[Moldavia and Wallachia.] No. 299.-PROTOCOLS OF CONFERENCES between the Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, Austria, France, Prussia, Russia, Sardinia, and Turkey, relative to the Organisation of the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. Paris, April-September, 1859.* [For Protocols Nos. 1 to 19, Paris, May to August, 1858, see No. 284.] Protocol "State Papers," vol. xlix, page No. 20. Illegal Electoral Operations in Moldavia. Objections of the Porte to Election of Colonel Couza, as being contrary to the Stipulations of the Convention of 19th August, 1858 (No. 286) ...... Paris, 7th April, 1859.. No. 21. Protest of Turkey against the double Election of Colonel Couza as Hospodar of Moldavia and Hospodar of Wallachia. Election of Colonel Couza recommended by the Conference for recognition as an exceptional case. Coercive measures to be adopted in case of Infraction of Convention of 19th August, 1858, by Hospodar. Paris, 13th April, 1859.. No. 22. Accession of Turkey to recommendation of Conference 454 454 457 * See Protocol of 6th September, 1859; and Firman of 6th December, 1861. [Moldavia and Wallachia.] No. 300.-PROTOCOL OF CONFERENCE between the Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, Austria, France, Prussia, Russia, Sardinia, and Turkey, relative to the recognition of Prince Couza as Hospodar of Moldavia and Wallachia. Paris, 6th September, 1859.* (Translation as laid before Parliament.†) PRESENT: The Plenipotentiaries of Austria, France, Great Britain, Prussia, Russia, Sardinia, and Turkey. The Prince Metternich shows his Full Powers, which are found to be in good and due form. The Plenipotentiary of Turkey announces that he has informed his Court of the resolution presented by the Plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain, Prussia, Russia, and Sardinia, and inserted in the Protocol of the 13th April (No. 299), and that he is authorised in the name of his Government to make the following answer: "The Sublime Porte, taking into consideration the recommendation made by 5 of the Guaranteeing Powers, confers exceptionally, and for this once, the investiture on Colonel Couza, as the Hospodar of Moldavia and Wallachia, it being well understood that on the occasion of every future election and investiture of Hospodars, the course of proceeding shall be rigorously in conformity with the principles laid down in the Convention of the 19th August, 1858 (No. 286). In consequence, and to maintain the principle of administrative separation on which the above-mentioned Convention rests, the Sublime Porte will give to Colonel Couza two Firmans, of which the one confers the investiture for Moldavia, and the other for Wallachia; and the new Hospodar for the two Principalities, after having received his Firmans of investiture, shall go to Constantinople as his predecessors have, and as has hitherto been done, so soon as the duties connected with the Administration of the two Principalities will permit him to absent himself. The Prince called exceptionally on this occasion to the Hospodariat of Moldavia and Wallachia, must maintain in each of the two Principalities an Administration separate and distinct, the one from the other, except in the cases foreseen by the Convention. See also Firman of 6th December, 1861. + For French Version see "State Papers," vol. xlix, p. 457. [Moldavia and Wallachia.] "As the Powers that signed the Convention of the 19th August (No. 286), have resolved to suffer no infraction of the provisions of that Convention, the Sublime Porte, in the event of a violation of that Act in the Principalities, after having taken steps and asked for the necessary information from the Administration of the Hospodariat, shall inform the Representatives of the Guaranteeing Powers at Constantinople of this circumstance; and when once the fact that infraction has taken place is agreed upon by them in common accord, the Suzerain Court shall send into the Principalities a Commissioner ad hoc, charged to request that the measure which has caused the infraction may be reported; the Commissioner of the Sublime Porte shall be accompanied by Delegates of the Representatives at Constantinople, with whom he will act in concert and of common accord. If this request is not complied with, the Commissioner of the Sublime Porte and the Delegates will signify to the Hospodar that on account of the refusal to accede thereto, it will be considered what coercive measures are to be employed. In that case the Sublime Porte will, without delay, concert with the Representatives of the Guaranteeing Powers at Constantinople upon the steps there may be occasion to take." The Plenipotentiary of Austria adheres to the Declaration of the Plenipotentiary of Turkey. The Conference takes note of the answer of the Ottoman Government, and finding it in conformity on every point with the resolution inserted in the Protocol of the 13th April, decides that the conditional Declaration mentioned in the said resolution, shall, from that time be considered as adopted, and shall in case of need be put into full execution. Conventual Property. The Plenipotentiaries of