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[Italian Boundary. River Po.]

No. 306.-PROTOCOL OF CONFERENCE between the Plenipotentiaries of Austria, France, and Sardinia. Signed at Zurich, 21st November, 1859.

(Translation.*)

Interpretation of Article IV† of the Treaty of Peace of 10th November, 1859, relative to the Delimitation along the Po.

On the exchange of the Ratifications of the Treaty of Peace concluded between France and Austria (No. 301), a careful study of Article IV of that Treaty points out a passage, the compilation of which might give rise to a misunderstanding, or at least to a doubtful interpretation.

In that paragraph, beginning with the words "This circle. will be determined by a circumference," it is said "the Frontier will follow the thalweg of the River (Mincio), as far as Le Grazie, will extend from Le Grazie in a straight line to Scorzarolo, will follow the thalweg of the Po to Luzzara."

According to its usual acceptation, the expression quoted above "will follow the thalweg of the Po," would mean will descend the course of the River. Therefore as Luzzara does not proceed upwards, but down from the point of Scorzarolo, the expression "will proceed up the thalweg of the Po," instead of "will follow," appears to be more correct and to indicate in a more positive manner that part of the new Delimitation of the Frontier.

With a view of preventing every uncertainty which might arise from the compilation adopted in the Treaty, and to re-establish in all its clearness the sense to be attached to the above passage of Article IV, the Plenipotentiaries of France and Austria have agreed to record in this Protocol the above explanation. In testimony whereof, the Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Protocol.

Done at Zurich, 21st November, 1859.

BOURQUENEY.

BANNEVILLE.

KAROLYI.
MEYSENBUG.

DES AMBROIS.
JOCTEAU.

*For French version, see "State Papers," vol. 1, p. 1019.

+ Page 1383.

[Protocol. Annexation of Savoy to France.]

No. 307.-PROTEST of the Swiss Government against the Annexation of the Districts of Savoy (Chablais, Faucigny, and the Genevese) to France. Paris, 15th March, 1860.*

The Swiss Minister in Paris to the British Ambassador in Paris. (Translation as laid before Parliament.)

M. LE MINISTRE, Paris, 15th March, 1860. In compliance with a despatch from Berne, it is my duty to inform your Excellency that the Federal Council has addressed to His Majesty the King of Sardinia a Note, in which it demands the observation of the stipulations of the Treaty of 1564, confirmed by the Treaty of the 16th March, 1816 (No. 52), between Sardinia and Switzerland, so far as they affect the Cession of the existing Savoyard Territory to another Power.

I must observe, that my Government most distinctly regards any Annexation of the Neutralised Provinces of Chablais, Faucigny, and the Genevese to another Power as being in contradiction to the stipulations of the Treaties of 1815, which guarantee those Provinces, in the interest of Swiss Neutrality, as if they were an integral portion of the Confederation, declaring "that they are to benefit by the Neutrality of Switzerland in the same way as if they belonged to her."

Meanwhile, my instructions impose on me the duty, referring to the reasons which I had the honour to state to you at the audience which you were good enough to grant me on the 13th of March, to protest formally, in the name of the Swiss Confederation, against any measure which should have for its object the annexation of those Provinces to France, until the Powers of Europe, to whom the Imperial Government itself has declared its desire to submit this question, shall have pronounced their opinion. I avail, &c.,

Earl Cowley.

KERN.

*On the 11th and 14th March, 1860, the Swiss Federal Council also addressed Notes to the Sardinian Government protesting against any vote of the people of Savoy, or any act of the Sardinian Government, which might tend to alter the existing condition of Savoy, without consideration being paid to the rights which Switzerland possesses to those parts of Savoy which are neutralised. See also Treaty between France and Sardinia of 24th March, 1860, Article II, respecting conditions of transfer to France of Neutralized Portions of Savoy; and further, Swiss Protest of 28th March, 1860.

[Union of Modena, Parma, &c., to Sardinia.]

