[Mediation. Maritime Law.] ACCESSIONS to Protocol of 14th April, and to Declaration of 16th April, 1856. * Dates of Replies to French Invitations to accede. For Replies, see "State Papers," vol. xlviii, page 132. Replies to British Invitations not published. † New Grenada and Uruguay assented, subject to Ratification of their respective Legislatures. Spain and Mexico acceded to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th points, but not to the 1st point (Privateering). § The United States expressed readiness to accede to the Declaration pro. [Peace with Russia.] No. 272.-BRITISH PROCLAMATION OF PEACE with Russia. 28th April, 1856. VICTORIA R. BY THE QUEEN.-A PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS a Definitive Treaty of Peace and Friendship between us and our Allies and His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias was concluded at Paris, on the 30th day of March last (No. 264), and the Ratifications thereof have now been duly exchanged; in conformity thereunto, we have thought fit hereby to command that the same be published throughout all our dominions; and we do declare to all our loving subjects our will and pleasure that the said Treaty of Peace and Friendship be observed inviolably as well by sea as by land, and in all cases whatsoever; strictly charging and commanding all our loving subjects to take notice hereof, and to conform themselves thereunto accordingly. Given at our Court at Buckingham Palace, this 28th day of April, in the year of Our Lord, 1856, and in the 19th year of our reign. God save the Queen. vided it were added, with reference to Privateering, that the Private Property of Subjects or Citizens of Belligerent Nations were exempt from capture at Sea by the respective Naval Forces. See Correspondence respecting International and Maritime Law laid before Parliament, 1862. North American Papers, No. 3. || Mediation. Dates of Replies to British Invitations. Replies not published. [Evacuation of Ottoman Territory.] No. 273.-CONVENTION between Great Britain, France, and Sardinia, on one part, and the Sultan, on the other, extending the Term previously stipulated for the Evacuation of the Ottoman Territory. Signed at Constantinople, 13th May, 1856. Preamble. Reference to Treaties of 12th March, 1854, and 15th March, 1855. 1. Extension of time for Evacuation of Ottoman Territory. 2. Ratifications. (Translation as laid before Parliament.*) Reference to Treaties of 12th March, 1854, and 15th March, 1855. Ir having been stipulated by the Treaties concluded at Constantinople on the 12th of March, 1854 (No. 237), between Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, His Majesty the Emperor of the French, and His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, and on the 15th of March, 1855, between His Majesty the King of Sardinia and His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, that all the Fortresses and Positions in the Ottoman Territory which should have been temporarily occupied by the Military Forces of Great Britain, France, and Sardinia, should 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 war should be terminated; and the execution of that engagement having become physically impossible in consequence of the development assumed by the war, their said Majesties have agreed to conclude a new engagement in regard to this point, 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 Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe, her Ambassador Extraordinary and Pienipotentiary to the Sublime Porte, &c.; His Majesty the Emperor of the French, the Sieur Edward Thouvenel, his Ambassador to the Sublime Porte, &c.; * For French version, see "State Papers," vol. xlvi, p. 27. [Evacuation of Ottoman Territory.] His Majesty the King of Sardinia, the Sieur Dominique Pes de St. Victor, Count della Minerva, his Chargé d'Affaires ad interim to the Sublime Porte, &c.; And His Imperial Majesty the Sultan Abdul Medjid Khan, Mehemed Fuad Pacha, his Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mushir of the Empire, &c.; Who, after having communicated to each other their respective Full Powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles : Extension of time for Evacuation of Ottoman Territory. ART. I. Instead of the term of 40 days fixed by the abovementioned Treaties of the 12th of March, 1854 (No. 237), and of the 15th of March, 1855, for delivering up to the authorities of the Sublime Ottoman Porte all the Fortresses and Positions in the Ottoman Territory which should have been temporarily occupied by the Military Forces of Great Britain, France, and Sardinia, His Majesty the Sultan agrees to grant to the 3 Powers a term of 6 months, to be reckoned from the day of the exchange of the Ratifications of the General Treaty signed at Paris on the 30th of March last,* in order to effect that delivery. Ratifications.† The present Convention shall be ratified by their Majesties the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great and Ireland, the Emperor of the French, and the King of Sardinia, on the one part, and by His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, on the other part; and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at Constantinople 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 Constantinople, the 13th of May, 1856. (L.S.) STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE. (L.S.) E. THOUVENEL. (L.S.) DELLA MINERVA. (L.S.) FUAD. *The Ratifications of the Treaty of the 30th March were exchanged at Paris on the 27th of April, 1856. + Ratifications exchanged at Constantinople, 19th June, 1856. [Sardinian Loan.] No. 274.-CONVENTION between Great Britain and the King of Sardinia, respecting the advance of a Million Sterling contemplated by the Convention of 26th January, 1855. Signed at Turin, 3rd June, 1856. Preamble. Reference to Convention of 26th January, 1855. 1. Further Loan of £1,000,000 sterling. 2. Payment of Interest. 3. Ratifications. (English version.*) Reference to Convention of 26th January, 1855. WHEREAS by a Convention concluded and signed at Turin on the 26th of January, 1855 (No. 256), between Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the King of Sardinia, and afterwards duly ratified, Her Britannic Majesty undertook to recommend to her Parliament to enable her to advance, by way of Loan, to His Majesty the King of Sardinia the sum of £1,000,000 sterling, of which sum £500,000 sterling should be paid by Her Majesty as soon as possible after the assent of her Parliament should have been given, and the remaining £500,000 at the expiration of 6 months after the payment of the first sum; and Her Britannic Majesty, by the said Convention, engaged further to recommend to her Parliament to enable her, if the War should not have been brought to a close at the expiration of 12 months after payment of the first instalment of the said Loan, to advance to His Majesty the King of Sardinia, in the same proportions, a like sum of £1,000,000 sterling; And whereas it was by the said Convention agreed, that the interest to be paid upon the said Loan or Loans by the Sardinian Government should be at the rate of 4 per cent. per annum, of which 1 per cent. per annum should be for a sinking fund; and that the said interest should be calculated from the days on which the payments on account of the Loan or Loans should be made, and should be payable half-yearly, the first payment to be made within *For French version, see "State Papers," vol. xlvi, p. 235. |