ditions upon which the permission to command a sea-going vessel depends.
The commercial ships of all the States of the Confederation will be admitted and treated on equal terms in the sea harbours, and in all the natural and artificial water-ways of the separate States of the Confederation. The dues to be levied in the sea ports from sea-going vessels or their cargoes for using the navigation appliances, must not exceed the expenses which are requisite for the maintenance and ordinary repairs of those appliances.
On all natural water-ways dues may only be levied for the use of such appliances as are especially intended for the furtherance of traffic. These dues, as well as the dues payable for making use of such artificial water-ways as are State property, must not exceed the expenses which are requisite for the maintenance and ordinary repairs of such erections and works. These regulations are also applicable to floatage so far as it takes place on navigable water-ways.
The imposition of other or higher dues on foreign ships, or their cargoes, than those paid by the ships of the Federal States does not belong to any single State, but solely to the Empire.
LV. The flag of the navy and of the merchant-shipping is black-white-red.
X.—Consular Service.
LVI. The whole of the Consular service of the German Empire is under the superintendence of the Emperor, who appoints the Consuls after consultation with the Committee of the Council of the Confederation for Commerce and Traffic.
Within the official district of the German Consuls no new Consulates for separate States may be erected. The German Consuls exercise the functions of a national Consul for any State of the Confederation, not represented in their district. The whole of the existing Consulates for separate States are to be abolished as soon as the organization of the German Consulates is so completed, that the representation of the interests of all the States of the Confederation is recognized by the Council of the Confederation as secured by the German Consulates.
XI.—Military Affairs of the Empire.
LVII. Every German is liable to military service, and cannot have that service performed by substitute.
LVIII. The expenses and burdens of the whole of the military affairs of the Empire are to be borne equally by all of the States of the Confederation and those belonging to them, so that no preferences, or overburdening of any single States or classes, are in principle admissible. Where an equal division of the burdens is not practicable in natura, without prejudice to the public welfare,
