export duties whatever, nor to any discriminating tolls or charges for conveyance or transit, on any such route or road as aforesaid, and shall be secure and protected from all interruption or detention on the part of the state. The Republic of Honduras further agrees that any other privilege or advantage, commercial or other, which is or may be granted to the subjects or citizens of any other country, in regard to such route or road as aforesaid, shall also, and at the same time, be extended to British subjects; and finally, as an evidence of its disposition to accord to the travel and commerce of the world all the advantages resulting from its position in respect to the two great oceans, Honduras, of her own good-will, engages to establish the ports at the extremities of the contemplated road as free ports, for all the purposes of commerce and trade. “2. In consideration of these concessions, in order to secure the construction and permanence of the route or road herein contemplated, and also to secure for the benefit of mankind the uninterrupted advantages of such communication from sea to sea, Great Britain recognizes the rights of sovereignty and property of Honduras in and over the line of said road, and for the same reason guarantees positively and efficaciously the entire neutrality of the same, so long as Great Britain shall enjoy the privileges conceded to it in the preceding section of this article. And when the proposed road shall have been completed, Great Britain equally engages, in conjunction with Honduras, to protect the same from interruption, seizure, or unjust confiscation, from whatsoever quarter the attempt may proceed. “3. Nevertheless, her Britannic majesty, in according her protection to the said route or road, and guaranteeing its neutrality and security when completed, always understands that this protection and guarantee are granted conditionally, and may be withdrawn by her if she should deem that the persons or company undertaking or managing the same adopt or establish such regulations concerning the traffic thereupon as are contrary to the spirit and intention of this article, either by making unfair discriminations in favor of the commerce of any nation or nations over the commerce of any other nation or nations, or by imposing oppressive exactions or unreasonable tolls upon passengers, vessels, goods, wares, merchandise, or other articles. The aforesaid protection and guarantee shall not, however, be withdrawn by her Britannic majesty without first giving six months' notice to the Republic of Honduras. "4. The present additional article shall have the same force and validity as if it were inserted, word for word, in the treaty of friendship, commerce, and navigation signed this day. It shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at the same time; and its stipulations, subject to the condition of notice on the part of her Britannic majesty provided for in the preceding paragraph of this article, shall be permanent between the contracting parties." |