A—No. 10

CONVENTION BETWEEN HER MAJESTY AND THE EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH, RELATIVE TO JOINT STOCK COMPANIES. (Signed at Paris, April 30th, 1862.)

PRESENTED TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BY COMMAND OF HIS EXCELLENCY, 12th SEPTEMBER, 1862, AND ORDERED TO BE PRLNTED.

A —No. 10

Signed at Paris, April 30, 1862.

exchanged at Paris, May 15, 1862.]

HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the Emperor of the French, having judged it expedient to come to an understanding in order to define, within theirrespectivedominions and possessions, the position of commercial, industrial, and financial companies aud associations constituted and authorized in conformity with the laws in force in either of the two countries, have resolved to conclude a Convention for that purpose, and have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Henry Richard Charles Earl Cowley, Her Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Emperor of the French ; Aud His Majesty the Kmperor of the French, M. Edouard Antoine Thouvenel, Senator, His Minister and Secretary of State for the Department for Foreign Affairs ; Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed uj on and concluded the following Articles:— ARTICLE I. The Hi^h Contracting Parties declare that they mutually grant to all companies and other Associations, commercial, industrial, or financial, constituted and authorized in conformity with the laws in force in either of the two countries, the power of exercising all their rights, and of appearing before the Tribunals, whether for the purpose of bringing an action, or for defending the same, throughout the dominions and possessions of the other Power, subject to the sole condition of conforming to the laws of such dominions and pos- • (visions.

SA Majesty la Reine dv Royaume Uni de la Grande Bretagne et d'lrlande, et Sa Majesty l'Erapereur dcs Francais, ayant jug 6 utile de s'entendre, pour re^ulariser dans leurs Etats et Possessions respectifs» la situation dcs Compagnies et Associations commerciales, industrielles, et financieres, constituees et autoris^es suivant les lois particulieres ;t chacun dcs deux pays, ont resolu de conclure une Convention dans cc but, et ont muni a cet effet de leurs pleins pouvoirs, savoir : Sa Majeste la Reine dv Royaume Uni de la Grande Bretagne et d'lrlande, le Tres Honorable Henri Richard Charles Comte Cowley, Son Ambassadeur Extraordinaire et Plenipotentiaire pre» Sa Majeste l'Empereur dcs Fran9ais ; Et Sa Majeste l'Empereur dcs Francais, M. Edouard Antoine Thouvenel, Senateur, Son Ministre et Secretaire d'Etat au Departement dcs Affaires Etrangeres; Lesquels, apre3 s'etre commmunique leurs pleins pouvoirs respectifs, trouves en bonne et due forme, sout convenus dcs Articles suivants:— ARTICLE I. Les Hautes Parties Contractantes declarent reconnaitre mutuellement h toutes les Compagnies et autres Associations commerciales, industrielles, ou financieres, constituees et autori6^es suivant les lois particulieres a l'un dcs deux pays, la faculte d'exercer tous leurs droits, et d'ester en justice devant les Tribunaux, soit pour intenter une action, soit pour y defendre, dans toute l'etendue dcs Etats et Possessions de l'autre Puissance, sans autre condition que de ac conformer aux lois dcs dies Etats et Possessions.

CONVENTION BETWEEN HER MAJESTY AND THE EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH, RELATIVE TO JOINT STOCK COMPANIES.

A—No. 10

ARTICLE 11. It is agreed that the stipulations of the preceding Article shall apply as well to Companies aud Associations constituted and authorized previously to the signature of the present Convention, as to those which may subsequently be so constituted and authorized. ARTICLE 111. The present Convention is concluded without limit as to duration. Either of the High Powers shall, however, be at liberty to terminate it by giving to the other a year's previous notice. The two High Powers, moreover, reserve to themselves the power to introduce into the Convention, by common consent, any modifications which experience may show to be desirable. ARTICLE IV. The present Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Paris in fifteen days, or sooner if possible. In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the seals of their arms. Done im duplicate at Paris, the 30th of April, 1862.

AKTICLE 11. II est entendu que la disposition gui precede s'applique aussi bien aux Compagnies et Associations constitute* et autorisees auterieurement :i la signature de la presente Convention, qua celles gui le seraient ulterieurement. ARTICLE 111. La presente Convention est faite sans limitation de duree. Toutefois, il sera loisible h. l'une dcs deux Hautes Puissances Contractantes de la faire cesser en la denoncant un an a l'avance. Les deux Hautes Puissances Contractantes se reservent d'ailleurs la faculte d'introduire, d'tin commun accord, dans cette Convention les modifications dont l'utilite' serait demontree par l'experience. ARTICLE IV. La presente Convention sera ratifiee, et les ratifications en seront £chang£es a, Paris dans le delai de quinze jours, ou plus tot si faire se oeut. En foi de quoi, les Plenipotentiaires respectifs l'ont signe, et y ont appose le sceau de leurs armes. Fait en double original a Paris, le 30 Avril. 1862. (L S.) COWLEY. (L.S.) THOUVENEL.

4 CONVENTION RELATIVE TO JOINT STOCK COMPANIES