soient bien déterminées et contrôlées avec efficacité, est d'une nécessité inéluctable pour tout pays qui veut être assuré de son progrès et de son bien-être. Vous aurez donc à vous occuper de l'organisation sérieuse et pratique des communes rurales et urbaines du service des notaires de village, ainsi que des conseils districtuels. Pour compléter l'organisation de l'instruction publique, com mencée la Session dernière par le vote de la Loi sur l'enseignement primaire, de la Loi sur la construction d'écoles primaires et la Loi relative à la création de la caisse des écoles, un projet de Loi sur l'enseignement secondaire, spécial, supérieur et privé, sera soumis à vos délibérations. Les mêmes conditions d'indépendance dont jouissent les Présidents conférées aux Juges des Tribunaux; l'octroi aux corps judiciaires d'un droit de présentation en cas de vacance dans leur sein, et l'institution d'un stage pratique obligatoire pour les candidats qui se destinent aux fonctions judiciaires, avant d'être nommés à ces mêmes fonctions, voilà autant d'améliorations à introduire dans notre organisation judiciaire. MM. les Sénateurs, MM. les Députés, En travaillant sans relâche à remplir les lacunes existantes dans notre législation et à l'amélioration des services publics; en assurant un équilibre constant du budget des revenus et des dépenses de l'État; en ayant constamment en vue la satisfaction des besoins se manifestant sans cesse dans un pays qui progresse dans son développement, vous contribuerez à rehausser et à fortifier la situation du Royaume. Je ne doute pas que, dans une étroite uuion dans le travail. fécond pour la patrie, la Session actuelle ne soit remplie d'œuvres utiles. Que Dieu bénisse vos travaux! La Session ordinaire des Corps Législatifs est ouverte. CAROL. DECREE of the Portuguese Government, modifying the Tariff annexed to the Decree of the 16th April, 1892, for regulating the Tariff of Loanda, Benguela, and Mossamedes.— December 16, 1896. [See Vol. LXXXIV, page 1006.] PORTUGUESE DECREE fixing the Administrative Districts of the Province of Mozambique. 1896. (Translation.) - Lisbon, December 11, ROYAL DECREE. WHEREAS I have taken into due consideration the statement laid before me by the Royal Commissioner in Mozambique as to the inconvenience accruing to the general administration of the province from the fact that its administrative divisions as constituted, after the establishment of various districts, and consisting of the capital and of the adjoining and frontier territories are not provided with a special Government for each for the settlement of matters of a local nature; Whereas it is necessary to regulate the territorial division of the said province, and to facilitate the action of the Central Government in dealing with questions of real general interest and in the adoption of the measures that may be required in consequence, and which are, under present circumstance, more urgent and pressing; With the advice of the Consultative Board for the Colonies and of the Council of Ministers; In virtue of the powers conferred upon the Government by the first paragraph of Article 15 of the first Additional Act to the Constitutional Charter of the monarchy, I hereby decree as follows: ART. 1. The territories of the Province of Mozambique comprised between the former district of Cape Delgado and the district of the Zambezi, the special administration of which has been conjointly held with the chief administration of the province by the Governor-General, shall form the district of Mozambique, having a special Governor at its head, and with an organization identical to that provided by the Decree of the 16th September, 1887, for the district of Lourenço Marques. §. The salary and allowances of the Governor of the district of Mozambique will be the same as at present paid to the Governor of Lourenço Marques. 2. The Royal Commissioner will duly organize the office of the Governor-General, and that of the Governor of the district of Mozambique-now established in virtue of this Decree-in the manner which he may consider to be most simple, expeditious, and economical. 3. Any Laws contrary thereto are hereby revoked. The Minister and Secretary of State for the Department of Marine and Colonies shall accordingly carry this Decree into effect. Given at Lisbon, at the Palace, the 11th December, 1896. JACINTO CANDIDO DA SILVA. THE KING. SPANISHI DECREE regulating Commercial Relations between Germany and Cuba and Porto Rico.—Madrid, July 16, 1896. (Translation.) ROYAL DEcree. IN virtue of the authorization granted by the Law of the 8th instant, as proposed by the Minister of the Colonies and as agreed to by the Council of Ministers: In the name of my august son, King Alfonso XIII, and as Queen-Regent of the Kingdom, I decree as follows: Sole Article.-From the 25th of this month the second column of the existing Tariffs of Cuba and Porto Rico shall be applied, without the enjoyment of other advantages, to the produce of the soil and the industry of the German Empire. Given at the Palace, the 16th July, 1896. TOMAS CASTELLANO Y VILLARROYA. MARIA CRISTINA. SPANISH DECREE giving effect to the International Copyright Convention of September 9, 1886.*-Madrid, January 31, 1896. (Translation.) ROYAL DECREE. CONFORMABLY to the proposal of the Minister of Public Works; In the name of my august son King Alfonso XIII, and as Queen-Regent of the Kingdom, I hereby decree the following: ART. 1. In accordance with the Law of the 10th January, 1879, and the terms of Article II of the Convention for the creation of * Vol. LXXVII, page 22. an International Union for the protection of literary property concluded at Berne on the 9th September, 1886, no works other than Spanish, even if the authors of foreign works should be of Spanish nationality, may be inscribed in the general register of literary copyright of Spain. 2. The chief of the general register of literary copyright of Spain shall cancel all the entries of foreign works made in the aforesaid register since the 10th January, 1879. 3. The authors of foreign works who desire to prove their right of ownership, whenever they may wish to do so, will apply to the chief of the said establishment to certify as regards the official translations which have been duly copyrighted abroad, or as regards certificates stating the country of origin of the work, that such work, in virtue of the aforesaid Convention of the 9th September, 1886, enjoys in Spain the benefits of the Spanish law, and of such benefits as in future may be conceded to natives during the time that the protection continues in the said country of origin. Authors who do not follow the above procedure will not, however, forfeit their rights to the same benefits. Given at the Palace, the 31st January, 1896. MARIA CRISTINA. AURELIANO LINARES RIVAS, Minister of Public Works. NOTICE by Her Majesty's Commissioner and Consul-General in British Central Africa declaring the Rate of Customs Duties leviable in that Territory.-1896.* THE following Scale of Customs Duties will come into force in British Central Africa on the 1st April, 1896 : Schedule of Customs Duties leviable in British Central Africa. (a.)-Import Duties. 1. A duty of 5 per cent. ad valorem on all goods, except guns, gunpowder, and ammunition (which are subject to a duty of 10 per cent.), and machinery, agricultural implements, and materials for making railways, tramways, or roads, materials to be used as coffee manures (defined below), vehicles (as defined below), and live stock (as defined below), which are allowed to be imported free of duty. * Approved by the British Government, April 23, 1896. The substances defined as coffee manures, which are allowed to be imported free of duty, are the following: Sulphate of ammonia, sulphate of potash, nitrate of soda, nitrate of potash (saltpetre), carbonate of potash, guano, dissolved guanos, fish guanos, Fray Bentos guano, Sombrero, bone ash, dissolved bones, burnt bones, raw and bruised bones, phosphatic manures (embracing the different forms in which this mineral may be obtained as a marketable commodity, such as super-phosphates), coprolites, gypsum, dried blood, horn dust, shoddy, Poonac, sulphuric acid, insecticides, with appliances for using the same. Vehicles which are allowed to be imported free of duty include any wheeled carriages, or wheels, or other parts of such carriages. Live stock which is allowed to be imported free of duty includes horses, mules, asses, oxen, sheep, goats, swine, poultry. 2. A duty of 10 per cent. ad valorem on guns, gunpowder, and ammunition. 3. The following duties on alcohol, or liquids containing alcohol : On wine, ale, porter, and beer of every sort, the case of On brandy, whiskey, rum, gin, liqueurs, and miscel And for every degree or part of a degree over-proof, an (b.)-Export Duties. 8. d. 12 0 10 12 0 4. 28. per lb. on ivory (elephant) for entire tusks not exceeding 15 lb. in weight. (Pieces of ivory or tusks weighing, when entire, over 15 lb., which have been cut up to reduce them to weights below 15 lb., will be charged at the rate of 9d. per lb.) 5. 9d. per lb. on ivory (elephant) for entire tusks over 15 lb. in weight. 6. 1d. per lb. on hippopotamus teeth and rhinoceros horns. 7. 1s. an ounce on gold. H. H. JOHNSTON, Her Majesty's Commissioner and Consul-General. |