[Navigation of the Rhine, &c.] which are marked with a star (*) in the annexed List. Those of the manufactured goods which are marked in the annexed List with a double star (**) shall be shewn in chests in good condition. 1 8. All vessels belonging to the Riverain States of the Rhine, or to the Tributaries of that River, shall be assimilated to French vessels, as regards Duties and the right of Navigation on the Ill as far as Strasburg. The same favour is likewise extended to Netherland Vessels admitted to storage from Strasburg to Huninguen through the Canal of the Rhone to the Rhine. List annexed to the Declaration of the French Commissioner relative to Article XI of the Treaty of 31st March, 1831. [Between the years 1832 and 1840 various Supplementary Articles, and an additional Convention, were agreed upon between the Riverain States of the Rhine, relative to the Navigation of that River, all of which were embodied in a French Ordinance, dated 15th October, 1842; further Supplementary Articles were also agreed upon in the years 1844, 1845, 1846, 1847, and 1860, but it has not been thought necessary to insert them in this Work.] [Fortresses of the Netherlands.] No.152.-PROTOCOL of Conference between Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia, relative to the Demolition of Dutch Fortresses. London, 17th April, 1831.* Present: The Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia. (Translation as laid before Parliament.†) THE Plenipotentiaries of Austria, of Great Britain, of Prussia, and of Russia, having met, have directed their attention to the Fortresses constructed since the year 1815 in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, at the expense of the 4 Courts, and to the determinations which it would become necessary to take with respect to these Fortresses, when the separation of Belgium from Holland shall have been definitively effected. Having carefully examined this question, the Plenipotentiaries of the 4 Courts were unanimously of opinion that the new situation in which Belgium would be placed, with her Neutrality acknowledged and Guaranteed by France, ought to change the system of Military Defence which had been adopted for the Kingdom of the Netherlands; that the Fortresses in question would be too numerous not to make it difficult for the Belgians to provide for their maintenance and defence; that, moreover, the unanimously admitted inviolability of the Belgian territory offered a security which did not previously exist; finally, that a part of these Fortresses, constructed under different circumstances, might at present be razed. In consequence, the Plenipotentiaries have finally decided, that as soon as a Government shall exist in Belgium, recognised by the Powers taking part in the Conferences of London, a negotiation shall be set on foot between the 4 Powers and that Government, for the purpose of selecting such of the said Fortresses as should be demolished. ESTERHAZY. PALMERSTON. BULOW. LIEVEN. MATUSZEWIC. * See Convention of 14th December, 1831. + For French Version, see "State Papers," vol. xviii, p. 921. [Fortresses of the Netherlands.] NOTE addressed by the Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia, to the Plenipotentiary of France, communicating the Protocol of 17th April, 1831, relative to the proposed demolition of the Dutch Fortresses.* (Translation.) Foreign Office, July 14, 1831. THE Undersigned, Plenipotentiaries of the Courts of Austria, of Great Britain, of Prussia, and of Russia, being desirous to give a further proof of the reliance which they place on the disposition shown by the Government of His Majesty the King of the French for the maintenance of the general Peace, think it their duty to communicate to the Prince de Talleyrand the annexed copy of a Protocol which they have issued upon the subject of the Fortresses erected since the year 1815, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Undersigned see no objection to giving the same publicity to this Protocol as may be given to the other Acts of the negotiations which have taken place since the month of November, 1830, on the affairs of Belgium. They take this opportunity to renew, &c. ESTERHAZY. BULOW. MATUSZEWIC. See also Convention of 14th December, 1831. [Belgium and Holland.] No. 153. TREATY between Great Britain, Austria, France, Prussia, and Russia, and Belgium, relative to the Separation of Belgium from Holland. Signed at London, 15th November, 1831.* 1. Composition of Belgian Territory. 2. Belgian Limits of Luxemburg. 3. Territorial Indemnity to Netherlands in Limburg. 4. Cessions made to Holland on the Meuse. 5. Netherlands to agree with Germanic Confederation and Nassau relative to Territorial Cessions. 6. Renunciation to Territories, &c., by Netherlands and Belgium. Boundary Commissioners. 7. Belgium to form an Independent and Neutral State. 8. Drainage of Waters of the two Flanders. 9. Free Navigation of Rivers. Navigation of the Scheldt. Navigation of intermediate Channels between the Scheldt and the Rhine. Appointment of Commissioners. Amount of Tolls. Fishing. River Tariffs. 10. Free use of Canals. 11. Commercial communication through Maestricht and Sittard. Use of Roads leading to Frontiers of Germany. 12. Construction of new Road, or cutting a new Canal in Sittard, and from thence to Frontiers of Germany. to be levied on said Road or Canal. Belgium, opposite 13. Division of Public Debt. Appointment of Commissioners for the Division of the Public Debt. Delivery of Archives, Maps, &c., to Belgium. 14. Reimbursement by Belgium of Advances made by Holland. 15. Antwerp to be a Port of Commerce. 16. Canals, Roads, &c., to belong to respective Countries. Capitals borrowed for construction of Roads, &c. 17. Removal of Sequestrations. 18. Right to transfer Residence, and to Dispose of Property, &c. Droit d'Aubaine et de Détraction abandoned. 19. Character of a Subject, with regard to Property. 20. Rights of Persons holding Property in both Countries. 21. Persons changing their Residence not to be molested. 22. Payment of Pensions and Allowances. 23. Claims of Belgians on Private Establishments. Restoration of Securities, &c. Claims called French Liquidations. 24. Evacuation of Territories, Towns, &c. 25. Guarantee of execution of Treaty by 5 Powers. 26. Peace between 5 Powers and Belgium. 27. Ratifications. * Cancelled by Treaties of 19th April, 1839. See also Convention of 10th November, 1832. [Belgium and Holland.] (Translation as laid before Parliament.*) THE Courts of Great Britain, Austria, France, Prussia, and Russia, taking into consideration the events which have occurred in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands since the month of September of the year 1830, the obligation which they are under to prevent these events from disturbing the general Peace, and the necessity which arises from these events of making certain modifications in the transactions of the year 1815, by which the United Kingdom of the Netherlands was created and established; and His Majesty the present King of the Belgians participating in these intentions of the above-mentioned Courts, they have named for their Plenipotentiaries, viz. : His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Henry John, Viscount Palmerston, Baron Temple, a Peer of Ireland, a Member of His Britannic Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, a Member of Parliament, and his Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, the Prince Paul Esterhazy, Chamberlain, and Privy Councillor of His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty, and his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to His Britannic Majesty, &c.;-and the Sieur John Philip, Baron de Wessenberg, Chamberlain, Privy Councillor of His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty, &c.; His Majesty the King of the French, the Sieur Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, Prince-Duke de Talleyrand, Peer of France, his said Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Britannic Majesty, &c.; His Majesty the King of Prussia, the Sieur Henry William, Baron de Bulow, his Chamberlain, Privy Councillor of Legation, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Britannic Majesty, &c.; His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, the Sieur Christopher, Prince of Lieven, General of Infantry in his Armies, his Aide-de-Camp General, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to His Britannic Majesty, &c.; and the Sieur Adam, Comte Matuszewic, Privy Councillor of his said Majesty, &c.; And His Majesty the King of the Belgians, the Sieur Sylvain * For French version, see "State Papers," vol. xviii, p. 646. |