[Greek Succession.] No. 344.-PROTOCOL OF CONFERENCE between the Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, France, and Russia relative to the Greek Succession. London, 27th May, 1863. TABLE. No Bavarian Minister authorised to take part in Conferences. Reservation of King of Bavaria in favour of younger Branches of Royal Family of Bavaria. Duty of Protecting Powers to replace Greece under system of Monarchial Principles. (Translation as laid before Parliament.*) Present: The Plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain, and Russia. No Bavarian Minister authorised to take part in Conferences. Reservation of King of Bavaria in favour of Younger Branches of Royal Family of Bavaria. Duty of Protecting Powers to replace Greece under system of Monarchial Principles. THE Plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain, and Russia met for the purpose of taking cognizance of the result of the step taken at Munich by the Representatives of the 3 Protecting Powers, in conformity with the Resolutions adopted by the Conference on the 16th May (No. 343). The Principal Secretary of State of Her Britannic Majesty announced that the Court of Bavaria had not authorised its Minister accredited to Her Britannic Majesty to take part in the deliberations opened at London. In the absence of that Minister, the Principal Secretary of State of Her Britannic Majesty thought it, however, his duty to make mention of the reservations made in the month of April last by the Court of Bavaria in favour of the younger branches of the Royal Family of Bavaria, which Article VIII of the Convention of 7th May, 1832 (No. 159), substituted contingently for His Majesty King Otho, in case that Sovereign should die without direct and lawful issue. It was agreed, by common consent, that such Declaration should be inserted in the present Protocol. Considering, nevertheless, that the impossibility of hencefor *For French Version, see "State Papers," vol. liii, p. 145. [Greek Succession.] ward carrying into execution the Stipulations of the aforesaid Article VIII results from an event beyond control, for which the 3 Protecting Powers are in no way responsible, the Plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain, and Russia agreed that their Courts, while released from their trust by circumstances unprovided for by the Convention of 1832 (No. 159), could not indefinitely defer the time when it would be fitting to replace Greece under a system conformable to the monarchial principles which it is their interest to maintain in the new State founded by their united efforts. In conclusion, they placed upon record that the events which have recently taken place in Greece cannot affect the firm resolution of their Courts by common consent to watch over the maintenance of the Repose, of the Independence, and of the Prosperity of the Hellenic Kingdom, which France, Great Britain, and Russia contributed to found in the general interest of Civilization, of Order, and of Peace.* See Treaty of 13th July, 1863. BON. GROS. [Greek Succession. Ionian Islands.] No. 345.-PROTOCOL OF CONFERENCE between the Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, France, Russia, and Denmark, relative to the Succession to the Throne of Greece, and to the Annexation of the Ionian Islands to that Kingdom. London, 5th June, 1863.* Acceptance, by King of Denmark, of Throne of Greece for Prince William of Denmark. Ionian Islands to be annexed to Greece. Dotation of the Prince. Religion of King and his Successors. 1. Ionian Islands, if united to Greece, to appropriate £10,000 annually for Augmentation of Civil List of King George I. 2. Readiness of Courts of Great Britain, France, and Russia to give up £4,000 annually, to form a personal dotation to the King. 3. Religion of King George's Successors. 4. Crowns of Greece and Denmark never to be United. 5. A Convention to be concluded. 6. Steps to be taken for Recognition of King George I. Annex A. Letter from Greek Government, inclosing Decree, proclaiming Prince Christian William Ferdinand Adolphus George of Denmark King of Greece. Decree, 30th March, 1863. Annex B. Acceptance of Hereditary Sovereignty of Greece for Prince Christian William Ferdinand Adolphus George of Denmark on condition that the Ionian Islands be united to Greece. (Translation as laid before Parliament.