[Precedence.]

Representatives of the Pope.

The present Regulation shall not occasion any change respecting the Representatives of the Pope.

Form for Reception of Diplomatic Agents.

ART. V. There shall be a regular form adopted by each State for the reception of Diplomatic Characters of every Class.

Diplomatic Agents of Courts Allied by Family or other Ties. ART. VI. Ties of consanguinity or family alliances between Courts confer no Rank on their Diplomatic Agents. The same rule also applies to political alliances.

Alternation of Signatures in Acts or Treaties.

ART. VII. In Acts or Treaties between several Powers that admit the alternity, the order which is to be observed in the signatures of Ministers shall be decided by ballot.

The present regulation is inserted in the Protocol of the Plenipotentiaries of the eight Powers who signed the Treaty of Paris, at their sitting of the 19th March, 1815.

(The signatures follow in the Alphabetical order of the Courts.)

AUSTRIA.

(L.S.) The PRINCE DE METTERNICH. (L.S.) The BARON DE WESSENBERG.

SPAIN (ESPAGNE). (L.S.) P. GOMEZ LABRADOR.

SWEDEN.

(L.S.) COUNT STACKELBERG.
(L.S.) COUNT NESSELRODE.
(L.S.) LOWENHIELM.

See Protocol of 5 Powers of 21st November, 1818, respecting Ministers Resident.

[Switzerland.]

No. 9.-DECLARATION of the 8 Powers, on the Affairs of the Helvetic Confederacy. Signed at Vienna, 20th March, 1815.

[This Declaration formed Annex XIA to the Vienna Congress Treaty of 9th June, 1815, No. 27.]

Preamble. Independence and Neutrality of Switzerland. (Vallée des Dappes.)

1. Integrity of the 19 Cantons.

2. Union of 3 new Cantons; Valais, Geneva, Neufchatel. (Vallée des

Dappes.)

3. Union of Bishopric of Basle, and Town and Territory of Bienne, with Canton of Berne.

4. Rights of Inhabitants of Countries united with Canton of Berne. Collec tion of Ordinary Revenues. Indemnity to the Prince Bishop of Basle. Retention of Bishopric of Basle. Proportion to be paid by Canton of Berne to Bishopric of Basle.

5. Commercial and Military communications of the Town of Geneva with the Canton of Faud. Versoy Road. Passage of Troops. Free Communication between the Town of Geneva and the Jurisdiction of Peney. Accession of Territory for the Town of Geneva.

6. Mutual Compensations by Cantons of Argovia, Vaud, Tessin, and St. Gall to Cantons of Schweitz, Unterwald, Uri, Glaris, Zug, and Appenzell. 7. Disposal of Funds placed in England by the Cantons of Zurich and

Berne.

8. Indemnity to Proprietors of "Lauds."

9. Pensions to Prince Abbot of St. Gall, and others. Accession to Federal Union. Amnesty.

(Translation as laid before Parliament.*)

Preamble.

THE Powers called upon to mediate in the arrangement of the affairs of Switzerland, in order to carry into effect Article VI of the Treaty of Paris of the 30th May, 1814 (No. 1), having acknowledged that the general interest demands that the Helvetic States should enjoy the benefit of a perpetual Neutrality; and wishing, by territorial restitutions and cessions, to enable it to secure its Independence and maintain its Neutrality;

After having obtained every information relative to the interests of the different Cantons, and taken into consideration the claims submitted to them by the Helvetic Legation;

*For French version, see "State Papers," vol. ii, p. 142.

That as soon as the Helvetic Diet shall have duly and formally acceded to the stipulations contained in the present Instrument, an Act shall be prepared, containing the acknowledgment and the guarantee, on the part of all the Powers, of the perpetual Neutrality of Switzerland, in her new frontiers; which Act shall form part of that which, in the execution of Article XXXII of the Treaty of Paris of the 30th May, was to complete the arrangements contained in that Treaty.*

Integrity of the 19 Cantons of Switzerland.†

ART. I. (Embodied in Vienna Congress Treaty (No. 27) as Art. LXXIV.)

Switzerland. Union of Three new Cantons (The Valais, Geneva, Neufchatel). Vallée des Dappes.§

ART. II. (Embodied in Vienna Congress Treaty (No. 27) as Art. LXXV.)

Switzerland. Union of Bishopric of Basle, and Town and Territory of Bienne, with Canton of Berne.

ART. III. (Embodied in Vienna Congress Treaty (No. 27) as Art. LXXVI.)

