Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1906, (In two parts), Part II

The British Consul-General to the Secretary of Foreign Relations.

British Consulate-General,
Port au Prince, June 19, 1906.

Monsieur le Secrétaire d’Etat: In reply to the note of the 16th instant, which I have had the honor to receive from you on the subject of the word “étrangers,” in the first paragraph of Article VI of the treaty which I signed with Mr. Férère on the 6th April last regulating the question of nationality of British subjects and Haitian citizens in the territories of either country, respectively, I have now the honor to inform you that I have been authorized by His Majesty’s Government to state that the term “étrangers” (foreigners), as mentioned in Article VI of the treaty in question, is undersood to apply only to British subjects. I trust that this explanation on my part will make the interpretation of the word “étrangers” quite clear, and that the term as expressed in the treaty will, consequently, only apply to British subjects.

In your above-mentioned note, Monsieur le Secrétaire d’Etat, you call my attention “sur l’opportunité de préciser da vantage le sens et la portée de la convention intervenue entre vous et mon prédécesseur le 6 avril dernier, en remplaçant, dans le premier paragraphe de l’Article VI, le mot ‘étrangers’ par la désignation moins générate de sujets britanniques.”

I need scarcely observe that the treaty, having been accepted by Monsieur Férère, and signed by him, the text of Article VI, containing the word “étrangers” can not be altered and must stand exactly as the convention was signed, but I sincerely trust, Monsieur le Secrétaire d’Etat, that, after our recent conversations on the subject, the explanation I have now been authorized on the part of my Government to give you in writing as regards the word “étrangers “being intended only to apply to British subjects will be ample to prevent any doubtful reading of the text of the treaty as was signed by me and Monsieur Férère on the 6th April last.

I avail myself of this occasion to renew to you, Monsieur le Secrétaire d’Etat, the assurances of my highest consideration.

A. G. Vansittart.

Certificate of exchange of ratifications.

The undersigned having met together for the purpose of exchanging the ratifications of the “Convention in order to regulate the question of the nationality of British subjects and Haitian citizens in the territories of either country, respectively,” between His Excellency the President of the Republic of Haiti and His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India, signed at Port au Prince on the 6th day of April, 1906; and the respective ratifications of the said convention having been carefully compared, and found to be exactly conformable to each other, the said exchange took place this day in the usual form.

In witness whereof they have signed the present certificate and have affixed thereto the seal of their arms.

Done at Port au Prince, the 16th day of October, 1906.

• H. Pauléus Sannon.
• Arthur George Vansittart.