Consuls, or Consular Agents upon being claimed by them within the period fixed by the laws, ordinances and regulations of the country, and such Consular officers, owners, or agents shall pay only the expenses incurred in the preservation of the property, together with the salvage or other expenses which would have been payable in the case of the wreck of a national vessel.
The goods and merchandise saved from the wreck shall be exempt from all the duties of the Customs unless cleared for consumption, in which case they shall pay the ordinary duties.
When a vessel belonging to the citizens or subjects of one of the High Contracting Parties is stranded or wrecked in the territories of the other, the respective Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents shall be authorized, in case the owner or master, or other agent of the owner, is not present, to lend their official assistance in order to afford the necessary assistance to the citizens or subjects of the respective States. The same rule shall apply in case the owner, master, or other agent is present, but requires such assistance to be given.
Article XII.
All vessels which, according to United States law, are to be deemed vessels of the United States, and all vessels which, according to Japanese law, are to be deemed Japanese vessels, shall, for the purposes of this Treaty, be deemed vessels of the United States and Japanese vessels, respectively.
Article XIII.
The Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents of each of the High Contracting Parties, residing in the territories of the other, shall receive from the local authorities such assistance as can by law be given to them for the recovery of deserters from the vessels of their respective countries.
It is understood that this stipulation shall not apply to the citizens or subjects of the country where the desertion takes place.
Article XIV.
The High Contracting Parties agree that, in all that concerns
