rate of 70 fr. the hectolitre at 50 degrees centigrade for a period of six years.
It may, exceptionally, be at the rate of 60 fr. only the hectolitre at 50 degrees centigrade in the Colony of Togo and in that of Dahomey.
The import duty shall be augmented proportionally for each degree above 50 degrees centigrade; it may be diminished proportionally for each degree below 50 degrees centigrade.
At the end of the above-mentioned period of six years, the import duty shall be submitted to revision, taking as a basis the results produced by the preceding rate.
The Powers retain the right of maintaining and increasing the duty beyond the minimum fixed by the present Article in the regions where they now possess that right.
Article II
In accordance with Article XCIII of the General Act of Brussels, distilled drinks made in the regions mentioned in Article XCII of the said General Act, and intended for consumption, shall pay an excise duty.
This excise duty, the collection of which the Powers undertake to insure as far as possible, shall not be lower than the minimum import duty fixed by Article I of the present Convention.
Article III
It is understood that the powers who signed the General Act of Brussels, or who have adhered to it, and who are not represented at the present Conference, preserve the right of adhering to the present Convention.
Article IV
The present Convention shall be ratified within the shortest possible period, and such period shall not in any case exceed one year.
Each Power shall address its ratification to the Government of His Majesty the King of the Belgians, which shall give notice thereof to all the other powers signatory of the present Convention. The ratifications of all the Powers shall be deposited in the archives of the Kingdom of Belgium.
As soon as all the ratifications have been produced, or at latest one year after the signature of the present Convention, their deposit shall be recorded in a Protocol which shall be signed by the Representatives of all the Powers who shall have ratified.
A certified copy of this Protocol shall be addressed to all the Powers interested.
Article V
The present Convention shall come into force in all the possessions of the Contracting Powers situated in the zone defined by Article XC of the General Act of Brussels on the thirtieth day after the date of the preparation of the Protocol of Deposit mentioned in the preceding Article.
