[War with Russia. Turkish Loan.] No. 261.-DECLARATION between Great Britain and France, relative to the Turkish Loan. Signed at London, 27th July, 1855. TABLE. Reference to Convention of 27th June, 1855. Payment of Interest and Sinking Fund on Turkish Loan in case of non-payment by Turkey. (English Version.*) Reference to Convention of 27th June, 1855 WHEREAS by the Convention signed at London on the 27th June, 1855 (No. 259), between Great Britain, France, and Turkey, for the Guarantee of a Loan of £5,000,000 sterling, to be raised by His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, His Imperial Majesty engaged that he will cause to be remitted to the Bank of England, on or before the 25th June and 25th December in each year, the full amount of one half-year's interest and Sinking Fund on the whole amount of the said Loan, or on so much thereof as may be raised, until the whole capital borrowed shall be repaid; And whereas, in consequence of the Guarantee contained in the said Convention, the Governments of Great Britain and France are conjointly answerable for the payment of the Interest on the said Loan; Payment of Interest and Sinking Fund on Turkish Loan in case of Non-payment by Turkey. It is agreed between the Governments of Great Britain and France: That in the event of the Turkish Government failing, in the whole or in part, so to remit the amount of the half-year's Interest, the British Government shall advance the amount which may be necessary to enable the Bank of England to pay the said Interest at the appointed time; that the British Government shall then transmit to the French Government an account of the amount so advanced; and that the French Government, on its part, shall immediately remit to the British Government the half of such p. 20. * For French version, see "State Papers," vol. xlv, [War with Russia. Turkish Loan.] amount; it being understood that any sums so advanced by the British and French Governments shall be proportionaily repaid to them out of any funds which may be remitted by the Turkish Government to the British Government. In witness whereof, the Undersigned, being duly authorised by their respective Governments, have signed the present Declaration, and have affixed thereto the Seal of their Arms. Done at London, the 27th day of July, 1855. (L.S.) CLARENDON. [Integrity of Sweden and Norway.] No. 262.-TREATY between Great Britain, France, and ART. Sweden and Norway. ber, 1855. Signed at Stockholm, 21st Novem TABLE. Preamble. Balance of Power in Europe. 1. Sweden not to make any Territorial Cessions, or confer any Rights of Pasturage, &c., to Russia, in Sweden and Norway. 2. Co-operation of Great Britain and France to resist Pretensions or Aggressions of Russia. 3. Ratifications. (Translation as laid before Parliament.*) Balance of Power in Europe. HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, His Majesty the Emperor of the French, and His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, being anxious to avert any complication which might disturb the existing Balance of Power in Europe, have resolved to come to an understanding with a view to secure the integrity of the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, and have named as their Plenipotentiaries to conclude a Treaty for that purpose, that is to say: Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Arthur Charles Magenis, Esquire, her Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway; His Majesty the Emperor of the French, the Sieur Charles Victor Lobstein, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, &c.; And His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, the Sieur Gustavus Nicholas Algernon Adolphus Baron de Stierneld, his Minister of State and for Foreign Affairs, &c., &c., &c.; Who, after having communicated to each other their respective Full Powers, found in good and due form, have agreed as follows: Sweden not to make any Territorial Cessions or confer any Rights of Pasturage, &c., to Russia, in Sweden and Norway. ART. I. His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway engages not to cede to nor to exchange with Russia, nor to permit her to occupy, any part of the Territories belonging to * For French version, see "State Papers," vol. xlv, p. 33. [Integrity of Sweden and Norway.] the Crowns of Sweden and Norway. His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway engages, further, not to cede to Russia any Right of Pasturage, of Fishery, or of any other nature whatsoever, either on the said Territories or upon the Coasts of Sweden and Norway, and to resist any pretension which may be put forward by Russia with a view to establish the existence of any of the Rights aforesaid. Co-operation of Great Britain and France to resist Pretensions or Aggressions of Russia. ART. II. In case Russia should make to His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway any Proposal or Demand having for its object to obtain either the Cession or the Exchange of any part whatsoever of the Territories belonging to the Crowns of Sweden and Norway, or the power of occupying certain points of the said Territories, or the Cession of Rights of Fishery, of Pasturage, or of any other Right upon the said Territories and upon the Coasts of Sweden and Norway, His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway engages forthwith to communicate such Proposal or Demand to Her Britannic Majesty and His Majesty the Emperor of the French; and their said Majesties, on their part, engage to furnish to His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway sufficient Naval and Military Forces to Co-operate with the Naval and Military Forces of His said Majesty, for the purpose of resisting the Pretensions or Aggressions of Russia. The description, number, and destination of such forces shall, if occasion should arise, be determined by common agreement between the 3 Powers. Ratifications.* ART. III. The present Treaty shall be ratified, and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at Stockholm as soon as possible. In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the Seal of their Arms. Done at Stockholm, the 21st of November, in the year of Our Lord, 1855. (L.S.) ARTHUR C. MAGENIS. (L.S.) VOR. LOBSTEIN. (L.S.) STIERNELD. * Ratifications exchanged at Stockholm, 21st December, 1855. [Hatti-Humaîoun. Christian Privileges, &c.] No. 263.-FIRMAN and Hatti-Sheriff of the Sultan, relative to Privileges and Reforms in Turkey. 18th February, 1856. [This is the Firman referred to in the Treaty of Peace signed at Paris, 30th March, 1856, Art. IX, No. 264.]. (Translation.*) LET it be done as herein set forth. To you, my Grand Vizier, Mehemed Emin Aali Pasha, decorated with my Imperial Order of the Medjidiyé of the first class, and with the Order of Personal Merit; may God grant to you greatness, and increase your power! It has always been my most earnest desire to insure the happiness of all classes of the subjects whom Divine Providence has placed under my Imperial Sceptre, and since my accession to the Throne I have not ceased to direct all my efforts to the attainment of that end. Thanks to the Almighty, these unceasing efforts have already been productive of numerous useful results. From day to day the happiness of the Nation and the wealth of my Dominions go on augmenting. It being now my desire to renew and enlarge still more the new Institutions ordained with the view of establishing a state of things conformable with the dignity of my Empire and the position which it occupies among civilized Nations, and the rights of my Empire having, by the fidelity and praiseworthy efforts of all my subjects, and by the kind and friendly assistance of the Great Powers, my noble Allies, received from abroad a confirmation which will be the commencement of a new era, it is my desire to augment its well-being and prosperity, to effect the happiness of all my subjects, who in my sight are all equal, and equally dear to me, and who are united to each other by the cordial ties of patriotism, and to insure the means of daily increasing the prosperity of my Empire. I have therefore resolved upon, and I order the execution of the following measures. The guarantees promised on our part by the Hatti-Humaïoun *For French version, see "State Papers," vol. xlvii, p. 136. |