[War with Russia.] every 3 months of the excess of expenditure which may have been incurred, and repayment shall be made of the half of the amount by the Government of the other Country. Instructions to be issued as to Places and Ports to which Prisoners are to be sent. ART. II. Instructions shall be hereafter concerted between the two Governments in order to make known to the Officers of their Naval and Military Forces the Places or Ports to which the Prisoners are to be sent. Expenses of Prisoners not in Possession of either Country. ART. III. If a Depôt for Prisoners should be established in any place not in the Possessions of either of the two Countries, the expenses of it shall be borne between the two Governments; but the advances to be made shall be by the Government which shall have appointed officers to take charge of the establishment. Exchange of Prisoners of War. ART. IV. Whenever the two Governments shall agree to an Exchange of Prisoners with the enemy, no distinction shall be made between their respective subjects who may have fallen into the hands of the enemy, but their liberation shall be stipulated according to priority of the date of their capture, except under special circumstances, which are reserved for the mutual consideration of the two Governments. Ratifications.* ART. V. The present Convention shall be ratified, and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at London in 10 days, or sooner if possible. In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Convention, and have affixed thereto the Seal of their Arms. Done at London, the 10th day of May, in the year of Our Lord, 1854. (L.S.) CLARENDON. * Ratifications exchanged at London, 20th May, 1854. [Integrity of Ottoman Empire.] Great No. 248.-PROTOCOL of Conference between Britain, Austria, France, and Prussia, relative to the Maintenance of the Integrity of the Ottoman Empire. Vienna, 23rd May, 1854.* (Translation as laid before Parliament.†) Present: The Representatives of Austria, France, Great Britain, and Prussia. THE Undersigned Plenipotentiaries have deemed it conformable to the arrangements contained in the Protocol of the 9th April (No. 241), to meet in conference, in order to communicate reciprocally and record in one common Act the Conventions concluded between France and England on the one hand, and between Austria and Prussia on the other, upon the 10th and 20th April of the present year (Nos. 242, 244). After a careful examination of the aforesaid Conventions, the Undersigned have unanimously agreed: 1. That the Convention concluded between France and England (No. 242), as well as that signed on the 20th April (No. 244), between Austria and Prussia, bind both of them, in the relative situations to which they apply, to secure the maintenance of the principle established by the series of Protocols of the Conference of Vienna. 2. That the Integrity of the Ottoman Empire, and the Evacuation of that portion of its Territory which is occupied by the Russian Army, are and will continue to be the constant and invariable object of the Union of the 4 Powers. 3. That, consequently, the Acts communicated and annexed to the present Protocol correspond to the Engagement which the Plenipotentiaries had mutually contracted on the 9th April (No. 241), to deliberate and agree upon the means most fit to accomplish the object of their Union, and thus give a fresh sanction to the firm intention of the 4 Powers, represented at the Conference of Vienna, to combine all their efforts and resolutions to realise the object which forms the Basis of their Union. BUOL-SCHAUENSTEIN. ARNIM. See also Treaty between Great Britain, Austria, and France of 15th April, 1856. + For French version, see "State Papers," vol. xliv, p. 88. [Danubian Principalities.] No. 249.-CONVENTION between Austria and Turkey, relative to the Austrian Occupation of the Danubian Principalities. Signed at Boyadji-Keuy, 14th June, 1854. 1. Means to be adopted for Evacuation of Danubian Principalities. 2. Command of Austrian Army. 3. Administration of Danubian Principalities. 4. Sovereign Rights and Integrity of Ottoman Empire. 5. Withdrawal of Austrian Troops from Principalities on conclusion of Peace with Russia. 6. Assistance to Austrian Troops from Ottoman Authorities. Maintenance of Order by Commanders of Austrian Army. 7. Ratifications. (Translation as laid before Parliament.