eclaration of her Imperial Majesty
of the 28th day of February, 1780, made to the then belligerent
powers, and proposed by her as the basis of a system to be established
for the general benefit of the commercial world, and that the same
ought to be regarded as sacred by all belligerent powers forever;
which principles have since been established and agreed upon in the
maritime convention concluded at Copenhagen, between her said Imperial
Majesty and the King of Denmark and of Norway, on the 9th of July,
1780; and being desirous to make the same the invariable rule of their
own conduct, and to have recourse thereto upon all proper occasions,
as to stipulations and laws, which merit a distinguished rank in the
human code;

The contracting parties do here solemnly adopt and immediately apply
to themselves the few important principles, which have been
established as above in favor of neutral nations in general, viz.

1st. That all vessels shall navigate freely from port to port, and
upon the coasts of nations at war, excepting always ports blocked;

2dly. That effects belonging to powers at war, or to their subjects,
shall be free upon neutral vessels, excepting contraband merchandises;

3dly. That to determine what shall characterise a port blocked, this
denomination shall be granted but to such port only, where the vessels
of war of the power that attacks it shall be sufficiently near, and
stationed in such a manner, that there is an evident danger of
entering into it;

4thly. That neutral vessels shall not be arrested, but upon just
causes and evident facts, and they shall be judged without delay; that
the process shall always be uniform, prompt, and legal, and that
always besides the indemnification, which shall be granted to those
who have sustained any damages or losses without being in fault, there
shall be given complete satisfaction for the insult committed upon the
respective flags.

ARTICLE XXX.

If the merchant vessels of the citizens or subjects of one of the
other parties, sailing along the coasts or on the high seas without
any escort, are met by the vessels of war or private armed vessels of
the other party, being engaged in a war with any other power, they
shall be held, if required, to exhibit their passports, sea-letters,
and other documents described in the article of this treaty; and to
prevent all disorder and violences, the vessels of war and private
armed vesse