Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, For the Year 1887, Transmitted to Congress, With a Message of the President, June 26, 1888
No. 224.
Mr. Mclane
to Mr. Bayard
.
Paris , October 20, 1886. (Received November 2.)
Sir: I have the honor to send herewith two printed copies of the treaty between France and certain native tribes of Lberia, referred to in Mr. Vignaud’s dispatch No. 267, of August 23.
I have, etc.,
[Ministry of Marino and of the Colonies.—Service of the Colonies.—Colonial Archives.—Depot of Public Papers of the Colonies, created by edict of the month of June, 1776.—Extract from the documents preserved in the Colonial Archives.—French Empire.—Naval Division of the Western Coasts of Africa.]
Treaty entered into with Mané, King of Little-Bériby; Rika, King of Basha; and Damba Gué, King of Grand Bériby.
Mané King of Little Bériby; Couba; Ms brother and successor; Rika, King of Basha and Bassa-Wappoo; Damba-Gué, King of Grand-Bériby, and all the chiefs of the countries subject to their authority, having manifested their desire to open commercial relations with France, and, to that end, ask to place themselves under the sovereignty of His Majesty Napoleon III, Emperor of the French.
We, Crespin (François-Eugene), lieutenant of marine, commanding the steam advice-boat The Renaudin, acting conformably to the instructions of Viscount Fleuriot de Langle, rear-admiral, commander-in-chief of the naval division of the western coasts of Africa, and commandant superior of the establishments On the Gold Coast and the Gaboon, have concluded, in the name of His Majesty the Emperor, and in presence of the undersigned witnesses, with the aforesaid Kings, of Little Bériby, of Basha, and of Grand Bériby, the treaty of the following tenor:
Article 1.
The King of Little Bériby, the King of Basha, and the King of Grand Bériby cede to His Majesty the Emperor of the French the full and entire sovereignty of ail the territory subject to their authority, comprehended between Point Basha on the west to the river Nahno, at the head of the Bay of Grand Bériby, on the east. The French shall then have alone the right to raise their flag and to create all the establishments or fortifications they shall judge useful or necessary, in buying the lands of the actual proprietors.
Article 2.
The Kings engage, moreover, to cede gratuitously and in full to France, when they are requested by the captain of the man-of-war which shall have received the permission, the land necessary (at least 2 square miles) for the creation of military establishments which will be necessary when the French Government shall give orders for the occupation of the country. The captain, furnished with orders to establish the office, shall be free to choose the place which shall seem to him most convenient to set up this establishment.
[Page 272]Article 3.
The Kings cannot form any alliance or make any treaty with foreign powers, this right remaining vested in His Majesty the Emperor of the French or in agents whom he shall be pleased to designate. Consequently, no nation will have the right to found establishments of any kind in the country without having previously obtained permission of the French Government.
In case the captain of a man-of-war or of a foreign merchantman should take steps towards obtaining from the Kings any concession for himself or his countrymen, the present treaty shall be communicated to him that he may know of the engagements made with France.
Article 4.
Peaceable frequenting of the whole country subject to the authority of the aforesaid Kings and the free navigation of all the water-courses traversing it, are secured to the French, as well the free trade in all the products of the country itself as of those which are imported into it from the interior.
The Kings and all the people they govern, bind themselves in fact to act in good faith in regard to the French, to cause them to be respected in their person and their property or merchandise in all parts of the territory they shall be pleased to visit.
French merchantmen shall be equally respected and protected, if necessary.
If one of them is shipwrecked, a donation not to exceed a third of the objects saved shall be given to the natives who shall assist in the salvage.
Article 5.
If any difficulty arises between the traders and the natives, it shall be decided by the commander of the first French war vessel coming to the country, and prompt justice will be meted to the offenders, whoever they may be, Europeans or natives.
Article 6.
In exchange for these concessions the protection of French men-of-war will be accorded to the Kings and their subjects against any aggression from any nation whatever.
As evidence of this protection and proof of the subjection of the Kingsto His Majesty the Emperor of the French and their faithfulness in observing the clauses of the present treaty, the Kings should raise the French Hag every time a vessel of war or a merchantman, of whatever nation, shall come to anchor, so that the French authority shall become established in the country.
Article 7.
The present treaty shall take effect dating from this very day, as to the stipulated dominions, or else the signatory powers expose their country to all the rigors of war made upon them by the French war vessels as a consequence of their bad faith.
Besides, it will not be binding upon the French until after the ratification by His Majesty the Emperor of the French, their sovereign.
Done in triplicate, of which one has been left in the hands of each King after its having been read to him and giving him a translation on board the steam advice boat the Renaudin, at anchor in Little Bériby, the 4th February, 1868.
The Kings of Little Bériby, of Bassa, and of Grand Bériby, not knowing how to sign, have authorized William Moosis Owa, nephew of the King of Little Bériby, and acting as interpreter, to sign in their name.
Lieutenant, Commanding the ship Renaudin.
Witnesses: