[War. France and Sardinia and Austria.]

such an understanding between the parties as would ensure the meeting of the Congress, and for this pursose they proposed, on the 18th of last month,

1st. That there should be a previous, immediate, effective, and simultaneous Disarmament, on the part of Austria, France, and Sardinia;

2ndly. That the details of that Disarmament should be settled by 6 Military or Civil Commissioners, to be named severally by the Great Powers and by Sardinia;

3rdly. That those Commissioners having met and entered upon their duties, the Congress should forthwith be convened; and,

4thly. That the Congress, when convened, should invite the Italian States to send Representatives, who would be admitted to, and take part in the deliberations of, the Congress, in the same manner and on the same footing as they were admitted to, and took part in the deliberations of, the Congress of Laybach.

This proposal was accepted in the main by the Governments of France, Prussia, and Russia, and partially by the Cabinet of Vienna. The latter however, absolutely refused to agree to the admission of the Representatives of the Italian States to the Congress, or to the participation of Sardinia in that Assembly, under any conditions whatever.

This decision on the part of the Austrian Government put an end to all hope of any Congress being brought together; for, though the point was not again raised, I may as well mention to you that, in an earlier stage of the negotiations, Her Majesty's Government and that of Prussia refused to entertain a suggestion made by the Cabinet of St. Petersburgh, that,-in consequence of the hesitation at that time shown by Austria,--England, France, Prussia, and Russia should hold a Congress on the affairs of Italy, without her participation.

The refusal of Austria to accept the last proposal of Her Majesty's Government, was accompanied, on her part, by a peremptory summons to Sardinia to disarm, and to disband the free corps. Her Majesty's Government, on receiving this intelligence, addressed to the Cabinet of Vienna the strongest remonstrances on the impolicy of this proceeding, and directed Her Majesty's Minister at that Court to place on record a formal Protest against it. This precipitate measure was the more to be regretted inasmuch as the Cabinet of Turin, which had pre

[War. France and Sardinia and Austria.]

viously declined to comply with the combined representations of England and Prussia, on the subject of disarmament, had announceed, on the very day that the summons was dispatched from Vienna, though the Austrian Government were unacquainted with the fact when the summons was dispatched, that as France had united with England in demanding the previous disarmament of Sardinia, the Cabinet of Turin, although foreseeing that such a measure might entail disagreeable consequences for the tranquillity of Italy, was disposed to submit to it.

In this state of things, all hopes of accommodation seemed to be at an end: nevertheless, Her Majesty's Government resolved to make one more attempt to stay hostilities, and they accordingly formally tendered the Mediation of England between Austria and France, for the settlement of the Italian question, on bases corresponding with the understanding arrived at between Lord Cowley and Count Buol at Vienna.

But this too failed: and Her Majesty's Government have only to lament the little success which has attended all their efforts, jointly with other Powers or singly, to avert the interruption of the general Peace. In the present position of the contending parties, it would obviously be to no purpose to attempt to restrain them from engaging in a deadly struggle. Her Majesty's Government will, however, watch the progress of the War with the most anxious attention, and will be ready to avail themselves of any opportunity that may arise for the exercise of their Good Offices in the cause of Peace.

It is their earnest desire and firm intention to observe the most scrupulous Neutrality between the contending parties.

MALMESBURY.

On the following day the Earl of Malmesbury addressed a further Dispatch to Her Majesty's Ambassador in Paris, in which the following passage occurs:

"The British Government have always recognised as a sacred rule of international obligation, that no country has a right authoritatively to interfere in the Internal Affairs of a Foreign State, or, with a sound policy, long withhold its acknowledgment of any new form of government which may be adopted and established,

[War. France and Sardinia and Austria.]

without territorial usurpation or absorption, by the spontaneous wish of its people.

"The British Government have shown, for a long series of years, how steadily they have observed these principles, and they certainly cannot depart from them on the present occasion, however earnest may be their desire to secure the freedom of the Italian people, and to maintain the Treaties which confirmed the Independence of their respective States."

[Great Britain proclaimed its Neutrality in this War on the 13th May, 1859.]

[Peace of Villafranca.]

No. 298.-PRELIMINARY TREATY of Peace between Austria and France. Signed at Villafranca, 11th July, 1859.*

TABLE.

Creation of Italian Confederation under Presidency of the Holy Father. Cession of Lombardy, except Fortresses of Mantua and Peschiera, to France. Ceded Territory to be presented to King of Sardinia.

Venetia to form part of Italian Confederation, subject to Crown of Austria. Restoration of Grand Duke of Tuscany and Duke of Modena. Amnesty. Reforms in States of the Church.

Full and complete Amnesty by France and Austria.

(Translation as laid before Parliament.†)

BETWEEN His Majesty the Emperor of Austria and His Majesty the Emperor of the French, it has been agreed as follows:

Creation of Italian Confederation under Presidency of the Holy

Father.

The two Sovereigns favour the creation of an Italian Confederation. This Confederation shall be under the honorary Presidency of the Holy Father.

Cession of Lombardy, except Fortresses of Mantua and Peschiera, to France.

The Emperor of Austria cedes to the Emperor of the French his rights over Lombardy, with the exception of the Fortresses of Mantua and Peschiera, so that the Frontier of the Austrian Possessions shall start from the extremity of the rayon of the Fortress of Peschiera, and extend in a straight line along the Mincio as far as Legrazia, thence to Szarzarola, and Lugano on the Po, whence the existing Frontiers continue to form the Boundaries of Austria.

Ceded Territory to be presented to King of Sardinia.

The Emperor of the French shall present the ceded Territory

to the King of Sardinia.

* A Convention of Armistice was signed on the 8th July, 1859.

+ For French version, see State Papers," vol. xlix, p. 362.

See Treaty between Austria and France of 10th November, 1859,

Arts. v and xvii.

[Peace of Villafranca.]

Venetia to form part of Italian Confederation, subject to Crown of Austria.

Venetia shall form part of the Italian Confederation, remaining, however, subject to the Crown of the Emperor of Austria.

Restoration of Grand Duke of Tuscany and Duke of Modena.

Amnesty.

The Grand Duke of Tuscany and the Duke of Modena return to their States, granting a General Amnesty.

Reforms in States of the Church.

The two Emperors shall request the Holy Father to introduce in his States some indispensable reforms.

Full and complete Amnesty by France and Austria.

Full and complete Amnesty is granted on both sides to persons compromised on the occasion of the recent events in the territories of the belligerents.

Done at Villafranca, 11th July, 1859.

FRANCIS JOSEPH.