F.—l

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In faith of which the under-mentioned plenipotentiaries have drawn up the present final protocol, which shall have the same force and value as if its provisions were inserted in the text itself of the Conventions to which it relates, and they have signed it on a single copy which shall remain in the archives of the Austrian Government, and of which a copy shall be handed to each party. Done at Vienna, the 4th day of July, 1891. [Here follow the signatures of the plenipotentiaries.] The I. and E. Minister of Foreign Affairs certifies chat this is a correct copy of the original deposited in the archives of the department. Vienna, 7th July, 1891. The Director of the Chancellerie of the I. and E. Minister of Foreign Affairs. (Signed) Mittag.

DETAILED REGULATIONS. Detailed Regulations for the execution of the Convention concluded between Germany and German Protectorates, United States of America, Argentine Eepublic, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chili, Eepublic of Colombia, Congo Eree State, Eepublic of Costa Eica, Denmark and Danish Colonies, Dominican Eepublic, Egypt, Ecuador, Spain and Spanish Colonies, Prance and French Colonies, Great Britain and various British Colonies, British Colonies of Australasia, Canada, British India, Greece, Guatemala, Eepublic of Hayti, Kingdom of Hawaii, Eepublic of Honduras, Italy, Japan, Eepublic of Liberia, Luxemburg, Mexico, Montenegro, Nicaragua, Norway, Paraguay, Netherlands and Dutch Colonies, Peru, Persia, Portugal and Portuguese Colonies, Eoumania, Eussia, Salvador, Servia, Kingdom of Siam, South African Eepublic, Sweden, Switzerland, Regency of Tunis, Turkey, Uruguay, and United States of Venezuela. The undersigned, having regard to Article XX. of the Universal Postal Convention concluded at Vienna on the 4th of July, 1891, have, in the name of their respective administrations, settled by common consent the following measures for insuring the execution of the said Convention: — I.— -Route of the Correspondence . 1. Each administration is bound to forward, by the most rapid routes at its disposal for its own mails, the closed mails and the correspondence a decouvert which are delivered to it by another administration. 2. Administrations which avail themselves of the option to levy supplementary charges, as representing the extraordinary expenses pertaining to certain routes, are free not to forward by those routes, when other means of communication exist, any insufficiently paid correspondence for which the employment of the said routes has not been expressly prescribed by the senders. ll.— Eicfkmge in Closed Mails. 1. The exchange of correspondence in closed mails between the administrations of the Union is regulated by common consent between the administrations concerned, and according to the necessities of the service. 2. If an exchange of correspondence is to take place through the medium of one or more countries, due notice must be given to the administrations of those countries. 3. It is, moreover, obligatory in this latter case to make up closed mails whenever the amount of correspondence is such as to hinder the work of an intermediate administration, according to the declaration of that administration. 4. In case of alteration in a service of closed mails established between two administrations through the medium of one or several other countries, the administration which has originated the alteration gives notice thereof to the administrations of the countries through the medium of which this exchange is maintained. lll.— Extraordinary Services. The extraordinary services of the Union giving rise to special charges, the fixing of which is reserved by Article IV. of the Convention for arrangement between the administrations concerned, are exclusively — (1.) Those which are maintained for the accelerated conveyance by land of the Indian mail; (2.) That which the Postal Administration of the United States of America maintains upon its territory for the conveyance of closed mails between the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean. (3.) That which is established for the conveyance of mails by railway between Colon and Panama. IV. — Fixing the Bates of Postage. 1. In execution of Article X. of the Convention, the administrations of the countries of the Union which have not the franc for their monetary unit levy their rates of postage according to the following equivalents ; —■