MULTILATERAL-BILLS OF LADING-AUGUST 25, 1924 goods, and as to the rights and immunities of the carrier in respect of such goods, or concerning his obligation as to seaworthiness so far as this stipulation is not contrary to public policy, or concerning the care or diligence of his servants or agents in regard to the loading, handling, stowage, carriage, custody, care, and discharge of the goods carried by sea, provided that in this case no bill of lading has been or shall be issued and that the terms agreed shall be embodied in a re- ceipt which shall be a nonnegotiable document and shall be marked as such. Any agreement so entered into shall have full legal effect: Provided that this article shall not apply to ordinary commercial shipments made in the ordinary course of trade, but only to other shipments where the character or condition of the property to be carried or the circumstances, terms, and conditions under which the carriage is to be performed are such as reasonably to justify a special agreement. ARTICLE 7 Nothing herein contained shall prevent a carrier or a shipper from entering into any agreement, stipulation, condition, reservation, or exemption as to the responsibility and liability of the carrier or the ship for the loss or damage to, or in connection with, the custody and care and handling of goods prior to the loading on, and subsequent to the discharge from, the ship on which the goods are carried by sea. ARTICLE 8 The provisions of this convention shall not affect the rights and obligations of the carrier under any statute for the time being in force relating to the limitation of the liability of owners of seagoing vessels. ARTICLE 9 The monetary units mentioned in this convention are to be taken to be gold value. Those contracting states in which the pound sterling is not a mone- tary unit reserve to themselves the right of translating the sums indicated in this convention in terms of pound sterling into terms of their own monetary system in round figures. The national laws may reserve to the debtor the right of discharging his debt in national currency according to the rate of exchange pre- vailing on the day of the arrival of the ship at the port of discharge of the goods concerned. ARTICLE 10 The provisions of this convention shall apply to all bills of lading issued in any of the contracting States. ARTICLE 11 After an interval of not more than two years from the day on which the convention is signed, the Belgian Government shall place itself in communication with the governments of the high contracting 253 Proviso. Exceptions. Liability for goods prior to loading; after discharge from ship. Rights and obliga- tions under statutes respecting liability of owners. Monetary Ulilts. Application of con- vention provisions. Communication by Belgian Government withgovernmentspre- pared to ratify.
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