until one of the high contracting parties denounces it or expresses the desire to modify it. Whenever the question of modification comes up, the article or the articles to which the notification refers shall continue in force until the day upon which the new stipulations begin to be effective; and when one of the parties denounces the treaty in general, it shall cease to be operative as regards all its effects in twelve months counting from the day upon which the other party receives the notification. ARTICLE XVIII. The present treaty, after being approved by the legislative power of each of the two republics, shall be ratified by the respective governments, and the ratifications shall be exchanged in the city of Bogotá or in the city of Rio de Janeiro with the least possible delay. In testimony whereof, the above named plenipotentiaries have signed the present instrument in two copies, each one in Portuguese and Spanish, and have sealed them with their seals in the city of Rio de Janeiro the twenty-first day of the month of August of nineteen hundred and eight. (L. S.) RIO BRANCO. (L. S.) ENEAS MARTINS. DECREE OF THE PRESIDENT OF FRANCE, ESTABLISHING AN OFFICE OF FOREIGN LEGISLATION AND INTERNATIONAL LAW. July 21, 1910. The President of the French Republic, On the report of the Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice; In view of Article 46 of the Law of Finance of December, 26, 1908, worded as follows: The service of the collection of foreign laws at the Department of Justice is transformed into an office of foreign legislation and international law, under the Department of Justice, and is invested with the rights of an artificial person. A regulation of public administration will determine the measures concerning the organization and functions of the said office. In view of the opinion of the Department of Finance; On the advice of the Council of State. Decrees, Art. 1. The office of foreign legislation and international law has for its object: 1. To centralize and put at the disposal of the public the legislative acts and documents of foreign countries, to preserve, maintain and increase the collection of works on international law and of comparative and foreign laws existing at the Department of Justice; 2. To continue the publication of the collection of the principal foreign codes and to undertake all translations and all work connected with comparative legislation or international law; 3. To furnish to public administrative bodies, judicial bodies, parliamentary commissions, information on treaties and foreign laws; 4. To furnish to all interested persons certified copies or translations of the texts of foreign laws, treaties and all other documents; 5. To publish memoirs or works on foreign legislation and international law; 6. To open relations with administrative bodies, associations and scientific institutions of France and other countries. It may, moreover, be consulted on questions of foreign legislation or international law which the Keeper of the Seals deems proper to submit to it. Art. 2. The collections and properties of the service of foreign laws existing at the Department of Justice are turned over to the office of foreign legislation and international law. Art. 3. The office is directly under the Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice. It is placed under the scientific direction of a committee of foreign legislation and international law constituted in accordance with Article 4 hereunder. It is administered, under the authority of the Keeper of Seals, by an administrative council composed in accordance with Article 7 hereunder. Art. 4. The committee of foreign legislation and international law is composed: 1. Of members appointed by the Keeper of the Seals and which shall not exceed twenty in number; 2. Of members in their own right who are: The directors of the Ministry of Justice; The director of administrative and technical affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The president and vice-president of the committee are appointed by the Keeper of Seals. The chief of the office, whose employment is provided for by Article 15, discharges the duties of secretary of the committee, with consultative voice. Art. 5. The committee proposes to the Minister the translations of foreign laws and all other work to be undertaken. It selects the translators and other workers, controls and revises their work and superintends its publication. It is called upon to give advice on regulations concerning the office, as well as measures intended to improve its organization and workings. Art. 6. - The committee will meet as often as necessary and at least once each quarter. Art. 7. The administrative council of the office of foreign legislation and international law consists of the president and vice-president of the committee on foreign legislation and international law, of two members of the committee designated by the Minister, and of the director or chief of the office of the Keeper of the Seals. This council is presided over by the president of the committee, and, in his absence, by the vicepresident. Art. 8. The office is represented at law and in all acts of a civil nature by the president of the administrative council. This person is competent in all that concerns the property of the office, to institute or defend, without authorization of the administrative council, all possessory actions, to apply for injunctions and to take measures necessary to preserve or enjoy