106 
through which the route shall pass; but he shall not demand on account of 
public utility, more than a quarter of a league cn either side of the line, which is 
all he can require the proprietors to sell. 
Fourth. The indemnifications which are here accorded to the grantee and 
to those who may acquire his rights, are the following:—He shall have the 
right of collecting the transit duties for the term of fifty years, at the expiry of 
which time they shall revert to the Government of the Republic; and for sixty 
years the exclusive privilege of carrying on the transport by steam-vessels and 
railroad cars, fixing equitable rates of freight. But he shall give to the Govern¬ 
ment, from the time that the line of communication shall be made available, the 
fourth part of the nett produce of the dues that are paid for the right of transit, 
deducting all expenses of administration, preservation, and repairs. A similar 
fourth part shall be given by the Government to the Negotiation for a like term, 
when it shall enter into possession of the before mentioned transit dues, payable 
on the line of communication. 
Fifth. The Government and the Negotiation may each name their agents to 
look into the receipts and expenditures, during the whole of the time that each 
respectively shall be entitled to the before mentioned fourth part of the transit 
dues. All the unoccupied lands for a distance of ten leagues on either side of 
the line of communication, road or canal', are hereby ceded in fee-simple to the 
Negotiation. 
Sixth. All foreigners are permitted to acquire real property, and to exercise 
any trade or calling, not even excepti: g that of mining, within the distance of 
fifty leagues on either side of the line of transit. That territory shall be the 
country of all who may come to establish themselves there; subject, however, 
to the laws of the Republic. 
Seventh. The Government engages to give to the Negotiation every protection 
and assistance, as well for effecting the survey as for carrying on the works; but 
th- remuneration of the services of the inhabitants of those parts shall be at the 
expense of the Negotiation. The Government also engages not to impose any 
contributions or taxes upon the travellers or effects in transitu, during tfle afore¬ 
said term of fifty years, and not to levy upon the Negotiation or its fi nds any 
imposts or forced loans. 
Eighth. The Government shall have the right of appointing the custom¬ 
house officers which it may see fit, in the ports and in any other points it may 
choose, on the line of communication : but only for the purpose cf recovering the 
duties of exportation and importation upon articles which do not come and go 
merely in transitu, and for the prevention of smuggling. The Government shall 
in no case interfere in the collection of transit dues, nor in the collection of 
freights, lighterage or tonnage, or of any other class of dues, for none shall be 
payable by vessels loading or unloading in transit, as long as the line of com¬ 
munication shall belong to the Negotiation. The measures which the Govern¬ 
ment shall adopt for the prevention of smuggling, shall be such as to cause no em¬ 
barrassment or delay in the transport of effects across the Isthmus, and particular 
regulations will be adopted and issued to this effect. 
Ninth. When the works shall be completed, they shall be examined by two 
surveyors, one to be named by the Government, and the other by the Negotia- 
