Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 47 Part 2.djvu/1146

2736 LOAD-LINE CERTIFICATES-BELGIUM. Feb~!:~ 7~~:3~prjj Arra~gemecalnt betwee.n . the ,Tfnlitaded-l~tates rt0~t.mericaE~:fctBdel!ftb·um j~~ the 19,1932. reCtpro reco~itwn OJ 0 ~ne ce 'V"",ates. We e Y excnange oj notes, signed October 7,1931, February 4-,1932, and April 19, 1932. The American Ambassador (Gibson) to the Belgian Minister oj Foreign Affairs (Hymans) No. 708 MR. MINISTER, EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Brussels, October 7, 1931 Arranlement with I have the honor to refer to your Excellenc3's note of March 31 BeIIlwn for the recipe n!_' G IBSe' IB/ . '. N' rocal~toDOfl08d- 1931, (.uu~ectIon enera e ., ctlOn . . ommumcatlOns, o. line cates. C.24/1081) pertaining: to the conclusion between the Governments of Belgium and the Umted States of a reciprocal agreement concerning shi]) load lines. . Pursuant to instructions from my Government, I now have the honor to inform Your Excellency that the substance of this note and the text of the excerpt of the Belgian law of August 25, 1920, submitted therewith, have been examined by the competent authoritIes of my Government. In answer to the inquiry whether the American Government does not share the view of the Belgian Minister of Transports that the reciprocal agreement concerning the inspection of vessels, existing between the two countries since June 1, 1922, would be applicable to the control of load lines, I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that the competent authorities of my Government do not believe that this agreement could be interpreted to cover load lines, and that they consider it would be preferable to negotiate a separate arrange- ment. The Government of the United States has taken due notice of the Belgian law which Ilrovides that "the freeboard of vessels shall be determined in accordance with the rules and freeboard tables of the French Bureau Veritas or of Uoyds Registry of Shipping, or in ac- cordance with rules and tables recogBized as equivalent thereto." In connection with this provision, my Government is wi~ to conclude a reciprocal agreement in regard to load lines with the Government of Belgium with the understanding that the rules and freeboard tables employed by the French Bureau Veritas and by Uoyds Registry of Shipping are the freeboard rules and tables of the French Government and the 1906 rules of the British Board of Trade, respectively. Subject to the above understanding the Government of the United States is prepared to agree that pending the coming into force of the International Load Line Convention of 1930, in the United States and Belgium, the comJ?etent authorities of the Government of the United States will recogruze the load line marks and the certificate of such marking on the merchant vessels of Belgium made in accordance with either of the foregoing systems of rules and tables as equivalent to load line marks and certificates of such markings made pursuant to the laws and regulations of the United States; provided, that the load line marks are in accordance with the load fuie certificates; that