Berlin.
A rticle I.
The trade of all nations shall he entirely free :
1 . In all the territories constituting the basin of the Congo and
its affluents. The basin is hounded by the crests of the adjoining
basins, th a t is to say, the basins of the Niari, of the Ogowé, of the
Shari, and of the Nile towards the north; by the line of the
eastern lidge of the affluents of Lake Tanganyika towards the east ;
by the crests of the basins of the Zambesi and the Logé towards
the south. I t consequently embraces all the territories drained by
the Congo and its affluent-*, comprising therein Lake Tanganyika
and its eastern tributaries.
2. In the maritime zone extending along the Atlantic Ocean
from the parallel of 2° 30' south latitude to the mouth of the Logé.
The northern limit will follow the parallel of 2° 30' from the
coast until it reaches the geographical basin of the Congo, avoiding
the basin of the Ogowé, to which the stipulations of the present
Act do not apply.
The southern limit will follow the course of the Logé up to the
source of th a t river, and thence strike eastwards to its junction
with the geographical basin of the Congo.
3. In the zone extending eastwards from the basin of the Congo
as limited above herein, to the Indian Ocean, from the fifth degree
•of north Latitude to the mouth of the Zambesi on the south ; from
this point the line of demarcation will follow the Zambesi for five
miles up stream to the junction w ith the Shiré, and continue by
the line of the ridge dividing the waters which flow towards lake
Nyassa from the tributa ry waters of the Zambesi, until it rejoins
the line of the water-parting between the Zambesi and the Congo.
I t is expressly understood th a t in extending to this eastern zone
the principle of commercial freedom, the Powers represented a t the
Conference bind only themselves, and th a t the principle will apply
to territories actually belonging to some independent and sovereign
state only so far as th a t state'consents to it. The Powers agree to
employ their good offices among the established Governments on
the African coast of the Indian Ocean, to obtain such consent and
in any case to ensure the most favourable conditions to all nations.
A rticle II.
All flags, without distinction of nationality, shall have free
access to all the coast of the territories above enumerated, to the
rivers which therein flow to the sea to all the waters of the Congo
and its affluents, including the lakes, to all the canals th a t in the
future may be cut with the object of uniting the watercourses or
the lakes comprised in the whole extent of the tenitories described
in Article I. They can undertake all kinds of transport, and
engage in maritime and fluvial coasting, as well as river navigation,
on the same footing as the natives.
A rticle I II.
Goods from every source imported into these territories under
any flag whatsoever, either by way of the sea, the rivers, or th e
land, shall pay no taxes except such as are an equitable compensation
for the necessary expenses of the trade, and which can meet
with equal support from the natives and from foreigners of every
nationality.
All differential treatment is forbidden both with regard to ships
and goods.
A rticle IY .
Goods imported into these territories will remain free of a ll
charges for entry and transit.
The powers reserve to themselves, until the end of a period of
twenty years, the rig h t of deciding if freedom of entry shall be
maintained or not.
Article V .
Every Power which exercises or will exercise sovereign rig h ts
in the territories above-mentioned, cannot therein concede any
monopoly or privilege of any sort in commercial matters.
Poreigners shall therein indiscriminately enjoy the same tre a tment
and rights as thè natives in the protection of their persons
and goods, in the acquisition and transmission of their property
movable and immovable, and in the exercise of their professions. *
A rticle V I .
P r o v i s i o n s R e l a t i v e t o t h e P r o t e c t i o n o f t h e N a t i v e s , t o M i s s i o n a r i e s
a n d T r a v e l l e r s , a n d t o R e l i g i o u s L i b e r t y ,
_ All the Powers exercising sovereign rights, or having influence
ili the said territories, undertake to watch over the preservation o f
the native races, and the amelioration of the moral and material
Berlin.