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Article XXII. 1. Under the name of the " International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union," is maintained a central office, which is conducted under the supervision of the Swiss Postal Administration, and the expenses of which are borne by all the administrations of the Union. 2. This office is charged with the duty of collecting, collating, publishing, and distributing information of every kind which concerns the international postal service ; of giving, at the request of the parties concerned, an opinion upon questions in dispute ; of making known proposals for modifying the Acts of the Congress ; of notifying alterations adopted; and, in general, of taking up such studies and labours as may be confided to it in the interest of the Postal Union. Article XXIII. 1. In case of disagreement between two or more members of the Union as to the interpretation of the present Convention, or as to the responsibility of an administration in case of the loss of a registered article, the question in dispute is decided by arbitration. To that end each of the administrations concerned chooses another member of the Union not directly interested in the matter. 2. The decision of the arbitrators is given by an absolute majority of votes. 3. In case of an equality of votes the arbitrators choose, with the view of settling the difference, another administration equally uninterested in the question in dispute. 4. The stipulations of the present article apply equally to all the agreements concluded by virtue of the foregoing Article XIX. Article XXIV. 1. Countries which have not taken part in the present Convention are admitted to adhere to it upon their demand. 2. This adhesion is notified diplomatically to the Government of the Swiss Confederation, and by that Government to all the countries of the Union. 3. It implies, as a matter of course, accession to all the clauses and admission to all the advantages stipulated by the present Convention. 4. It devolves upon the Government of the Swiss Confederation to determine, by common consent with the Government of the country concerned, the share to be contributed by the administration of this latter country towards the expenses of the International Bureau, and, if necessary, the rates to be levied by that administration in conformity with the foregoing Article X. Article XXV. 1. Congresses of plenipotentiaries of the contracting countries, or simple administrative conferences, according to the importance of the questions to be solved, are held, when a demand for them is made or approved by two-thirds at ( least of the Governments or administrations, as the case may be. 2. A Congress shall, however, be held at least once in five years. 3. Each country may be represented either by one or by several delegates, and by the delegation of another country. But it is understood that the delegate or delegates of one country can be charged with the representation of two countries only, including the country they represent. 4. In the deliberations each country has one vote only. 5. Each Congress settles the place of meeting of the next Congress. 6. For conferences, the administrations settle the places of meeting on the proposal of the International Bureau. Article XXVI. 1. In the interval which elapses between the meetings, any postal administration of a country of the Union has the right to address to the other administrations belonging to it, through the medium of the International Bureau, proposals concerning the regime of the Union. 2. Every proposal is subject to the following procedure : — A period of five months is allowed to the administrations of the Union to examine the proposals and to furnish to the International Bureau their observations, amendments, or counter-proposals, as the case may be. The answers are tabulated by the International Bureau and communicated to the administrations with an invitation to declare themselves for or against. Those who have not furnished their vote within a period of six months, counting from the date of the second circular of the International Bureau notifying to them the observations which have been received, are considered as abstaining. 3. In order to become binding, the proposals must obtain — (1) Unanimity of votes if they involve the addition of new articles or any modification of the stipulations of the present article or articles 11., 111., IV., V., VI., VII VIII IX., XII., XIII., XV., and XVIII.; (2) Two-thirds of the votes if they involve a modification of the stipulations of the Convention other than those of articles 11., 111., IV., V., VI., VII., VIII., IX., XII. XIII XV., XVIII., and XXVI.; (3) Simply an absolute majority if they affect the interpretation of the stipulations of the Convention, except in the case of dispute contemplated by the foregoiiag article XXIII.