When in either case it proves impossible to estimate the amount of the duties, the custom-house will impose upon the carrier company a fine not exceeding $500 for each package that is not forthcoming or of which the contents are incomplete.

The amount of additional duties when the exchequer is indemnified in this form, will be applied to the Federal Treasury and the amount of the fines, when their imposition is in order, will be applied, half to the Federal Treasury and half to the account of import duties.

In all cases wherein it be discovered that there are packages missing or packages that have been tampered with in a trainload of merchandise on which the duties have not been paid, the conductor of the train and the fiscal employees having charge of the custody of the goods will be turned over to the judicial authorities.

The Department of Finance may withdraw the privilege of carrying goods for inland custom-house clearance from any carrier company that may be guilty or may be suspected of misusing said privilege, or that may prove negligent in the fulfillment of the obligationswhich he assumes in undertaking to carry goods which owe money to the exchequer.

NICARAGUA.

NEW STEAMSHIP LINE BETWEEN NICARAGUAN AND AMERICAN

PORTS.

[From the "Diario Oficial," No. 2217, of May 10, 1904.]

a

The MONTHLY BULLETIN for July, 1904, contained the full Spanish text of the concession granted in April last to Mr. CHARLES WEINBERGER by the Nicaraguan Government for the establishment of a line. of steamships to ply between Nicaraguan and American ports, together with a resumé in English of this important grant. The following is a complete translation of the contract referred to:

"LEGISLATIVE POWER.

"The National Legislative Assembly decrees:

"SOLE ARTICLE. To approve the contract celebrated by the Minister of Fomento, in representation of the Government, and Mr. CHARLES WEINBERGER, in the following terms: José DOLORES GÓMEZ, Minister of Fomento and Public Works, in representation of the Government, party of the first part, and Mr. CHARLES WEINBERGER, for himself,

a See July BULLETIN (1904), p. 53, and the following.

party of the second part, have agreed to celebrate the following

contract:

"1.

"The Government, being desirous of increasing the agricultural, industrial, and commercial progress of the eastern coast of the Republic, accepts and favors in a special manner the establishment of a company of steamships for passenger and freight traffic, to ply between the port of New Orleans or any other port of the United States of America and the ports now open, or which may be opened to the commerce of the said eastern coast of the Republic, said company to bear such name as Mr. CHARLES WEINBERGER, his representatives, or successors shall submit to the Government within the period of one year at the latest, and which shall be known in this contract as the Company."

"II.

"The Company binds itself to send the first steamship from New Orleans, or any other port of the United States of America, to one of the ports of Nicaragua, within two months from the ratification of this contract, and to make at least the following trips:

"From New Orleans, or any other port of the United States of America.

"A steamship weekly to Bluefields.

"A steamship every two weeks to Cabo de Gracias a Dios.

"A steamship every two weeks to Monkey Point when said port is opened to commerce.

"Said steamships shall make periodical round trips according to a time-table which shall be made known to the Government and the public, and which shall not be changed without giving notice of said change thirty days in advance.

"For every violation of the time-table which is not justified, the Company shall pay a fine of $50 American gold, which shall be collected by the Government.

"III.

"The Company shall be obliged to transport, free of charges to the Government, any mail bags sent from one port to another of the Republic, from the latter to New Orleans, or any other port of the United States of America, and from American ports to Nicaraguan ports. In case of war the Company shall likewise be bound to place the steamships at the order of the Government, the latter arming them at its own expense, and shall acknowledge on the return of the same the respective affreightment, together with whatever damages the ships may suffer by their use, all of which shall be determined by

experts who shall be appointed, and shall decide in the same manner as provided for hereinafter concerning the Tribunal of Arbitration.

"IV.

66

The freight and passenger tariffs between the ports of Nicaragua, and from the latter to New Orleans, or any other port of the United States of America, and from American ports to Nicaraguan ports, shall be, during the life of the concession, those which are formed with the consent of the Government as shall be hereinafter specified. "When the tariffs are modified they shall only become operative thirty days after the public shall have been notified of such modification. "The Government shall have the right to a reduction of 40 per cent in the passenger tariffs for its employees and other persons who travel at the Government's expense, and a reduction of 50 per cent on the transportation of its freight and troops. There shall be a reduction of 20 per cent in the passenger tariff for Nicaraguans.

"V.

