[Greek Succession. Ionian Islands.] A Convention to be concluded.* § 5. The Plenipotentiaries reserve to their Courts to give to the arrangements above set forth the form of a Convention. Steps to be taken for Recognition of King George I. § 6. The Courts of France, Great Britain, and Russia shall from this moment use their influence in order to procure the recognition of Prince William as King of the Greeks, under the name of George I, by all the Sovereigns and States with whom they have relations. After having agreed upon the Resolutions contained in the present Protocol, the Plenipotentiaries affixed their signatures thereto. BON. GROS. RUSSELL. Annex A to the Protocol of the Conference of 5th June, 1863. Letter from Greek Government, inclosing Decree, proclaiming Prince Christian William Ferdinand Adolphus George of Denmark, King of Greece. M. L'ENVOYÉ, Athens, March 31, 1863. I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith a French translation of the Decree which was yesterday unanimously passed by the National Assembly, and by which the Prince Christian William Ferdinand Adolphus George, second son of the Prince Christian of Denmark, is proclaimed Constitutional King of the Greeks under the name of George I. This election, which has been received with the greatest enthusiasm by the people of the capital, will, by terminating the Revolution of the 23rd October, open a new era of happiness and prosperity for Greece. In requesting you, Sir, to have the goodness to bring the said Decree to the knowledge of [the Government of] Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, I have no doubt that the British Government, animated by sentiments of friendship to* See Treaty of 13th July, 1863. wards Greece, will see with pleasure the termination of the crisis through which we have passed. The Hon. Henry Elliot. Accept, &c., D. E. MAVROCORDATO. DECREE No. XXV, 30th March, 1863. The Second National Assembly of the Greeks at Athens, Decrees: ART. I. The Prince Christian William Ferdinand Adolphus George, second son of the Prince Christian of Denmark, is proclaimed by the Assembly, unanimously, Constitutional King of the Greeks, under the name of George I, King of the Greeks.* ART. II. The legitimate successors of King George must profess the tenets of the Orthodox Church of the East. ART. III. A Commission of 3 members, chosen by the Assembly, shall repair to Copenhagen, and shall offer to him the Crown in the name of the Hellenic Nation. Annex B to the Protocol of the Conference of 5th June, 1863. Acceptance of Hereditary Sovereignty of Greece for Prince Christian William Ferdinand Adolphus George of Denmark on condition that the Ionian Islands be United to Greece. Legation of Denmark, London, 4th June, 1863. THE Undersigned, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of His Majesty the King of Denmark, has the honour, by order of his Government, to declare that, in accordance with His Royal Highness the Prince Christian of Denmark, acting in the character of guardian of his second son, the Prince Christian William Ferdinand Adolphus George, a minor, His Majesty the King of Denmark accepts for that Prince the Hereditary Sovereignty of Greece, which has been offered to him by a Decree of the Hellenic National Assembly, dated the 18th March last. Such acceptance has, however been given under the expectation and on the express condition that the Ionian Islands shall be effectively united to the Hellenic Kingdom. TORBEN BILLE. Title subsequently altered to "King of the Hellenes." See Protocols of 3rd August and 13th October, 1863. [Greek Succession. Ionian Islaads.] No. 346.-PROTOCOL OF CONFERENCE between the Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, France, and Russia, respecting the Affairs of Greece. London, 26th June, 1863.* (Translation as laid before Parliament.†) Guarantee by Protecting Powers of Political existence and Frontiers of Greece. Union of Ionian Islands to Greece. Greek Loan. PRESENT: The Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, France, and Russia. After having signed the Protocol of the 5th of this month (No. 345), relative to the arrangements to be made in order to facilitate the Accession of Prince William to the Hellenic Throne, the Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, France, and Russia have considered it necessary to place upon record the agreement established between their Courts upon the two following points: 1. With regard to the Guarantee of the Political existence and of the Frontiers of the Kingdom of Greece, the 3 Protecting Powers simply maintain the terms in which it is expressed by Article IV of the Convention of 7th May, 1832 (No. 159). It is agreed that the Ionian Islands shall be included in that Guarantee, when their Union to the Hellenic Kingdom shall have obtained the assent of the parties interested. 