A.—2a

4

(Note. —A declaration has been signed by the Allied delegates and handed to the German delegates to the effect that in the event of ships not being handed over owing to the mutinous state of the Fleet, the Allies reserve the right to occupy Heligoland as an advanced base to enable them to enforce the terms of Armistice. The German delegates have on their part signed a declaration that they will recommend the Chancellor to accept this.) 24. The Allies and the United States of America shall have the right to sweep up all minefields and obstructions laid by Germany outside German territorial waters, and the positions of these arc to be indicated. 25. Freedom of access to and from the Baltic to be given to the Naval and Mercantile Marines of the Allies and Associated Powers. To secure this the Allies and the United States of America shall be empowered to occupy all German ports, fortifications, batteries, and defence works of all kinds in all the entrances from the Cattegat into the Baltic, and to sweep up all mines and obstructions within and without German territorial waters without any questions of neutrality being raised, and the positions of all such mines and obstructions are to be indicated. 26: The existing blockade conditions set up by the Allied and Associated Powers are to remain unchanged, and all German merchant ships found at sea are to remain liable to capture. The Allies and United States contemplate the provisioning of Germany during the Armistice as shall be found necessary. 27. All Naval aircraft are to be concentrated and immobilized in German bases to be specified by the Allies and the United States of America. 28. In evacuating Belgian coasts and ports Germany shall abandon all merchant ships, tugs, lighters, cranes, and all other harbour materials, all materials for inland navigation, all aircraft and air materials and stores, all arms and armaments, and all stores and apparatus of all kinds 29. All Black Sea ports are to be evacuated by Germany. All Russian warships of all descriptions seized by Germany in the Black Sea are to be handed over to the Allies and the United States of America. All neutral merchant ships seized are to be released. All warlike and other materials of all kinds seized in those ports are to be returned, and German materials as specified in clause 28 are to be abandoned. 30. Ail merchant ships in German hands belonging to the Allies and Associated Powers are to be restored in ports to be specified by the Allies and the States of America without reciprocity. 31. No destruction of ships cr materials to be permitted before evacuation, surrender, or restoration. 32. The German Government shall formally notify the neutral Governments of the world, and particularly the Governments of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Holland, that all restrictions placed on the trading of their vessels with the Allied and associated countries, whether by the German Government or by private German interests, and whether in return for specific concessions such as the export of shipbuilding materials or not, are immediately cancelled. 33. No transfers of German merchant shipping of any description to any neutral flag are to take place after signature of the Armistice. F. Duration of Armistice. 34. The duration of the Armistice is to be thirty-six days, with option to extend. During this period, on failure of execution of any of the above clauses, the Armistice may be denounced by one of the contracting parties on thirty-eight hours' previous notice. G. Time-limit for Reply. 35. This Armistice to be accepted or refused by Germany within seventytwo hours of notification. LONG.

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