Executive Agreement Series No. 29
859.8561/7
The Danish Minister (Wadsted) to the Secretary of State
Sir: By a note of November 4, 1930,13 my predecessor had the honor to address himself to you with an inquiry as to whether the United States Government would be ready to enter into a reciprocal load line agreement with the Danish Government which should remain effective pending the coming into force in the two countries of the International Load Line Convention concluded at London on July 5, 1930,14 and whereby the Governments of Denmark and the United States would each recognize as equivalent the load line laws and regulations of the other and, therefore, their respective freeboard certificates of the marking of merchant vessels.
In reply you have by a note of August 25, 1931,13 informed this Legation that the Government of the United States is ready to conclude such a reciprocal agreement. You have further added that the Government of the United States understands that the load line marks made under authority of the two Governments will be in accordance with load line certificates; that the hull and superstructures of the vessel certificated will not have been so materially altered since the issuance of the certificates as to affect the calculations on [Page 174] which the load line was based, and that alterations will not have been made so that the
- (1)
- Protection of openings,
- (2)
- Guard Rails,
- (3)
- Freeing Ports,
- (4)
- Means of Access to Crews Quarters,
have made the vessel manifestly unfit to proceed to sea without danger to human life.
Having submitted this reply to my Government, I am now instructed to convey to you the following information: The Danish Government is ready to give full recognition, for the time until the International Load Line Convention mentioned above shall come into force in both countries, to the load line rules and regulations of the Government of the United States and to the certificates and load line marks made on American merchant vessels pursuant thereto. In giving such recognition the Danish Government concurs, subject to reciprocity, in the foregoing understandings. I am, however, instructed to draw your attention to the fact that since the beginning of the negotiations regarding this temporary agreement the Danish rules concerning freeboard have undergone the following modification:
A provisional notification16 dealing with the application to Danish Ships of the International Load Line Convention of July 5, 1930, has been issued by the Danish Ministry of Shipping and Fisheries on July 8, 1931. Pursuant to this Notification of which this Legation had the honor to forward to you a copy by a note of August 13, 1931,17 Danish ships in international trade have already been permitted to obtain freeboard and load line certificates in accordance with the above quoted International Load Line Convention, which has been ratified by Denmark on July 30, 1931. The Danish Government assumes that also such certificates issued in accordance with the said Convention will be recognized in the United States pending the coming into force in both countries of the Convention.
I have the honor to request that you will be good enough to confirm the full recognition of the Government of the United States for the period mentioned above of the Danish load line laws and regulations and the Danish freeboard certificates of the marking of merchant vessels, including the certificates issued pursuant to the [Page 175] foregoing Provisional Notification of July 8, 1931, and of load line marks made on Danish vessels pursuant thereto.
It is understood that upon the receipt of a note to that effect the proposed agreement will become effective as from the date of such note.
I have [etc.]