Russia and Turkey call to mind that the Conference at its sitting of the 30th July, 1858 (No. 300), decided that a delay of one year should be accorded to the parties interested, to come to an understanding on the dispute respecting the Conventual Property: they remark that on account of the unsettled state of the Principalities up to this time the discussion of this question has not been permitted; they propose, in consequence, to decide that the delay of one year, of which mention is made in the last paragraph of the Protocol No. 13, shall only commence [Moldavia and Wallachia.] one month after the day on which Colonel Couza shall receive his investiture as Hospodar of Moldavia and Wallachia. This proposition is adopted. Navigation of the Danube. The Plenipotentiary of Russia recalls the engagement contracted by the Plenipotentiaries of Austria and Turkey at the sitting of the 16th August, 1858 (No. 284), to transmit to their respective Governments the observations which the Plenipotentiaries of France, of Great Britain, of Prussia, and of Sardinia, made conjointly with him, on the subject of the control of the Navigation of the Danube, drawn up by the Riverain Powers, and he expresses the hope that the Conference will soon be informed of the decision to which these Powers have come. The Plenipotentiaries of France, Great Britain, Prussia, and Sardinia, join in the hope expressed by the Plenipotentiary of Russia. The Plenipotentiary of Austria remarks that his Powers being limited to the double Election of Prince Couza, and his instructions not empowering him to deliberate on another question, he must confine himself to informing his Government of the observations of the Plenipotentiaries. The Plenipotentiary of Turkey will also refer to his Government. (The Signatures follow.) * Provisional Regulations for the Navigation of the Lower Danube were signed on the 21st November, 1864, which were amended by a Public Act signed on the 2nd November, 1865, which was also amended by a Protocol dated 28th March, 1866. Various other Regulations were subsequently issued, all of which were cancelled by the 154th Article of the Regulations of 8th November, 1870. See also Treaty of 13th March, 1871. An Act relative to the Navigation of the Upper Danube was concluded between Austria, Bavaria, Turkey, and Wurtemburg, on the 7th November, 1857, to which Additional Articles were added on the 1st March, 1859; but these Documents were not sanctioned by the Paris Conference. See Protocols of 9th and 16th August, 1858; Table No. 284; and Protocol of 28th March, 1866. [Treaty of Zurich.] No. 301.-TREATY OF PEACE between Austria and France. Signed at Zurich, 10th November, 1859.* 3. Restoration of Austrian Vessels not condemned as Prizes of War. Vessels and Cargoes to be restored on payment of all expenses. No indemnity to be claimed for Prizes sunk or destroyed. Decisions of Prize Courts to be held good. 4. Cession of Lombardy to France, except Fortresses of Peschiera and Mantua. Line of Frontier. Military Commission to trace Line of Frontier. 5. Territories ceded to be handed over to King of Sardinia. 6. Evacuation of Territories by Belligerents. 7. Lombardy to pay part of Monte Lombardo-Veneto Debt. Part of National Loan to be paid by Lombardy. Mode of Payment. 8. Appointment of Commission for payment of Monte Lombardo-Veneto Debt. Division of Assets of the Sinking Fund of the Monte. Division of Lands or Mortgages. Proportion to be paid by either Party. 9. Rights and Obligations of Lombardy relative to Austrian Contracts. 10. Reimbursements to be made by Austrian and Lombardo Governments. 11. Recognition and Confirmation by Lombardy of Austrian Railway Concessions. Austrian right of Devolution transferred to Lombardy. Payments still due by Concessionaries to be paid in full to Austria. Austria to pay credits of building Contractors and Tradesmen, &c. International Service of Railways to be regulated by New Convention. 12. Lombard Subjects free to retire with their Moveables to Austria, and to keep their Immoveable Property in Lombardy. Same Liberty to Lombards living in Austria. Lombard subjects to be free from Molestation. Time within which Lombards are to make their choice. 13. Lombard Subjects in Austrian Army to return to their homes. Lombards free to remain in Austrian Service. Civil Servants free to remain in Austrian Service. 14. Civil and Military Pensions to be paid by Lombardy. Former Civil and Military Pensions to be paid by Lombardy. 15. Archives, &c., belonging to non-ceded part of Lombardy and Venetia to be handed over to Austria. Archives belonging to ceded Territory to be handed over to Lombardy. 16. Religious Societies free to dispose of their Moveable and Immoveable Property. 17. Transfer of Lombardy by France to Sardinia. 18. Austria and France to encourage establishment of a Confederation among Italian States. Venetia, subject to Austria, to form one of the States of the Confederation. See also Treaties between France and Sardinia, and between Austria, France, and Sardinia, and Declarations between the Plenipotentiaries of Austria and France, of the same date, pages 1392, 1401, 1412, 1413. |