No. 308.-DECREE of the King of Sardinia, constituting the Provinces of Emilia (Bologna, Ferrara, Forli, Massa and Carrara, Modena,* Parma,† Placentia, Ravenna, and Reggio), a part of the Kingdom of Sardinia. Turin, 18th March, 1860.

(Translation.)

VICTOR EMANUEL II, King of Sardinia, of Cyprus, and of Jerusalem, &c., Duke of Savoy and of Genoa, &c., Prince of Piedmont, &c. ;

Considering the result of the Universal Suffrage of the Emilian Provinces, proving their unanimous desire to be united to our State:

Having consulted our Ministers, we now decree:

ART. I. The Provinces of Emilia shall make an integral part of the State from the day of the date of the present Decree.

ART. II. The present Decree shall be presented to Parliament to be converted into law.

Our Ministers are charged with the execution of the present Decree, which, furnished with the Seal of State, shall be inserted in the collection of Government Acts, and be published in the Provinces of Tuscany.

Given at Turin, 18th March, 1860.

C. CAVOUR and 5 others.

VICTOR EMANUEL.

*See Protest of Duke of Modena of 22nd March, 1860.
+ See Protest of Duchess Regent of Parma, 28th March, 1860.

[Union of Tuscany to Sardinia.]

No. 309.-DECREE of the King of Sardinia, uniting Tuscany to the Kingdom of Sardinia*. Turin, 22nd March, 1860.

(Translation.)

VICTOR EMANUEL JI, King of Sardinia, of Cyprus, and of Jerusalem, &c., Duke of Savoy and of Genoa, &c., Prince of Piedmont, &c.;

Considering the result of the Universal Voting of the Provinces of Tuscany, by which it is shown that the general wish of the population there is to be united to our State;

Having heard our Council of Ministers, we have decreed and do decree:

ART. I. The Provinces of Tuscany shall form an Integral Part of the State from the day of the date of the present Decree.

ART. II. The present Decree shall be presented to Parliament to be converted into law.

Our Ministers are charged with the execution of the present Decree, which, furnished with the Seal of State, shall be inserted in the collection of Government Acts, and be published in the Provinces of Tuscany.

Given at Turin, 22nd March, 1860.

VICTOR EMANUEL.

C. CAVOUR and 5 others.

* See Protest of Grand Duke of Tuscany, of 24th March, 1860.

[Protest. Annexation to Sardinia.]

No. 310.-PROTEST of the Duke of Modena against the Annexation of the Duchy of Modena to the Kingdom of Sardinia. Vienna, 22nd March, 1860.

(Translation.)

WE, Francis V, Archduke of Austria, Prince Royal of Hungary and Bohemia, by the Grace of God, Duke of Modena, Reggio, Mirandole, Massa, Carrara, Guastalla, &c.

The events which occurred during the last few days of April, 1859, in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, and the attitude of Sardinia, which had then become more openly hostile towards us, having constrained us to concentrate our Military Forces, by removing them from that part of the Duchy bordering on those two States, we protested, on the 14th May, 1859, against the iniquitous usurpation of those Provinces, which the Piedmontese Government, immediately after the departure of our Troops, soon accomplished.

The events of the War in Lombardy, the Revolution already consummated at Parma, the imminence of that of the Legations, the violation by the French Troops of our Territory on the Frontier side of Tuscany, obliged us to retire with most of our remaining Troops from our States, convinced of the impossibility of maintaining ourselves as an Independent Sovereign in the face of enemies immensely superior in numbers and means.

The revolutionary faction directed and maintained in every way by the Sardinian Government, succeeded in overthrowing the Regency which we had appointed by Decree of the 11th June, 1859; and a Piedmontese Commissioner at Nice seized the reins of Power and placed himself at the head of the Revolution. We then addressed, from Villafranca, a second Protest, on the 22nd June, 1859, in which, whilst pointing out the spoliations committed by the Government of Sardinia to the prejudice of our Rights of Sovereignty, we alluded to the Declarations already issued on the nullity of Acts, which every Government or Power,

*For French Version, see "State Papers," vol. lvii, p. 1030.

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