the property. In case of the absence or disability the president of the administrative council is replaced by the chief of office. Art. 9. The administrative council is consulted each year, in the preparation of the budget by the Ministry of Justice, as to the amount of money to be included in this budget for the expenses of the office. On the month following the vote of the budget, it makes propositions for the employment of the income from the property of the office and gives its advice on the employment of the appropriation made by the Law of Finance to the Minister of Justice for the office. Art. 10. The administrative council determines the management, acquisition and disposal of the property of the office and the expenses which must be met by means of the income from that property. It gives its advice on the subject of expenses to be charged to the appropriation mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 9 which precedes. The decisions taken in execution of the present article become operative only after the approval of the Keeper of the Seals. Art. 11. The administrative council passes upon the acceptance or refusal of gifts and legacies made to the office, without obligations, conditions or restricted to a set purpose, as real estate, and when there are no conflicting family claims. When the gifts or legacies are burdened by charges, condition special or restricted to a set purpose, as real estate, or when they give rise to conflicting family claims, the acceptance or refusal is authorized by decree of the Council of State. When the gifts and legacies are made with a special restriction the decree of authorization notes that restriction. Art. 12. Funds resulting from gifts made to the office are turned into the la caisse des dépôts et consignations. The ulterior use of these funds can be effected only by virtue of deliberations of the administrative council, approved in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 10 of the present decree and subject to the conditions provided by Article 33 of the Law of Finance of December 31, 1907. Funds received through the delivery of copies or translations or through the sale of publications, in accordance with the tariffs established jointly by the Ministers of Justice and Finance, are turned into the treasury under the head of miscellaneous proceeds of the budget. Art. 13. The expenses of the office comprise exclusively the salaries and allowances of the permanent personnel and of the auxiliary and temporary agents, the maintainance of the collections, the acquisition and binding of works, subscriptions to publications of foreign legislation or international law, the installation of libraries, the preparations of catalogues, of record slips, etc., the expenses of the bureau and incidental expenses of the office. Art. 14. A report on the administration and workings of the office is presented yearly by the president of the administrative council to that council, and transmitted to the Keeper of the Seals. Art. 15. The personnel of the office of foreign legislation and international law is composed: 1. Of a chief of office, keeper of the library; 2. Of an assistant chief discharging the duties of librarian; 3. Of a clerk and translator, discharging the duties of assistant librarian. Art. 16. The personnel of the office is appointed by the Keeper of the Seals, after examination, on the proposal of the administrative council. To become eligible to take the examination the candidates must: 1. Be French and have complied with the military law as far as service in time of peace is concerned. 2. Be accepted by the administrative council of the office. The number and nature of the tests, the method of constitution of the jury, the forms of the examination, the classes of diplomas or the certificate of study are specified by a departmental order on the advice of the administrative council. Art. 17. Special translators, attachés or auxiliary agents, appointed by the administrative council upon the advice of the chief of office, may be temporarily employed. Art. 18. The salaries of the personnel of the office are fixed on the advice of the administrative council by a decree countersigned by the Minister of Finance in accordance with Article 55 of the Law of February 25, 1901. The allowances of special translators, attachés or auxiliary agents are fixed by the Minister of Justice on the recommendation of the administrative council. Promotions are made within the bounds of the appropriation by the Minister of Justice, on the recommendation of the administrative council and on the advice of the chief of service of the office in the case of one of his subordinates. Art. 19. Disciplinary measures concerning the employees of the office of foreign legislation and international law are taken by the Minister, the employee having been heard or duly summoned, upon the advice of the administrative council. Art. 20. Orders of the Keeper of the Seals will prescribe the measures necessary for the execution of the present regulations other than those above specified. Art. 21. The Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice and Minister of Finance are charged, in so far as it concerns him, with the execution of the present decree, which will be published in the Journal OFFICIEL and inserted in the BULLETIN DES LOIS. Done at Paris, July 21, 1910. By the President of the Republic: A. FALLIÈRES. The Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice. LOUIS BARTHOU. |