*) His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, fully recognising that the existence of the Ottoman Empire within its present Limits is necessary for the maintenance of the Balance of Power between the States of Europe, and that, specifically, the Evacuation of the Danubian Principalities is one of the essential conditions of the Integrity of that Empire; being, moreover, ready to join, with the means at his disposal, in the measures proper to ensure the object of the Agreement established between his Cabinet and the High Courts represented at the Conference of Vienna. His Imperial Majesty the Sultan having on his side accepted this offer of Concert made in a friendly manner by His Majesty the Emperor of Austria; It has seemed proper to conclude a Convention, in order to regulate the manner in which the Concert in question shall be carried into effect. With this object His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Austria and His Imperial Majesty the Sultan have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, M. le Baron Charles de Bruck, his Internuncio and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Sublime Ottoman Porte, &c.; * For French Version, see "State Papers," vol. xliv, p. 90. [Danubian Principalities.] And His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, Mustapha Reshid Pasha, late Grand Vizier, and at present his Minister for Foreign Affairs, &c.; Who after having exchanged their Full Powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles : Means to be adopted for Evacuation of Danubian Principalities. ART. I. His Majesty the Emperor of Austria engages to exhaust all the means of negotiation and all other means to obtain the Evacuation of the Danubian Principalities by the Foreign Army which occupies them, and even to employ, in case they are required, the number of Troops necessary to attain this end. Command of Austrian Army. ART. II. It will appertain in this case exclusively to the Imperial Commander-in-Chief to direct the operations of his Army. He will, however, always take care to inform the Commander-inChief of the Ottoman Army of his operations in proper time. Administration of Danubian Principalities. ART. III. His Majesty the Emperor of Austria undertakes by common Agreement with the Ottoman Government to re-establish in the Principalities, as far as possible, the legal state of things such as it results from the Privileges secured by the Sublime Porte in regard to the Administration of those Countries. The local authorities thus reconstituted shall not, however, extend their action so far as to attempt to exercise control over the Imperial Army. Sovereign Rights and Integrity of Ottoman Empire. ART. IV. The Imperial Court of Austria further engages not to enter into any plan of accommodation with the Imperial Court of Russia which has not for its Basis the Sovereign Rights of His Majesty the Sultan, as well as the Integrity of his Empire. Withdrawal of Austrian Troops from Principalities on conclusion of Peace with Russia. ART V. As soon as the object of the present Convention shall have been obtained by the conclusion of a Treaty of Peace between the Sublime Porte and the Court of Russia, His Majesty the [Danubian Principalities.] Emperor of Austria will immediately make arrangements for withdrawing his Forces with the least possible delay from the Territory of the Principalities. The details respecting the retreat of the Austrian Troops shall form the object of a special understanding with the Sublime Porte. Assistance to Austrian Troops from Ottoman Authorities. ART. VI. The Austrian Government expects that the Authorities of the Countries temporarily occupied by the Imperial Troops will afford them every assistance and facility, as well for their march, their lodging or encampment, as for their subsistence and that of their horses, and for their communications. The Austrian Government likewise expects that every demand relating to the requirements of the service shall be complied with, which shall be addressed by the Austrian Commanders, either to the Ottoman Government through the Imperial Internunciate at Constantinople, or directly to the Local Authorities, unless more weighty reasons render the execution of them impossible. Maintenance of Order by Commanders of Austrian Army. It is understood that the Commanders of the Imperial Army will provide for the maintenance of the strictest discipline among their Troops, and will respect, and cause to be respected, the Properties as well as the Laws, the Religion, and the Customs of Ratifications. ART. VII. The present Convention shall be ratified, and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at Vienna in the space of 4 weeks, or earlier if possible, dating from the day of its signature. In faith of which the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed it and set their Seals to it. Done in duplicate, for one and the same effect, at BoyadjiKeuy, the 14th June, 1854. (L.S.) V. BRUCK. (L.S.) RESHID. * Ratifications exchanged at Vienna, 30th June, 1854. |