106 



COLOMBIA. 



concerning the construction of a railroad from one 

 ocean to the other by the Isthmus of Panama." . . , 

 ART. V. The Government of the Republic declares 

 neutral for all time the ports at either extreme of 

 the canal, and the waters of the same, from sea to 

 eea; and consequently, in case of war between other 

 nations or between any nation and Colombia, the 

 transit of the canal shall not be interrupted for that 

 reason. Any ship whatever shall be free to navigate 

 the canal, without distinction, exclusion, or prefer- 

 ence of persons or nationalities, by virtue of paying 

 the tolls, and the observance or the rules established 

 by the company, for the use of said canal and its de- 

 pendencies. Foreign troops are excepted, and can 

 not pass without the permission of Congress. 



ART. VI. The entrance of the canal shall be rigor- 

 ously prohibited to the war-vessels of belligerent na- 

 tions, and whose destination manifests their inten- 

 tion to tak part in hostilities. 



ABT. VII. The grantees will enjoy the right, dur- 

 ing all the time of the possession of the privilege, to 

 make use of the ports at the extremities of the canal, 

 as well as intermediate points, for the anchorage and 

 repair of ships, and the loading, deposithig, trans- 

 ferring, or disembarking of merchandise. The ports 

 of the canal shall be open and free for the commerce 

 of all nations, and no import duties shall be recov- 

 ered except on merchandise destined to be intro- 

 duced for consumption in other parts of the republic. 

 The said ports shall in consequence be open for im- 



