de.

This article may at any time be terminated on six months' notice
given by either Government to the other.

ARTICLE XVI.--It is understood that any obligations assumed in this
treaty by the United States with respect to Cuba are limited to the
time of its occupancy thereof; but it will, upon the termination of
such occupancy, advise any government established in the island to
assume the same obligations.

ARTICLE XVII.--The present treaty shall be ratified by the President
of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate thereof, and by Her Majesty, the Queen Regent of Spain, and
the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington within six months
from the date hereof, or earlier, if possible.

In faith whereof, we, the respective Plenipotentiaries, have signed
this treaty and have hereunto affixed our seals.

Done in duplicate, at Paris, the tenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord one thousand eighteen hundred and ninety-eight.

WILLIAM R. DAY,

WILLIAM P. FRYE,

WHITELAW REID,

B. DE ABARZUZA,

W.R. DE VILLA URRUTIA,

CUSHMAN K. DAVIS,

GEORGE GRAY,

EUGENIO M. RIOS,

J. DE GARNICA,

RAFAEL CERERO.

The Queen Regent of Spain signed the ratification of the Treaty of Peace
on March 17, 1899, and the final act took place on the afternoon of
April 11th, when copies of the final protocol were exchanged at
Washington by President McKinley and the French ambassador, M. Cambon,
representing Spain. The President immediately issued a proclamation of
peace, and thus the Spanish-American War came to an official end. A few
weeks later the sum of $20,000,000 was paid to Spain, in accordance with
the treaty, as partial compensation for the surrender of her rights in
the Philippines, and diplomatic relations between the Latin kingdom and
the United States were resumed.

The territory which passes under the control of our government by the
above treaty of peace has a combined area of about 168,000 square miles,
equal to nine good States. It all lies within the tropics, where
hitherto not an acre of our country has extended; and, for that reason,
its acquisition is of the greatest commercial significance. These
islands produce all tropical fruits, plants, spices, timbers, etc. Their
combined population is upwards of 10,000,000 people, and among this vast
number there are few manufactories of any kind. They are consumers or
prospect