[War with Russia.] No. 237.-TREATY between Great Britain, France, and Turkey, relative to Military Aid to be given to Turkey. Signed at Constantinople, 12th March, 1854. 1. Co-operation of Great Britain and France for the Defence, of Turkey against Russian Aggression. 2. Proposals of Peace by Russia to be communicated to Contracting Parties. Turkey not to conclude Peace without consent of her Allies. 3. Evacuation of Ottoman Territory by British and French Troops on conclusion of Peace. 4. Movements of Auxiliary Armies not to be controlled by Turkish Authorities. Commanders of Auxiliary Armies to maintain discipline and respect for the Laws. Property to be respected. Plan of Campaign to be settled by the 3 Commanders-in-Chief. Demands on Turkey for Auxiliary Troops to be attended to. 5. Ratifications. (Translation as laid before Parliament.*) HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the Emperor of the French, having been requested by His Imperial Majesty the Sultan to assist him in repelling the Aggression which has been made by His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias upon the territories of the Sublime Porte, an Aggression by which the Integrity of the Ottoman Empire and the Independence of the Throne of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan are menaced; and their said Majesties being fully persuaded that the existence of the Ottoman Empire in its present Limits is essential to the maintenance of the Balance of Power among the States of Europe, and having in consequence consented to afford to His Imperial Majesty the Sultan the assistance which he has requested for that purpose, it has appeared expedient to their said Majesties, and to His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, to conclude a Treaty in order to record their intentions in conformity with what has been stated above, and to regulate the manner in which their said Majesties shall afford assistance to His Imperial Majesty the Sultan. For this purpose their said Majesties and His *For French version, see "State Papers," vol. xliv, p. 5. [War with Russia.] Imperial Majesty the Sultan have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Stratford, Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe, a Peer of the United Kingdom, a Member of Her Britannic Majesty's Privy Council, &c.; His Majesty the Emperor of the French, the Count Baraguey d'Hilliers, General of Division, &c.; And His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, Mustapha Reshid Pasha, his Minister for Foreign Affairs; Who, after having communicated to each other their Full Powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles: Co-operation of Great Britian and France for the Defence of Turkey against Russian Aggression. ART. I. Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the Emperor of the French, having already, at the request of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, ordered powerful divisions of their Naval Forces to proceed to Constantinople, and to afford to the Ottoman Territory and Flag such Protection as the circumstances might admit of, their said Majesties undertake by the present Treaty still further to co-operate with His Imperial Majesty the Sultan for the defence of the Ottoman Territory in Europe and in Asia against Russian Aggression, by employing for that purpose such an amount of their Land Forces as may appear necessary to attain the said object; which Land Forces their said Majesties will immediately dispatch to such point or points of the Ottoman Territory as shall be deemed expedient; and His Imperial Majesty the Sultan agrees, that the British and French Land Forces thus sent for the Defence of the Ottoman Territory shall meet with the same friendly reception, and shall be treated with the same consideration as the British and French Naval Forces, which have for some time past been employed in the waters of Turkey. Proposals of Peace by Russia to be communicated to Contracting Parties. Turkey not to conclude Peace without consent of her Allies. ART. II. The High Contracting Parties severally engage to communicate to each other, without loss of time, any proposition [War with Russia.] which any one of them may receive on the part of the Emperor of Russia, either directly or indirectly, with a view to the Cessation of Hostilities, to an Armistice, or to Peace; and His Imperial Majesty the Sultan engages, moreover, not to conclude any Armistice, nor to enter on any negotiation for Peace, and not to conclude any Preliminary of Peace, nor any Treaty of Peace, with the Emperor of Russia, without the knowledge and consent of the High Contracting Parties. Evacuation of Ottoman Territory by British and French Troops on conclusion of Peace. ART. III. As soon as the object of the present Treaty shall have been attained by the conclusion of a Treaty of Peace, Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the Emperor of the French, will forthwith make arrangements for the immediate Withdrawal of all their Military and Naval Forces which shall have been employed to accomplish the object of the present Treaty; and all the Fortresses or Positions in the Ottoman Territory which shall have been temporarily occupied by the Military Forces of England and France, shall be delivered up to the authorities of the Sublime Ottoman Porte in the space of 40 days, or sooner if possible, after the exchange of the Ratifications of the Treaty by which the present War shall be terminated. Movements of Auxiliary Armies not to be controlled by Turkish Authorities. ART. IV. It is understood that the Auxiliary Armies shall retain the power of taking such part as they may deem expedient in the operations directed against the common enemy, without the Ottoman Authorities, civil or military, having any pretension to exercise the slightest control over their movements; on the contrary, every aid and facility shall be afforded to them by those authorities, especially for their landing, their march, their quarters or encampment, their subsistence and that of their horses, and their communications, whether they act together or whether they act separately. Commanders of Auxiliary Armies to maintain Discipline and respect for the Laws. It is understood, on the other hand, that the Commanders of [War with Russia.] the said Armies undertake to maintain the strictest Discipline in their respective Troops, and shall cause them to respect the Laws and usages of the country. Property to be respected. As a matter of course, Property shall be everywhere respected. Plan of Campaign to be settled by the 3 Commanders-in-Chief. It is moreover understood, on either side, that the general Plan of Campaign shall be discussed and settled between the Commanders-in-Chief of the 3 Armies, and that if any considerable portion of the Allied troops should be acting in conjunction with the Ottoman troops, no operation shall be undertaken against the enemy without its having been previously concerted with the Commanders of the Allied Forces. Demands on Turkey for Auxiliary Troops to be attended to. Finally, attention shall be paid to any demand relative to the wants of the service which may be addressed by the Commanders-in-Chief of the Auxiliary Troops, either to the Ottoman Government through their respective Embassies, or, in case of urgency, to the local authorities, unless insuperable objections, to be clearly explained, should prevent compliance with such demands. Ratifications.* ART. V. The present Treaty shall be ratified, and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at Constantinople in the space of 6 weeks, or sooner if possible, from the day of signature. In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the Seal of their Arms. Done in triplicate, for one and the same purpose, at Constantinople, the 12th day of March, 1854. STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE. (L.S.) * Ratifications exchanged at London, 25th April, 1854. [War with Russia.] No. 238.—MESSAGE from Her Britannic Majesty to both Houses of Parliament on the Outbreak of War with Russia. 27th March, 1854. VICTORIA REGINA. Commons HER Majesty thinks it proper to acquaint the House of Lords that the negotiations in which Her Majesty, in concert with Her Allies, has for some time past been engaged, with His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, have terminated, and that Her Majesty feels bound to afford active assistance to Her Ally the Sultan against unprovoked Aggression. Commons Her Majesty has given directions for laying before the House of Lords copies of such papers, in addition to those already communicated to Parliament, as will afford the fullest information with regard to the subject of these Negotiations. It is a consolation to Her Majesty to reflect that no endeavours have been wanting on her part to preserve to Her subjects the blessings of Peace. Her Majesty's just expectations have been disappointed, and Her Majesty relies with confidence on the zeal and devotion of and on the exertions of Her brave and loyal the House of Lords, Her faithful Commons, subjects, to support Her in Her determination to employ the Power and Resources of the Nation for protecting the Dominions of the Sultan against the Encroachments of Russia. V. R. |