[Sound Dues.]

No.278.-TREATY between Great Britain, Austria, Belgium, France, Hanover, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Oldenburg, the Netherlands, Prussia, Russia, Sweden and Norway, and the Hans Towns, on the one part, and Denmark, on the other part, for the Redemption of the Sound Dues.* Signed at Copenhagen, 14th March, 1857.

"1. Abolition of Sound Duties on Vessels passing from the North Sea to the Baltic. Reservation as to Powers not Parties to Treaty. Abolition of all Taxes on Commerce and Navigation.

2. Maintenance of Lights and Lighthouses. Change and Increase of Lights, Lighthouses, Buoys, Beacons, and Sea-marks when necessary. Pilotage to be Optional, and Charges the same as for Danish Vessels. Permission to Danes and foreigners to establish Tugs for Towing Vessels. List of Articles to be Exempt from Duties. Fixed Transit Duties. Reduction of Transit Duties. Convention to be concluded with Sweden and Norway for the Maintenance of Lighthouses.

3. Engagements to commence on the 1st April, 1857.

4. Compensation to be made to Denmark.

5. Payments to be made by Instalments.

6. Separate Engagements to be made by each Contracting Power. 7. Execution of Reciprocal Engagements.

8. Ratifications.

Protocol.

Right of Denmark to charge Duties on Vessels of such Powers as shall not have concluded separate Treaties on the 1st April. Verification of Nationality.

Provisional Reduction of Transit Dues to commence from 1st April, 1857.

(Translation as laid before Parliament.†)

HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, His Majesty the King of the Belgians,

*Separate Treaties were also signed with Portugal, on the 12th November, 1858; with Sardinia, on the 25th November, 1857; with the Sicilies, on the 2nd January, 1858; with Spain, on the 25th February, 1860; with Turkey, on the 15th March, 1859; and with The United States, on the 11th April, 1857. For French Version, see "State Papers," vol. xlvii, p. 24,

[Sound Dues.]

His Majesty the Emperor of the French, His Majesty the King of Hanover, His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of MecklenburgSchwerin, His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Oldenburg, His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, His Majesty the King of Prussia, His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, and the Senates of the Free Hanseatic Cities of Lubeck, Bremen, and Hamburg, on the one part; and His Majesty the King of Denmark on the other part being equally animated with the desire to facilitate and enlarge the Commercial and Maritime relations which at present exist between or through the medium of their respective Dominions, as well by means of the complete and perpetual abolition of all Toll levied upon Foreign Vessels and their Cargoes on passing through the Sound and the Belts, as by means of a reduction of charge upon goods passing in Transit over the lines of communication which connect the North Sea and the Elbe with the Baltic, have resolved to conclude a special Treaty for that purpose, and have accordingly furnished with their Full Powers, that is to say :

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Andrew Buchanan, Esquire, her Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Majesty the King of Denmark;

His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, the Sieur Charles Jaeger, his Chargé d'Affaires at the Court of His Majesty the King of Denmark;

His Majesty the King of the Belgians, the Sieur Alcindor Chevalier Beaulieu, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Danish Majesty, &c.;

His Majesty the King of Denmark, the Sieur Christian Albert Bluhme, his Privy Councillor of Conferences, and Director of the Customs of Oresound, &c.;

His Majesty the Emperor of the French, the Sieur Adolphus Dotezac, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to his Majesty the King of Denmark, &c.;

His Majesty the King of Hanover, the Sieur Charles Hanbury, his Minister Resident, and Privy Councillor of Legation, &c.;

His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, the Sieur Charles Frederick William Prosch, his Councillor of Regency and Privy Councillor of Legation, &c.;

[Sound Dues.]

His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Oldenburg, the Sieur Albert John Theodore Erdman, his Councillor of Regency, &c.;

His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, the Sieur Henry Charles du Bois, his Minister Resident to His Majesty the King of Denmark, &c.;

His Majesty the King of Prussia, the Sieur Alphonse Henry, Count of Oriolla, his Chamberlain, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Majesty the King of Denmark, &c.;

His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, the Sieur Jules de Tegoborski, his Councillor of College, &c. ;

His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, the Sieur Nicholas William Baron de Wetterstedt, his Chamberlain, his Chargé d'Affaires at the Court of His Danish Majesty, &c.;

And the Senates of the Free Hanseatic Cities of Lubeck, Bremen, and Hamburg, the Sieur Frederick Krüger, Doctor of Laws, Minister Resident of the said Cities to His Majesty the King of Denmark;

Who, after having exchanged their Full Powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles :

ART. I. His Majesty the King of Denmark engages to Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, His Majesty the King of the Belgians, His Majesty the Emperor of the French, His Majesty the King of Hanover, His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Oldenburg, His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, His Majesty the King of Prussia, His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, and the Senates of the Free Hanseatic Cities of Lubeck, Bremen, and Hamburg, who accept such engagement :

Abolition of Sound Duties to Vessels passing from the North Sea to the Baltic. Reservation as to Powers not Parties to Treaty.

1. Not to levy any duty of Customs, Tonnage, Light, Lighthouses, Beacons, or any other charge whatever, either in regard to Vessel or Cargo, upon Ships sailing from the North Sea to the Baltic, or vice versa, on passing through the Belts or the Sound, whether they simply traverse the Danish waters, or whether