2. With regard to the Financial obligations which Greece has contracted towards the 3 Protecting Powers, on account of the Loan, in virtue of Article XII of the Convention of 7th May, 1832 (No. 159), it is understood that the Courts of Great Britain, France, and Russia will, in concert, watch over the strict execution of the engagement proposed at Athens by the Representatives of the 3 Powers, and accepted by the Greek Government, with the concurrence of the Chambers, in the month of June, 1860 (No. 318). The Representatives of the 3 Powers in Greece shall for this purpose receive instructions prepared in the same spirit, to serve as the rule for their conduct. The 3 Courts shall communicate to each other those Instructions, destined to protect their interest by united efforts. *See Treaty of 13th July, 1863. RUSSELL. BON. GROS. BRUNNOW. + For French version, see "State Papers," vol. liii, p. 140. [Greek Succession. Ionian Islands.] No. 347.-TREATY between Great Britain, France, and Russia, on the one part, and Denmark, on the other part, relative to the Accession of Prince William of Denmark to the Throne of Greece. Signed at London, 13th July, ART. 1863.* TABLE. Preamble. Reference to Guarantee of Great Britain, France, and 1. Acceptance of Hereditary Sovereignty of Greece by King of Denmark for Prince William of Denmark. 2. Title of King of the Greeks. 3. Greece to form a Monarchical, Independent, and Constitutional State. 4. Limits of Greek Territory. Annexation of Ionian Islands to Greece. 5. Union of Ionian Islands to be under Guarantee of Protecting Powers. 6. Crowns of Greece and Denmark never to be united. 7. Religion of King of Greece. 8. Majority of King of Greece. 9. Appropriation by Ionian Islands to Civil List of King of the Greeks. 14. Support to Greek Government. 15. Ratifications. (Translation as laid before Parliament.†) Reference to Guarantee of Great Britain, France, and Russia. In the Name of the Most Holy and Indivisible Trinity. THEIR Majesties the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Emperor of the French, and the Emperor of All the Russias, being anxious to smooth the difficulties which have occurred in the Kingdom of Greece, placed under their common Guarantee (No. 159), have judged it necessary to come to an understanding with regard to the arrangements to be taken in order to give effect to the wish of the Greek Nation, which calls the Prince William of Denmark to the Hellenic Throne. His Majesty the King of Denmark, on his part, responding to the invitation of their said Majesties, has consented to afford them his co-operation with a view to that result, conformable to the interests of the general Peace. * See Treaties of 14th March, 1863, and 29th March, 1864. [Greek Succession. Ionian Islands.] In consequence, their Majestics the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Emperor of the French, and the Emperor of All the Russias, on the one part, and His Majesty the King of Denmark on the other, have resolved to conclude a Treaty, and have for that purpose named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable John Earl Russell, her Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, &c.; His Majesty the Emperor of the French, the Sieur John Baptist Louis Baron Gros, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Her Britannic Majesty, &c. ; Ilis Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, the Sieur Philip Baron de Brunnow, his actual Privy Councillor, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Her Britannic Majesty, &c.; And His Majesty the King of Denmark, the Sieur Torben de Bille, his Chamberlain, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Her Britannic Majesty, &c.; Who, after having exchanged their Full Powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and signed the following Articles: Acceptance of Hereditary Sovereignty of Greece by King of Denmark for Prince William of Denmark. ART. I. His Majesty the King of Denmark, in accordance with the Prince Christian of Denmark, acting in the character of guardian of his second son the Prince Christian William Ferdinand Adolphus George, accepts for that Prince, a minor, the hereditary Sovereignty of Greece, which is offered to him by the Senate and the National Assembly of Greece in the name of the Hellenic Nation. Title of King of the Greeks. ART. II. The Prince William of Denmark shall bear the title of George I, King of the Greeks (Roi des Grecs).* Greece to form a Monarchical, Independent, and Constitutional State. ART. III. Greece, under the Sovereignty of Prince William of *Title subsequently altered to "King of the Hellenes." See Protocols of 3rd August and 13th October, 1863. |