The Sun.
London, England, 1840-12-25 00:00:00

SPAIN AND PORTUGAL.

We have received by the Lisbon mail copies of vari-
ous documents published by the Portuguese Govern-
ment in reference to the negotiations with Spain on the
navigation of the Douro, the principal contents of which
we will endeavour to giie in a condensed account. It is
necessary to begin with a translation of the original treaty.
CONVENTION FOR THE FREE NAVIGATION
OF THE DOURO.
Their Majesties the Most Faithful Queen Donna
Queen Regent of Spain during
Mariathe
minority Segunda
o and
her the
daughter Donna Isabel Segunda,
desiring to give all possible extension to the reciprocal
commerce bet r;een the two States by the free navigation
of the rivers common to both, and recognizing that this
advantageous principle is applicable to the Rio Douro,
have determined to conclude a convention for the regu-
lation of that important object, and have appointed as
Plenipotentiaries, &c. &c. &c.; which Plenipotentiaries,
after conferring together, and exchanging their full
powers, have agreed upon the following articles :
" Article 1. The navigation of the river Douro is
declared free to the subjects of both Crowns, without
any restriction or special condition more favourable to
the (me than the other, throughout the whole extent
in which it may now be navigable, or may hereafter be

navigable.
" 2 The two high contracting parties engage by the
present article to keep the navigation of the Douro
uninterrupted, and in the state in which it now is,
each in the respective part of its territory ; and they,
moreover promisa to endeavour efficaciously to improve,
in every possible manner, the said navigation.
" 3. The duties for the navigation and its system of
police shall be determined by means of a tariff and
regulation, the terms of which shall be uniform and
perfectly equal with respect to the subjects of both
Crowns, in conformity with the practice established
between nations enjoying the use of the waters of the

same river.
" 4. To form the tarif and regulation mentioned in
ti.e proceeding article there will be created a mixed
commission composed of four Commissioners, two of
horn must be Portuguese and two Spaniards, appointed
by their respective Governments.
"5. The said mixed Commission will assemble
within the term of one month at the latest after exchange
of the ratifications of the present Convention; in that
point of the territory of her Most Faithful Majesty or
of her Catholic Majesty which in the judgment of the
two Governments may appear most convenient for fa-
cilitating their labours.
" 6. Neither of the respective Governments can aug-
ment the navigation duties fixed by the tarifa of the
mixed Commission, except by common accord, on the
same being judged convenient, nor can either impose,
under any other denomination whatsoever any new duty
to be borne by the navigators.
" 7. The two high contracting parties engage by the
present article not to concede any exclusive privilege for
conveyance by the Douro of merchandise or persons,
and to leave the same always open to competition.
" S. tier Most Faithful Majesty engages to take the
necessary measures to establish in the city of Oporto a
place of deposit for all the produce and merchandise
brought from Spain and destined for foreign trade, or
for being introduced into the coast of the Spanish Pe-
ninsula. The merchandise thus deposited shall pay to
the Government of her Most Faithful Majesty only the
same low duty of deposit which is 11018 payable in the
free ports of Lisbon and Oporto. Nevertheless, if it
should be for the convenience of the commerce to intro-
duce into Portugal any of the said d 'posited'artieles of
merchandise the admission and sale of which may be
lawful, the same shall pay the custom-house duties
p,,yable by the most favoured nation, and in this case
the deposit duty will not be exacted.
" 9. fler Catholic Majesty engages, by the present
article, to declare port of admission or pert of shipment
that port which will now have to be provided in the
environs of Fregeneda ; and the articles of lawful com-
merce introduced into that port from Portugal shall be
subject to the same duties as are paid in the other
ports of Spain.
" 10. As to what concerns the custom duties, the
mode of collection, the administrative and security re-
gulations for preventing frauds against the fiscal laws,
each of the two respective Governments will proceed
with rygit:-el to the said points in conformity with their
natural independence, according to the method and
form best suited to their interests.
" 11. The tariff and regulation to which articles 3
and 4 refer shall, as soon as they may be approved by
both contracting parties, be understood to form an into•
gral part of the present Convention.
" 12. The present Convention may be revised and
rocthfied on the requisition of either the two contracting
parties, after the lapse of 21 years from the date of the
ratification.
" 13. The ratifications shall be exchanged within the
period of one month, or as soon as possible.
In faith of which the respective Plenipotentiaries
sign and seal the same with the seal of their arms, in
Lisbon, August 31, 1835,
" DUKE OF PALMELLA.
EVARISTO PERES DE CASTRO."

