvelde, administrator-general of the department of foreign affairs of the Independent Free State of the Congo, presented me to-day with a few specimens of postal cards and international letter stamps, which his Government is about to issue, and which I have the honor to inclose herewith.*

He informed me at the same time that the postal service of the Independent Free State of the Congo would be in operation by the 1st of January next. He also said that his Government intended to immediately [Page 14] establish a registry of births and deaths at four points in the country, namely, at Banana, Vivi, Leopoldville, and Stanley Pool, and that a decree to that effect had been already signed by Leopold, the Sovereign of that State.

I have, &c.,

LAMBERT TREE
  1. Originals sent to Postmaster-General.↩