1. High Contracting Parties not to make Arrangements with Russia without previous deliberation in common. 2. Occupation of Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia by Austrian Troops during the War. 3. Offensive and Defensive Alliance in case of Hostilities between Austria and Russia. 4. High Contracting Parties not to entertain Overtures of Peace without previous consultation. 5. Deliberations in case of non-conclusion of General Peace. 6. Invitation to Prussia to accede to Convention. 7. Ratifications. (Translation as laid before Parliament.†) Peace of Europe. HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, and His Majesty the Emperor of the French, being animated with the desire of terminating the present War at the earliest possible moment, by the re-establishment of General Peace on solid bases, affording to the whole of Europe every Guarantee against the return of the complications which have so unhappily disturbed its repose; being convinced that nothing would be more conducive to that result than the complete Union of their efforts until the common object which they have in view shall be entirely attained; and acknowledging, in consequence, the necessity of coming to an immediate understanding with regard to their respective positions, and to arrangements for the future; have resolved to conclude a Treaty of Alliance, and have for that purpose named as their Plenipotentiaries: Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable John Fane, Earl of Sardinia acceded to this Convention on the 15th March, 1855. + For French Version, see "State Papers," vol. xliv, p. 22. [War. Russia and Turkey, &c.] Westmorland, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty, &c.; His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, the Sieur Charles, Count de Buol-Schauenstein, his Chamberlain and Privy Councillor, Minister for Foreign Affairs and of the Imperial House, &c. ; His Majesty the Emperor of the French, the Sieur Francis Adolphus, Baron de Bourqueney, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty, &c.; Who, after having communicated to each other their Full Powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and signed the following Articles: High Contracting Parties not to make Arrangements with Russia, without previous Deliberation in common. ART. I. The High Contracting Parties refer to the Declarations contained in the Protocols of the 9th of April (No. 241) and 23rd of May of the present year (No. 248), and in the Notes exchanged on the 8th of August last (No. 250); and as they reserved to themselves the right of proposing, according to circumstances, such Conditions as they might judge necessary for the general interests of Europe, they engage mutually and reciprocally not to enter into any Arrangement with the Imperial Court of Russia without having first deliberated thereupon in common. Occupation of Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia by ART. II. His Majesty the Emperor of Austria having, in virtue of the Treaty concluded on the 14th of June last with the Sublime Porte (No. 249), caused the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia to be occupied by his troops, he engages to defend the Frontier of the said Principalities against any return of the Russian Forces; the Austrian troops shall for this purpose occupy the positions necessary for Guaranteeing those Principalities against any attack. Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the Emperor of the French, having likewise concluded with the Sublime Porte on the 12th of March (No. 237), a Treaty which authorises them to direct their forces upon every part of the [War. Russia and Turkey, &c.] Ottoman Empire, the above-mentioned Occupation shall not interfere with the free movement of the Anglo-French or Ottoman troops upon these same Territories against the Military Forces or the Territory of Russia. There shall be formed at Vienna between the Plenipotentiaries of Austria, France, and Great Britain, a Commission to which Turkey shall be invited to send a Plenipotentiary, and which shall be charged with examining and regulating every question relating either to the exceptional and provisional state in which the said Principalities are now placed, or to the free passage of the different armies across their Territory. Offensive and Defensive Alliance in case of Hostilities between Austria and Russia. ART. III. In case hostilities should break out between Austria and Russia, Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, and His Majesty the Emperor of the French, mutually promise to each other their Offensive and Defensive Alliance in the present War, and will for that purpose employ, according to the requirements of the War, Military and Naval Forces, the number, description, and destination whereof shall, if occassion should arise, be determined by subsequent arrangements. High Contracting Parties not to entertain Overtures of Peace without previous Consultation. ART. IV. In the case contemplated by the preceding Article, the High Contracting Parties reciprocally engage not to entertain any Overture or Proposition on the part of the Imperial Court of Russia, having for its object the Cessation of Hostilities, without having come to an understanding thereupon between themselves. Deliberations in case of Non-conclusion of General Peace. ART. V. In case the re-establishment of General Peace, upon the bases indicated in Article I, should not be assured in the course of the present year, Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, and His Majesty the Emperor of the French, will deliberate without delay upon effectual means for obtaining the object of their Alliance. [War. Russia and Turkey, &c.] Invitation to Prussia to accede to Convention. ART. VI. Great Britain, Austria, and France will jointly communicate the present Treaty to the Court of Prussia, and will with satisfaction receive its Accession thereto, in case it should promise its co-operation for the accomplishment of the common object.* Ratifications. ART. VII. The present Treaty shall be ratified, and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at Vienna in the space of a fortnight. In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the Seal of their Arms. Done at Vienna, the 2nd of December, in the year of Our Lord, 1854. (L.S.) WESTMORLAND. (L.S.) BUOL-SCHAUENSTEIN. (L.S.) BOURQUENEY. * Prussia did not accede to this Treaty. Conferences on the Eastern Question were held at Vienna between the Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, Austria, France, Russia, and Turkey, from the 15th March till the 26th April, 1855; and at the sitting of the 17th March, deep regret was expressed at Prussia not being represented in the Conferences. Prussia, however, took part in the Conferences held at Paris in 1856. [War with Russia. Eastern Question.] No. 253.—MEMORANDUM presented by Great Britain, Austria, and France, to Russia, containing the Bases of Conferences on the Eastern Question. 28th December, 1854. TABLE. Moldavia, Wallachia, and Servia. Black Sea. Christian Subjects of the Porte. (Translation as laid before Parliament.*) In order to determine the sense which their Governments attach to each of the principles contained in the 4 Articles, and reserving to themselves, moreover, as they have always done, the power to put forward such Special Conditions as may appear to them required, beyond the 4 Guarantees, by the general interests of Europe, to prevent the recurrence of the late complications, the Representatives of Austria, France, and Great Britain declare: Moldavia, Wallachia, and Servia. 1. That their Governments, concurring in the opinion that it was necessary to abolish the exclusive Protectorate exercised by Russia over Moldavia, Wallachia, and Servia, and henceforward to place under the Collective Guarantee of the 5 Powers the Privileges accorded by the Sultans to the Principalities dependencies of their Empire, have considered and do consider that none of the stipulations of the ancient Treaties of Russia with the Porte, relative to the said Provinces, should be revived at the Peace, and that the arrangements to be concluded on the subject of them should be ultimately combined so as to give full and entire effect to the Rights of the Suzerain Power, to those of the 3 Principalities, and to the general interests of Europe. Navigation of the Danube. 2. To give to the freedom of Navigation of the Danube all the development of which it is susceptible, it would be desirable that * For French version, see "State Papers," vol. xlv, p. 53. |