RATIFICATION.
"Donna Maria," &c. (Here follows the preamble
as before, and a copy of the treaty.)
" The said Convention, the tenour of which is as
above recited, being rresenttd to me, and all therein
contained having been well reviewed, considered, and
examined by me, after having heard the Council of
State, I ratify and confirm it in all its parts, and by
these presents give it for firm and valid, in order that
it may and produce its due (freet, promising on faith
and Royal word to observe the same, to execute and
cause it to be executed and observed in every possible
manner. In testimony and confirmation of the afore-
said, I cause to pass the present deed as by me signed,
passed with the appended seal of the Royal arms, and
reported by the undersigned Counsellor of State, Mi-
nister and Secretary of State.
" Given in the Palace of the Necessidades, Sept. 20,
1835

THE QUEEN.
" MARQUIS DE SALDANHA.."
The documents which immediately follow the Con-.
vention and the recommendation consist chiefly of
answers by cthtom-house officials and commercial bodies
to references made to them on the effect of the proposed

. _ . _
ariff and regulations. The Commission of Commerce

and National Industry of the city
of Oporto having
been required to name Proper persons for the mixed
Commission, under articles 3 and 4 of that convention,
and also to point out in what way the greatest advan-
tages could be obtained from the treaty, makes a very
long reply, in which four names are returned for the
selection of Commissioners by the Government. With
regard to the advantages which might be derived from
the treaty, the Oporto Commission observes that some
very important considerations as to what could have
been obtained might have been offered had an (*per_
tunity been afforded previous to the ratification. The
tariff having been finally settled by the mixed Com.
mission, we pass over the details of these answers,
There is not in this collection of papers any report
made to the Cortes on the subject of the Treaty, but
there is a recommendation by the diplomatic committeefor the adoption of the tariff or regulation. The first
tiong the
terms Portu-
guese
tariff drawn up by the mixed Commission on the 14th
of April, 1836, was not approved of by the Portuguese
Government ; but the Commissioners afterwards
met,
and on the 9.3 d of May, 1840, agreed upon provisions
c satisfactoryort to
wasbo t I
then
hpeanr tfmd
ireas.
framed is the message
following
" Senhores,—The Convention of the 31st of August,
1835, on the navigation of the river
Douro,
having
been concluded and ratified, a mixed Commission
of
Portuguese and Spaniards was appointed to frame in
conformity with what is stipulated in article 4 of the
said Convention, the regulation necessary for the exe-
cution thereof. The regulation then framed being dis-
approved by the Government of her Majesty it
was
necessary to accede to the urgent applications of the
Spanish Government to proceed to the framing of a
new regulation, which was on the part of the Portuguese
Government committed to the charge of r n
Portu-
guese Commissioners of acknowledged capacity mod
patriotism.
" These Commissioners concurred with the Spanish
Commissioners in the regulations which I have the
honour to present to this Chamber, Important altera-
tions from the first have been made in it, and the intro-
duction of Spanish produce is restricted for the purpose
of protecting our industry and our wine trade.
" But as this regulation contains provisions which, iu
virtue of the constitution of the Monarchy, require the
approbation of the Cortes, it is my duty to submit the
following proposition to the Chamber ;—,
~ , The Government is authorised to carry into execu-
tion the articles comprehended in titles 5
and 7, and in the
respective tables of the regulation of the 28d1 of May,
Is4o, which is to form part of the Convention sicined on
the 31st of August, 1835, with the Spanish Government,
for the free navigation of rho Douro.
RODRIGO DA FONSECA MAGALHAES.
.. Office of the Secretory of State for
n
Foreig • Affairs, June 30, 1840.1"
The police regulations and tariff of duties finally
agreed to by the Commission is of great length. Its
execution, of course, remains suspended until the pre
sent dispute be settled.—Times.

formed that a considerable number of adventurous young
RECRUITING FOR THE Navy
men have enrolled their names at Douglas, to serve on
board her Majesty's ships.—Mona's Herald.
Y•—•We are in
The Ino, of Shoreham, Captain Clark, bound
to Shoreham with a cargo of coals from the north, run
on shore at Beaehyhei.d in a snow storm on Friday evert-
ing about eight o'clock. Part of the cargo, we hear, has
been discharged ; but the vessel has received considerable
`damage--Brighton Gazette,