†) Present: The Plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain, Russia, and Denmark. Acceptance, by King of Denmark, of Throne of Greece for Prince William of Denmark. Ionian Islands to be annexed to Greece. Dotation of the Prince. Religion of King and his Successors. THE Plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain, and Russia, acknowledging the necessity of determining without delay on the means for replacing Greece under a system conformable to the principles the inviolability of which is maintained by the Protocol of the 27th May (No. 344) in the general interest of Order and * Sce Treaty of 13th July, 1863. + For French version, see "State Papers," vol. liii, p. 148. [Greek Succession. Ionian Islands.] of Peace, assembled in Conference to decide upon the arrangements to be taken by common agreement for giving effect to the wishes of the Greek Nation, which call the Prince William of Denmark to the Hellenic Throne. In order to obtain this end, the Plenipotentiaries resolved, in conformity with the orders of their Courts, to invite the Minister of His Majesty the King of Denmark to take part in their deliberations. The Plenipotentiary of Denmark, in virtue of the authorisation which he had received from his Court, accepted the invitation. On the proposition of Her Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the Plenipotentiaries proceeded to read: 1. The Decree dated the 8th March, 1863, whereby the National Assembly unanimously proclaimed Prince William, second son of His Royal Highness Prince Christian of Denmark, Constitutional King of the Greeks, under the title of George I, King of the Greeks. 2. The note dated the 4th June, whereby the Minister of Denmark accredited to Her Britannic Majesty announces that, in accordance with His Royal Highness Prince Christian, acting in the character of guardian of his second son Prince Christian William Ferdinand Adolphus George, a minor, His Majesty the King of Denmark accepts for the Prince Christian William Ferdinand Adolphus George the hereditary Sovereignty of Greece, but on the express condition that the Ionian Islands shall be effectively united to the Hellenic Kingdom. After having maturely examined the purport of these documents, which are annexed to the present Protocol sub litt. A and B, the Plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain, and Russia announced the adhesion of their Courts to the Acts in virtue of which Prince William of Denmark, with the consent of His Majesty the King of Denmark and of his father Prince Christian, is called to the Hellenic Throne under the title of George I, King of the Greeks.* Desiring to facilitate the realisation of the wishes of the Greek Nation, the Courts of France, Great Britain, and Russia have authorised their Representatives to set forth the following Resolutions: Subsequently altered to "King of the Hellenes." See Protocols of 3rd August and 13th October, 1863. [Greek Succession. Ionian Islands.] Ionian Islands, if united to Greece, to appropriate £10,000 annually for Augmentation of Civil List of King George I.* § 1. The Principal Secretary of State of Her Britannic Majesty declared that if the Union of the Ionian Islands to the Hellenic Kingdom, after having been found to be in accordance with the wishes of the Ionian Parliament, should obtain the assent of the Courts of Austria, France, Prussia, and Russia, Her Britannic Majesty would recommend to the Government of the United States of the Ionian Islands to appropriate, annually, a sum of £10,000 sterling for the purpose of augmenting the Civil List of His Majesty George I, King of the Greeks. Readiness of Courts of Great Britain, France, and Russia to give up £4,000 annually, to form a personal dotation to the King.† § 2. The Plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain, and Russia declared that each of the 3 Courts was disposed to give up, in favour of Prince William, £4,000 sterling a year out of the sums which the Greek Treasury has engaged itself to pay annually to each of them in pursuance of the arrangement proposed at Athens by the Representatives of the 3 Powers, and accepted by the Greek Government, with the concurrence of the Chambers, in the month of June, 1860 (No. 313). It is expressly understood that these 3 sums, forming a total of £12,000 sterling annually, shall be destined to constitute a personal dotation of His Majesty the King, in addition to the Civil List fixed by the law of the State. Religion of King George's Successors.‡ § 3. In conformity with the principle of the Hellenic Constitution recognised by the Treaty signed at London on the 20th November, 1852 (No. 231), and proclaimed by the Decree of the National Assembly of the 13th March, 1863,§ the legitimate successors of King George I must profess the tenets of the Orthodox Church of the East. Crowns of Greece and Denmark never to be United.|| § 4. In no case shall the Crown of Greece and the Crown of Denmark be united on the same head. *See Treaty of 13th July, 1863, Art. IX. § Page 1542. Sce Treaty of 13th July, 1863, Art. VI. |