264 APPENDIX. 
ArticLtE XIII. 
The Commissioners shall then forthwith proceed to the investigation of the 
claims which shall be presented to them. ‘They shall investigate and decide 
such claimsin such order and such manner as they may think proper, but upon 
such evidence or information only as shall be furnished by or on behalf of the 
respective Governments. They shall be bound to receive and consider all writ- 
ten documents or statements which may be presented to them by or on behalf 
of the respective Governments in support of, or in answer to, any claim, and to 
hear, if required, one person on each side, on behalf of each Government, as 
counsel or agent for such Government, on each and every separate claim. A 
majority of.the Commissioners shall be sufficient for an award in each case. 
The award shall be given upon each claim in writing, and shall be signed by 
the Commissioners assenting to it. It shall be competent for each Government 
to name one person to attend the Commissioners as its agent, to present and 
support claims on its behalf, and to answer claims made upon it, and to repre- 
sent it generally in all matters connected with the investigation and decision 
thereof. , 
The High Contracting Parties hereby engage to consider the decision of the 
Commissioners as absolutely final and conclusive upon each claim decided upon 
by them, and to give full effect to such decisions without any objection, eva- 
sion, or delay whatsoever. 
’ ARTICLE XIV. 
a 
Every claim shall be presented to the Commissioners within six months from 
the day of their first meeting, unless in any case where reasons for delay shall 
be established to the satisfaction of the Commissioners, and then, and in any 
such case, the period for presenting the claim may be extended by them to any 
time not exceeding three months longer. 
The Commissioners shall be bound to examine and decide upon every claim 
within two years from the day of their first meeting. It shall be competent 
for the Commissioners to decide in each case whether any claim has or has not 
been duly made, preferred, and laid before them, either wholly or to any and 
what extent, according to the true intent and meaning of this Treaty. 
ARTICLE XV. 
All sums of money which may be awarded by the Commissioners oa account 
of any claim shall be paid by the one Government to the other, as the case may 
be, within twelve months after the date of the final award, without interest, and 
without any deduction save as specified in Article XVI. of this Treaty. 
ArtTIcLE XVI. 
The Commissioners shall keep an accurate record afd correct minutes or 
notes of all their proceedings, with the dates thereof, and may appoint and em- 