"In exchange for the privileges and rights stipulated in the foregoing clauses in favor of the Government, the latter exempts the Company for the term of twenty-five years from the payment of port dues, anchorage, and other similar charges now in force or which may hereafter be imposed in the ports of the Republic, and the Government shall make the Company special concessions concerning the entry and clearance of vessels (steamships) whenever it shall be deemed advisable or desirable for both parties to do so.

“VI.

"Further, in order to carry out the purpose set forth in Clause I, of increasing the agricultural, industrial, and mercantile progress on the eastern coast of the Republic, the Government grants to the Company, for the same period of twenty-five years, the exclusive right to navigate by steam, naphtha, gasoline, electricity, or alcohol the Escondido River and its tributaries, with the exception of rights already acquired.

"Government vessels have the right to navigate said river only on official business.

"The Company shall increase the trips between Bluefields and Rama when the growth of the agricultural and mercantile commerce so

warrants.

"VII.

"Desiring to guard against all possible emergencies, it is hereby established that if, owing to main force, judgment, or diplomatic claim,

party of the second part, have agreed to celebrate the following

contract:

"1.

"The Government, being desirous of increasing the agricultural, industrial, and commercial progress of the eastern coast of the Republic, accepts and favors in a special manner the establishment of a company of steamships for passenger and freight traffic, to ply between the port of New Orleans or any other port of the United States of America and the ports now open, or which may be opened to the commerce of the said eastern coast of the Republic, said company to bear such name as Mr. CHARLES WEINBERGER, his representatives, or successors shall submit to the Government within the period of one year at the latest, and which shall be known in this contract as the 'Company."

"II.

"The Company binds itself to send the first steamship from New Orleans, or any other port of the United States of America, to one of the ports of Nicaragua, within two months from the ratification of this contract, and to make at least the following trips:

"From New Orleans, or any other port of the United States of America.

"A steamship weekly to Bluefields.

"A steamship every two weeks to Cabo de Gracias a Dios.

"A steamship every two weeks to Monkey Point when said port is opened to commerce.

"Said steamships shall make periodical round trips according to a time-table which shall be made known to the Government and the public, and which shall not be changed without giving notice of said change thirty days in advance.

"For every violation of the time-table which is not justified, the Company shall pay a fine of $50 American gold, which shall be collected by the Government.

"III.

"The Company shall be obliged to transport, free of charges to the Government, any mail bags sent from one port to another of the Republic, from the latter to New Orleans, or any other port of the United States of America, and from American ports to Nicaraguan ports. In case of war the Company shall likewise be bound to place the steamships at the order of the Government, the latter arming them at its own expense, and shall acknowledge on the return of the same. the respective affreightment, together with whatever damages the ships may suffer by their use, all of which shall be determined by

experts who shall be appointed, and shall decide in the same manner as provided for hereinafter concerning the Tribunal of Arbitration.

"IV.

"The freight and passenger tariffs between the ports of Nicaragua, and from the latter to New Orleans, or any other port of the United States of America, and from American ports to Nicaraguan ports, shall be, during the life of the concession, those which are formed with the consent of the Government as shall be hereinafter specified. "When the tariffs are modified they shall only become operative thirty days after the public shall have been notified of such modification. "The Government shall have the right to a reduction of 40 per cent in the passenger tariffs for its employees and other persons who travel at the Government's expense, and a reduction of 50 per cent on the transportation of its freight and troops. There shall be a reduction of 20 per cent in the passenger tariff for Nicaraguans.

V.

In exchange for the privileges and rights stipulated in the foregoing clauses in favor of the Government, the latter exempts the Company for the term of twenty-five years from the payment of port dues, anchorage, and other similar charges now in force or which may hereafter be imposed in the ports of the Republic, and the Government shall make the Company special concessions concerning the entry and clearance of vessels (steamships) whenever it shall be deemed advisable or desirable for both parties to do so.

"VI.

"Further, in order to carry out the purpose set forth in Clause I, of increasing the agricultural, industrial, and mercantile progress on the eastern coast of the Republic, the Government grants to the Company, for the same period of twenty-five years, the exclusive right to navigate by steam, naphtha, gasoline, electricity, or alcohol the Escondido River and its tributaries, with the exception of rights already acquired.

"Government vessels have the right to navigate said river only on official business.

"The Company shall increase the trips between Bluefields and Rama when the growth of the agricultural and mercantile commerce so warrants.

"VII.

"Desiring to guard against all possible emergencies, it is hereby established that if, owing to main force, judgment, or diplomatic claim,