PORTS, WATERWAYS, AND RAILWAYS
SECTION XII
Germany is • required to grant freedom of transit, and full national treatment, to persons, goods, vessels, rolling stock, etc., coming from, ox - going to, any Allied or associated State and passing in transit, through German territories. Goods in transit arc to be free pf Customs duties. : Kates of transport are-to be: reasonable, and no charges or facilities are to depend, directly or indirectly, on the flag of a vessel. Provisions are made against discrimination, by control, of transmigrant- traffic, and all kinds, of indirect discrimination are prohibited. International transport is to bo expedited, particularly for perishable goods. There is to he no discrimina-. tiuu in transport charges and facilities against Allied ports. Free zones in German ports are to be maintained, and adequate facilities are to be provided for trade requirements without distinction of nationality. Only certain limited charges are permissible in free ports. The river Elbe, from the junction of tho Ylatava and the Oldau, and the Vltava below Prague, to the Oder from its confluence with the Oppa, the Niernan, below Grodno, and the -Danube below Ulm, are declared international, together with portions of their affluents. Nationals’ property and the flags of all States are to be treated on a tooting of perfect equality with the subjects, etc., of riparian States, and various conditions are imposed to ensure facilities at reasonable charges and the maintenance of navigation under the supervision of tho League of Nations and of International Commissions. . These are to meet in the near future to prepare projects for the revision of existing agreements which are temporarily to remain in force. Germany is to hand over, within three months from notification, a proportion of its river shipping, tugs, and mateIn the case of the Danube, the former Commission is to resume its prewar powers, but only Great Britain, France, Italy, and Koumania are to be represented on it. From the point where the competence of the Commission ceases, an International Commission is to bo appointed to administer the whole of the Upper Danube, until a definitive statute is arrived at. Provision is also made’for a deep-draught Rhine-Danubo canal, should it be decided to construct it within twenty-fivo l ears. Tho Rhine and the Moselle form tho subject of a special series of clauses. The Convention of 1868 is, in general, to remain in force, with important modifications. The Expanded Central Commission ■ is to sit at Straasburg, and France is to name the President. As Holland is a party to this Convention, the modifications are subject to her assent. Within three months Germany is to hand over to Franco a proportion of the tugs and river shipping from the Rhino harbours, or shares in German navigation companies. A proportion of the buildings, tugs, etc., owned by Germans in Rotterdam, in tho harbour on August Ist, 1914, or of shares in such concerns, is similarly to be handed over. Franco is to have full rights all along her own frontier to use water from the Rhine for canals, etc., and to carry out works for deriving motive power, subject to certain payments, and to the consent of the Commission. Germany is to undertake to make no canals on tho right bank, opposite tho French frontier, and to grant _ to France certain privileges on tho right bank, for the establishment of certain^
engineering works, subject to the payment of compensation. Switzerland is also entitled to demand similar rights for the upper part of. the river. If within twenty-iivo years Belgium has decided to construct a Rhine-Meuse canal, the German Government is to bo bound to construct such parts of it as fall within German territory, according to plans drawn uji by the Belgian Government, the expenses to bo divided among the various States. Germany is to make no objection to the Commission expending its jurisdiction, if desired, to the Lower Moselle, with the consent of the Luxemburg Government ; to the Upper Rhine, with the consent of the Swiss Government, and to lateral canals and waterways whicn may bo constructed to Improve navigation. Tile German Government is to lease to the Czecho-Slovak Republic, for ninety-nine years, areas in the harbours of Hamburg and Stettin as free zones. RAILWAYS. The railway clauses provide that the goods consigned from, or to, Allied States to or from Germany, or in transit through Germany, aro entitled, generally, to the most favourable conditions available. Certain railway tariff questions axe dealt with. AVhon «• new Railway Convention has replaced the Berne Convention of 18150, it will be binding on Germany. Meantime she is to follow the Berne _ Convention. Germany Is to co-operate in the establishment of passenger and luggage services, with direct hooking between Allied States, over her territory, under favourable conditions, as welt as emigrant train services. Germany is to fit her rolling stock with apparatus to allow of its being incorporated with Allied goods trains, and vice versa, without Interfering with the brake system. Provision is made for handing, over the installations of lines in transferred territory, and of an equitable proportion of rolling stock for use pn them. Commissions are to settle the working of the lines linking ■up two parts of one country and crossing another, or branch lines passing from one country to another. In the absence of particular agreements, Germany is to allow such lines to be built or improved, as may ho necessary to ensure good services between one Allied State and another, if called upon to do so within twenty-five years, with the concurrence of the League of Nations, the Allied: States concerned paying ■ the cost. Germany is to agree, at the request of the Swiss and Italian Governments, to the denunciation of - the 1909 Convention, as to the St. Gothard route. As a temporary arrangement Germany Is to execute instructions giveiy in this name of the Allies as to the transport of troops, material, munitions, etc., the transport for revictualling certain regions, and the re-establishment of normal transport and coastal telegraphic sevlces. Finally, Germany is to agr<*e to subscribe to any general _ Conventions regarding the international regime of transit on waterways, ports, or railways which may be concluded by the Allies with the approval of the League of Nations within five years. ■ Differences are ,to..be .settled: by theLeague of Nations .iu;oertaln;!Specif|edarticles. For example, those providing for equal treatment in the matters -of transit and transport are subject to revision by the League of Nations after five years, and failing revision, they will only continue in force in relation to any Allied State which grants reciprocal treatment. , KIEL CANAL. The Kiel Canal is to remain free, and open to the ships - of war Afid'’m‘b]rblyMifc : shipping of all nations at peace vffth Germany. The goods and ships of‘all States are to be, treated on terms of equality in the use of the Canal, the charges are to he limited! to tljose necessary tor the upkeep and improvement of the Canal, for which Germany is to be responsible. In cases of violation of these provisions or disagreements as to them, the States condensed may aopeftl to the jurisdiction established ’ by’ the Leaguer of Nations, and may demand the appointment of an International Commission.
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New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10276, 10 May 1919, Page 7
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1,198PORTS, WATERWAYS, AND RAILWAYS New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10276, 10 May 1919, Page 7
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