The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-18

WEDN ESDA1 |, FEI tion. all claims submitted to them ane such oaths shall be entered on the recoru of their proceedings. The commissioners or in case if their disagreement the uiii. pire. shall decide all claims upon oasls of absolute equity, without regard or op- Jections of a technical nature or oI the provisions of local legislation
 Decision Shall Be Final.
 'The decisions of the commission anG in the event of their disagreement those of the umpire, shall be final and con elusive. They shall be in writing
 Awards shall be made payable lh uhl= ted States gold or it's equivalent in shFef.
 Article ?. The commissioners or uni- pire shall investigate and decide sala claims upon such evidence or information only as shall be furnished by or on be- half of the respective governments Ihey shall be bought to receive and cohsiuef all written documents or statements that may be presented to them, or obtained by the respective governments, in support Of, or in answer 10 any claim, ana 10 hear oral or written arguments made by the agent of each government on every claim In case of their failure to agree III bpihA0A hpOl iil9 liiNAlN lbAsf NttAiA'f NtiS umpire shall decide
 Every claim shall be formally present. ed to the commissioners within thirty days of their first meeting, unless the commissioners. or umpire, extend the period not exceeding three months longer. The commissioners shall be bound to ex- anime and decide upon every claim with in six months from the day of it's first formal presentation, and in case of their disagreement the umpire nali examine and decide within a corresponding period from the date of such disagreement.
 Article g. The commissioners and the umpire shall keep an accurate record of their proceedings for that purpose. Ex- cept herein stipulated, all questions in procedure shall be left 10 the determina- tion of the commission or in case of their disagreement to the umpire.
 Article 1. Reasonable compensation to the commissioners and to the umpire for their services and expense and the other expense of said arbitration are to be paid equally by the contracting parties.
 Amount Must Be Set Apart.
 Article ,. In order to pay the total amount of the claims to be adiudicated as aforesaid and other claims of citizens or subjects of other nations. the government of Venezuela shall set aside a part for lnlS purpose, and alienate to no other purpose. Beginning with the month of March, 1903, 90 per cent in monthly pay ments of the customs revenues of La Guayra and Puerto Cabelo. and the pay ments thus set aside shall be divided and distributed in conformity with the decision of The Hague tribunal.
 Tn case of the failure to carry out the above agreement, Belgian officers shall be placed in charge of the customs of the two ports and shall administer them un- til the liabilities of the Venezuelan gov ernment, in respect to the above claims, shall have been discharged. The refer ence of the question above stated to The Hague tribunal will be the subject of separate protocol
 Article G. All existing and unsatisfed awards In favor of the United States. shall be promptly paid according to the terms of the respective awards.
 (Sgned) JOHN HAY,
 "HERBERT w BOWEN"
 It is expected that the minister of for egn affairs will be chosen as Senezuelas representative and either MT, Bowen or de affaires, will represent the United States.
 Baron Geves. the minister for the Meth erlands, called a the state department today and gave notice of Queen Wilhelm- ina's acceptance of the task imposed up- on her.