Switzerland. Rights of Inhabitants of Countries united with Canton of Berne.

ART. IV. (1, 2, 3, Embodied in Vienna Congress Treaty (No. 27) as Art. LXXVII.)

*See Act of the 5 Powers of 20th November, 1815.

The King of Prussia renounced his Sovereign Rights over the Principality of Neufchatel and the County of Valengin, by the Treaty between Great Britain, Austria, France, Prussia, Russia, and Switzerland, of 26th May, 1857, by which Treaty it was also declared that the Principality should continue to form part of the Swiss Confederation, in conformity with Art. LXXV of the Vienna Congress Treaty of 9th June, 1815.

§ See Treaty between France and Switzerland of 8th December, 1862.

[Switzerland.]

Collection of Ordinary Revenues.

4. The ordinary revenues of the country shall be collected on account of the present Administration, until the date of the accession of the Diet to the present transaction. The arrears of the said revenues shall be collected in like manner, but the extraordinary taxes, which have not yet been paid into the public chest, shall not be demanded.

Indemnity to the Prince Bishop of Basle.

5. No indemnity having been received by the Prince Bishop of Basle, for the quota of the revenues accruing to him from the Bishopric which hitherto formed a part of Switzerland, and a stipulation having been made in the Récès of the German Empire of 1803,* in favour of those countries only which have become an integral part of the said Empire, the cantons of Berne and Basle are to pay to him, in addition to the said annuity, the sum of 12,000 florins of the Empire, dating from the union of the Bishopric of Basle to the Cantons of Berne and Basle; the fifth part of this sum shall be applied to, and remain as a provision for, the support of the canons of the ancient cathedral of Basle, in order to make up the annuity which has been settled by the Récès of the German Empire.

Retention of Bishopric of Basle.

The Helvetic Diet shall determine whether it be expedient to retain a Bishopric in this part of Switzerland, or whether this diocese may not be united to that which, pursuant to the new arrangements, shall be formed out of the Swiss territory which belonged to the diocese of Constance.

Proportion to be paid by Canton of Berne to Bishopric of Basle.

In case the Bishopric of Basle should be continued, the Canton of Berne shall furnish, in the same proportion as the other countries which shall in future be placed under the spiritual administration of the Bishop, such a sum as may be necessary for the support of this prelate, of his chapter, and of his seminary. Switzerland. Commercial and Military Communications between Town of Geneva and Canton of Vaud. Passage of Troops. Versoy Road.

ART. V. (Embodied in Vienna Congress Treaty (No. 27) as Art. LXXIX.)

* See Appendix.

[Switzerland.]

Free Communication between the Town of Geneva and the Jurisdiction of Peney.

In the Additional Regulations* to be made on this subject, the execution of the Treaties relative to the free Communication between the Town of Geneva and the Jurisdiction of Peney, shall be guaranteed in a manner the most suitable to the interests of the inhabitants of Geneva. His Most Christian Majesty consents likewise, that the gendarmerie and militia of Geneva, after having communicated on the subject with the nearest military post of the French gendarmerie, shall pass on the high road of Meyrin, in the said jurisdiction, to and from the town of Geneva.

Accession of Territory for the Town of Geneva.

The Contracting Powers shall, moreover, interpose their good offices for the purpose of obtaining for the Town of Geneva a suitable accession of territory on the side of Savoy.

Switzerland. Mutual Compensations by Cantons of Argovia, Vaud, Tessin, and St. Gall to Cantons of Schweitz, Unterwald, Uri, Glaris, Zug, and Appenzell.

ART. VI. (Embodied in Vienna Congress Treaty (No. 27) as Art. LXXXI.)

A Commission appointed by the Diet shall superintend the execution of the preceding arrangements.

Switzerland. Disposal of Funds placed in England by Cantons of Zurich and Berne.

ART. VII. (Embodied in Vienna Congress Treaty (No. 27) as Art. LXXXII.)

Switzerland. Indemnity to Proprietors of "Lauds."

ART. VIII. (Embodied in Vienna Congress Treaty (No. 27) as Art. LXXXIII.)

Pensions to Prince Abbot of St. Gall and others.

ART. IX. The Mediating Powers, acknowledging the justice of securing to the Prince Abbot of St. Gall an honourable and independent existence, direct, that the Canton of St. Gall shall pay to him an annuity of 6,000 florins of the Empire, and to those * Annex (B B) to Treaty of 20th May, 1815.