me to ask how he could help us and to make arrangements for the safety of stranded British subjects. He extricated many of these from extremely difficult situations at some personal risk to himself, and his calmness and savoir-faire and his firmness in dealing with the Imperial authorities gave full assurance that the protection of British subjects and interests could not have been left in more efficient and able hands. I have etc., W. E. GosCHEN. As a single example of the thoroughness of the methods employed in collecting materials for THE GREAT WAR it may be of interest to know that when we wanted to secure the complete text of the Treaty of 1839 guaranteeing the neutrality of Belgium we applied to the Belgian Minister at Washington and were very much surprised to receive from him a letter in which he said: "I regret very much to inform you that I have no copy, nor photograph, nor facsimile of the complete text of the Treaty of 1839 which guaranteed the perpetual neutrality of Belgium." Surely one may be pardoned in expressing surprise that there was no copy of this most important treaty affecting Belgium's very existence in the Belgian Legation. We secured a copy of the complete text, a facsimile of the famous seventh article, and a photograph of the seals and signatures of the plenipotentiaries, and subscribers to this history will have what is probably not to be found in any of the Embassies at Washington or elsewhere. OFFICIAL TEXT OF THE TREATIES GUARANTEEING THE Treaty between Austria, France, Great Britain, Prussia, and Russia of the one part and Belgium of the other. Concluded and signed at London, 19 April 1839. In the name of the Most Holy and Indivisible Trinity: ARTICLE I. His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, His Majesty the King of the French, Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, His Majesty the King of Prussia and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, declare that the articles hereto annexed and forming the tenor of the treaty concluded this day between His Majesty the King of the Belgians and His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, Grand-Duke of Luxemburg, are considered as having the same force and value as if they were textually inserted in the present act, and that they are thus placed under the guarantee of their said Majesties. ARTICLE II. The Treaty of 15 November 1831, between His Majesty the King of the Belgians and Their Majesties the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, the King of the French, the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the King of Prussia and the Emperor of all the Russias, is declared not to be binding upon the high contracting parties. ARTICLE III. The present treaty shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at London in six weeks, or sooner, if it can be done. This exchange shall take place at the same time as the ratifications of the treaty between Belgium and Holland. In faith of which the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the present treaty and set the seal of their arms. Done at London, the nineteenth April, in the year of grace one thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine. (Seal) PALMERSTON (Seal) SENFFT (Seal) SEBASTIANI (Seal) BÜLOW (Seal) Pozzo DI BORGO 66 (Seal) SYLVAIN VAN DE WEYER As will be seen, the above treaty confirms the provisions of the other treaty signed the same day as having the same force and value as if they were textually inserted in the present act." The following is a complete translation of the other treaty except that some of the long, unimportant articles are condensed. OFFICIAL COPY MADE AT BRUSSELS CONFORMABLE TO THE COLLATED TEXT, WORD BY WORD, OF THE ORIGINAL INSTRUMENT SIGNED BY THE RESPECTIVE PLENIPOTENTIARIES Treaty made and signed at London, 19 April 1839, between Belgium and Holland, relative to the separation of their respective territories. In the name of the Most Holy and Indivisible Trinity: His Majesty the King of the Belgians and His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, Grand-Duke of Luxemburg, taking into consideration their treaties concluded with the Courts of Austria, of France, of Great Britain, of Prussia and of Russia, to wit: by His Majesty the King of the Belgians, the 15 November 1831, and by His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, Grand-Duke of Luxemburg, this day, their said Majesties have named as their plenipotentiaries: His Majesty the King of the Belgians, the Sieur Sylvain Van de Weyer, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Her Britannic Majesty, Officer of the Order of Leopold, Grand-Cross of the Order of Ernest of Saxony, of the Order of the Tower and the Sword, of the Military and Religious Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, Commander of the Royal Order of the Legion of Honor, etc., etc.: |