Executive Agreement Series No. 30
859A.8561/7
The Danish Minister (Wadsted) to the Secretary of State
Sir: In a note of November 24, 1930,1 to the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs the American Chargé d’Affaires in Copenhagen has inquired whether the Icelandic Government would be willing to enter into negotiations for a reciprocal agreement regarding load lines of vessels.
In reply the Minister for Foreign Affairs has informed the American Minister by a note of March 12, 19311 that the Government of Iceland would view with pleasure the conclusion of an agreement such as proposed by the Government of the United States. It was further stated in the latter note that there do not exist any special Icelandic laws and regulations concerning load lines of vessels, such lines being fixed for Icelandic vessels in conformity with the Danish provisions in force regarding load lines.
With reference to the above, I had the honor by my note of April 20, 1931,1 to inquire whether the Government of the United States would be ready for the intervening time until the International Convention regarding Load Lines concluded at London on July 5, 1930,2 shall come into force in both Iceland and the United States, to enter into an agreement to the effect of reciprocally recognizing the Danish load line laws and rules as applied to Icelandic vessels and the load line laws and rules of the United States to be equivalent and therefore until then also reciprocally to recognize the freeboard certificates of Iceland and the United States.
In reply you have informed this Legation by your note of August 25, 1931,1 that the United States’ Government is ready to enter into a reciprocal agreement as proposed. You have further added that the United States’ Government understands that the load line marks [Page 450] on the vessels of the United States and Iceland will be in accordance with the 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 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.
After having communicated this reply to the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, I now have the honor, according to instructions received, on behalf of the Government of Iceland to convey to you the following information:
The Icelandic 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 Icelandic Government concurs, subject to reciprocity, in the foregoing understandings.
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 rules as applied to Icelandic vessels and of the Icelandic freeboard certificates, and load line marks made on Icelandic vessels pursuant thereto.
It is understood that upon receipt of a note to that effect the proposed agreement will become effective as from the date of such note.
I have [etc.]