[Peace of Paris. Close of the Crimean War.]

possessions in Asia, such as it legally existed before the rupture.

Line of Frontier to be verified.

In order to prevent all local dispute the Line of Frontier shall be verified, and, if necessary, rectified, without any prejudice as regards Territory being sustained by either Party.

Appointment of Frontier Commission.

For this purpose a Mixed Commission, composed of two Russian Commissioners, two Ottoman Commissioners, one English Commissioner, and one French Commissioner, shall be sent to the spot immediately after the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the Court of Russia and the Sublime Porte. Its labours shall be completed within the period of 8 months after the exchange of the Ratifications of the present Treaty.*

Evacuation of Territories by Allied Troops.

ART. XXXI. The Territories occupied during the War by the troops of their Majesties the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Emperor of Austria, the Emperor of the French, and the King of Sardinia, according to the terms of the Conventions signed at Constantinople on the 12th of March, 1854, between Great Britain, France, and the Sublime Porte (No. 237); on the 14th of June of the same year, between Austria and the Sublime Porte (No. 249); and on the 15th of March, 1855, between Sardinia and the Sublime Porte; shall be evacuated as soon as possible after the exchange of the Ratifications of the present Treaty. The periods and the means of execution shall form the object of an arrangement between the Sublime Porte and the Powers whose troops have occupied its Territory.

Maintenance of Treaties of Commerce. Treatment of Most Favoured Nation.

ART. XXXII. Until the Treaties or Conventions which existed before the War between the Belligerent Powers have been either renewed or replaced by new Acts, Commerce of importation or of exportation shall take place reciprocally on the footing of the regulations in force before the War; and in all other matters their

*See Final Act of 5th December, 1857; Protocol of 28th April, 1858; and Supplementary Act of 30th August, 1858.

[Peace of Paris. Close of the Crimean War.]

subjects shall be respectively treated upon the footing of the Most Favoured Nation.

Aland Islands.

ART. XXXIII. The Convention concluded this day between their Majesties the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Emperor of the French, on the one part, and His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias on the other part, respecting the Aland Islands (No. 267), is and remains annexed to the present Treaty, and shall have the same force and validity as if it formed a part thereof.

Ratifications.*

ART. XXXIV. The present Treaty shall be ratified, and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at Paris in the space of 4 weeks, or sooner if possible.

In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the Seal of their Arms. Done at Paris, the 30th day of the month of March, in the year 1856.

* Ratifications exchanged at Paris, 27th April, 1856.

[Peace of Paris.

Close of the Crimean War.]

ADDITIONAL AND TRANSITORY ARTICLE. PARIS, 30TH MARCH,

1856.

Stipulations relative to the Straits of Dardanelles and Bosphorus to take effect after Evacuation of Territories by Sea and Land.

The Stipulations of the Convention respecting the Straits, signed this day, shall not be applicable to the Vessels of War employed by the Belligerent Powers for the evacuation, by Sea, of the Territories occupied by their Armies; but the said Stipulations shall resume their entire effect as soon as the Evacuation shall be terminated.

Done at Paris, the 30th day of the month of March, in the year 1856.

(L.S.) CLARENDON.

(L.S.) COWLEY.

(L.S.) BUOL-SCHAUENSTEIN.

(L.S.) HUBNER.

(L.S.) A. WALEWSKI.

(L.S.) BOURQUENEY.

(L.S.) MANTEUFFEL.

(L.S.) C. M. D'HATZFELDT.

(L.S.) ORLOFF.

(L.S.) BRUNNOW.

(L.S.) C. CAVOUR.

(L.S.) DE VILLAMARINA.

(L.S.) AALI.

(L.S.) MEHEMMED DJEMII..

[Straits Convention. Dardanelles and Bosphorus.]

No. 265.-CONVENTION between Great Britain, Austria, France, Prussia, Russia, and Sardinia, on the one part, and the Sultan, on the other part, respecting the Straits of the Dardanelles and of the Bosphorus. Signed at Paris, 30th March, 1856.*

[This Convention was annexed to the General Treaty of Peace of the same date, Article X, No. 264.]

Preamble. Reference to Treaty of 13th July, 1841.

1. Prohibition to Foreign Ships of War to enter Bosphorus and Dardanelles. Agreement of 6 Powers to respect this Prohibition.

2. Admission, under Firman, of Light Vessels in service of Foreign Missions. 3. Light Vessels, under Flag of War, stationed at Mouths of the Danube. 4. Ratifications.

(Translation as laid before Parliament.†)

In the Name of Almighty God.

Reference to Treaty of 13th July, 1841.

THEIR Majesties the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Emperor of Austria, the Emperor of the French, the King of Prussia, the Emperor of All the Russias, signing Parties to the Convention of the 13th day of July, 1841 (No. 193), and His Majesty the King of Sardinia; wishing to record in common their unanimous determination to conform to the ancient rule of the Ottoman Empire, according to which the Straits of the Dardanelles and of the Bosphorus are Closed to Foreign Ships of War, so long as the Porte is at Peace;

Their said Majesties, on the one part, and His Majesty, the Sultan, on the other, have resolved to renew the Convention concluded at London on the 13th day of July, 1841 (No. 193), with the exception of some modifications of detail which do not affect the principle upon which it rests;

In consequence their said Majesties have named for that purpose as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable George William

* See also General Treaty of 13th March, 1871, Article II.

+ For French Version, see

"State Papers," vol. xlvi, p. 18.

[Straits Convention. Dardanelles and Bosphorus.]

Frederick Earl of Clarendon, Baron Hyde of Hindon, Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, &c.; and the Right Honourable Henry Richard Charles Baron Cowley, Her Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to His Majesty the Emperor of the French, &c.;

His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, the Sieur Charles Ferdinand Count of Buol-Schauenstein, his Minister of the House and of Foreign Affairs, President of the Conference of Ministers, &c.; and the Sieur Joseph Alexander Baron de Hübner, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of France, &c.;

His Majesty the Emperor of the French, the Sieur Alexander Count Colonna Walewski, his Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, &c.; and the Sieur Francis Adolphus Baron de Bourqueney, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty, &c.;

His Majesty the King of Prussia, the Sieur Otho Theodore Baron de Manteuffel, President of his Council, and his Minister for Foreign Affairs, &c.; and the Sieur Maximilian Frederick Charles Francis Count of Hatzfeldt Wildenburg-Schoenstein, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of France, &c.;

His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, the Sieur Alexis Count Orloff, a Member of the Council of the Empire and of the Committee of Ministers, &c.; and the Sieur Philip Baron de Brunnow, his Privy Councillor, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Germanic Confederation and to the Grand Duke of Hesse, &c.;

His Majesty the King of Sardinia, the Sieur Camille Benso, Count of Cavour, President of the Council of Ministers, and his Minister Secretary of State for the Finances, &c.; and the Sieur Salvator Marquis de Villamarina, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of France, &c.;

And His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans, Mouhammed Emin Aali Pasha, Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, &c.; and Mehemmed Djemil Bey, his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to His Majesty the Emperor of the French, accredited in the same character to His Majesty the King of Sardinia, &c.;

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