Edmond van Eetvelde to George D. Bayard, August 1, 1885

Mr. van Eetvelde to Mr. Bayard.

The undersigned administrator-general of the department of foreign affairs of the Independent State of the Congo is charged by the King, sovereign of that State, to inform Mr. Bayard, Secretary of State at Washington, that in conformity with article 10 of the general act of the conference of Berlin, the Independent State of the Congo Hereby declares itself perpetually neutral, and claims the advantages guaranteed by chapter III of the same act, at the same time that it assumes the duties which neutrality imposes. The district of the neutrality will apply to the territory of the Independent State of the Congo, included in the limits resulting from the treaties successively concluded by the International Association with Germany, France, and Portugal, treaties notified to the conference at Berlin and annexed to its protocols, and which are thus determined, viz:

On the north.—A straight line drawn from the Atlantic Ocean and joining the mouth of the river which runs into the sea at the south of the bay of Cabinda near Ponta Vermelha to Cabo Lombro;

The parallel of this last point prolonged to its intersection with the meridian of the confluent of the Culacalla with the Luculla;

The meridian thus determined to its meeting with river Luculla;

The course of the Luculla to its confluence with the Chiloango (Luango Luce);

The Chiloango River from the mouth of the Luculla to its most northern source;

The (crête de partage) dividing line of the waters of the Niadi Quillon and of the Congo, to beyond the meridian of Manyanga;

A line to be determined and which, following as much as possible a natural division of the ground shall terminate between the station of Manyanga and the cataract of Ntombo Mataka, at a point situated on the navigable portion of the river;

The Congo as far as Stanley Pool;

The median line of Stanley Pool;

The Congo to a point to be determined on the river above Licona Nkundja;

A line to be determined from this point to the seventeenth degree of east longitude from Greenwich in following, as far as possible, the line of the watershed of the basin of the Licona Nkundja;

The seventeenth degree of east longitude from Greenwich to its junction with the fourth parallel of north latitude.

The fourth parallel of north latitude to its junction with the thirtieth degree of longitude east from Greenwich.

On the east.—The thirtieth degree east from Greenwich to the height of 1° 20ʹ of south latitude.

A straight line drawn from the intersection of the thirtieth degree of east longitude with the parallel of 1° 20ʹof south latitude to the northern extremity of Lake Tanganyka;

The median line of Lake Tanganyka;

A straight line drawn from Lake Tanganyka to Lake Moero along 8° 30ʹ of south latitude;

The water course which unites Lake Moero with Lake Bangweolo;

The western bank of Lake Bangweolo.

On the south.—A line drawn from the southern extremity of Lake Bangweolo to its meeting the twenty-fourth degree of longitude east from Greenwich, and following the dividing line of the waters (crête de partage) between the waters of the Congo and those of the Zambesi;

The dividing line of the waters which belong to the basin of Kassai between the twelfth and sixth parallels of south latitude;

The sixth parallel of south latitude to its point of intersection with the Quango

The course of the Quango as far as its meeting with the parallel of Nokki;

The parallel of Nokki as far as its meeting the meridian which passes through the mouth of the river Uango-Uango;

The course of the Congo from the confluence of the Uango-Uango to the sea.

On the west.—The Atlantic Ocean between the mouth of the Congo and the river which flows into the south of the bay of Cabinda, near Ponta Vermelha.