les bases de la Monarchie héréditaire fondée en 1866, en outre de la réalisation des anciennes aspirations nationales, elle a voulu en même temps donner à l'Europe un témoignage encore plus éclatant de son esprit d'ordre et de conservation, et elle a cherché sous cette forme une garantie de plus de son indépendance nationale.

Cet ensemble de faits nous donne le droit, MM. les Sénateurs, MM. les Députés, de garder inébranlable la conviction que l'Europe ne voudra pas porter atteinte à nos droits d'État indépendant, et ne nous demandera pas d'exécuter des décisions auxquelles nous n'avons pas participé, et auxquelles nous n'avons pas consenti.

MM. les Sénateurs, MM. les Députés,

Désignés par la nation et chargés, entre autres travaux, de la mission spéciale de réviser la Loi Électorale, je ne doute pas que vous ne sachiez résoudre toutes les difficultés inhérentes à une question si délicate et si importante.

Vous inspirant des principes qui ont présidé à la constitution de l'État Roumain, tenant compte de l'expérience acquise au cours de 17 années, et des conditions particulières du pays, vous réussirez, en entente avec mon Gouvernement, à trouver pour l'exercice du droit électoral une solution qui, tout en offrant une garantie plus forte aux intérêts généraux, sera la plus propre à assurer de plus en plus l'indépendance et la moralité du vote.

Travaillons tous, dans une pleine union, à compléter l'œuvre entreprise de notre organisation intérieure. Consacrons tous nos efforts à consolider l'État et à réaliser les progrès pacifiques de la civilisation. Nous pourrons ainsi regarder l'avenir avec confiance, et le pays bénira nos travaux.

Quant à moi, à l'œuvre et au devoir, je serai toujours fier de me trouver à la tête de la nation.

La Session des Corps Législatifs est ouverte.

Bucarest, le 19 Mai, 1883.

[Suivent les signatures des Ministres.]

CHARLES.

SPEECH of the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, to the Austrian and Hungarian Delegations, on the Opening of the Reichsrath.-Vienna, October 25, 1883.

(Traduction.)

LES assurances de dévouement et de fidélité que vous venez de me donner me remplissent d'une sincère satisfaction.

Le caractère si satisfaisant des rapports de la Monarchie avec

toutes les Puissances étrangères ne s'est point modifié. Au profond besoin de paix de tous les peuples de l'Europe répondent aussi les efforts loyaux des Puissances pour leur assurer les bienfaits de la paix. Les aspirations de la Monarchie Austro-Hongroise ont été sans cesse dirigées vers ce but. Le développement pacifique des choses permet à mon Gouvernement de vouer une plus grande attention aux intérêts matériels de la Monarchie à l'extérieur; il continuera de consacrer une activité particulière aux tâches importantes qui lui incombent dans ce domaine, et dont la solution a déjà été abordée sous plusieurs rapports avec un résultat satisfaisant.

L'année dernière vous avez mis à la disposition de mon Gouvernement, avec un empressement dont je vous sais gré, les moyens nécessaires pour achever la réforme de l'armée et pour rendre ainsi possible la prompte exécution des mesures prises en vue de l'organisation territoriale.

La modification qui a eu lieu par voie Constitutionnelle des dispositions de la Loi Militaire qui se rapportent à l'instruction militaire des hommes appartenant à la réserve supplémentaire, ainsi qu'à un certain nombre de mesures prises tendant à améliorer l'organisation de l'armée en vue des opérations en campagne, exigent cependant encore une augmentation du budget militaire ordinaire pour compléter l'œuvre commencée.

Mon Gouvernement s'est fait un devoir de prendre en considération la situation financière de la Monarchie, et j'ai la conviction que vous ne refuserez pas votre appréciation patriotique aux demandes indispensables résultant de la nature de notre système de fortification.

Par suite des mesures administratives opportunes en Bosnie et en Herzégovine, la situation y est beaucoup plus satisfaisante au point de vue de l'ordre et du calme et témoigne que l'état de choses se consolide de jour en jour.

Aussi mon Gouvernement est-il à même de prévoir une réduction de l'effectif occupant ces provinces, et par là une diminution du crédit respectif.

En Bosnie et en Herzégovine les dépenses d'administration sont couvertes par les recettes mêmes. Il n'y aura done nulle nécessité d'augmenter les charges du Budget commun.

Pleinement convaincu qu'en vous acquittant de votre mission Constitutionnelle vous donnerez une nouvelle preuve de votre zèle, de votre dévouement, et de votre sagesse éprouvée, je vous souhaite cordialement la bienvenue.

BRITISH ORDER IN COUNCIL, for the execution of the Slave Trade Declaration with Turkey of March 3, 1883.Osborne, August 23, 1883.

At the Court at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, the 23rd day of
August, 1883.

PRESENT: THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.
Lord President.

Marquis of Hartington.
Lord Steward.

WHEREAS a Declaration between Great Britain and Turkey, amending the Convention of the 25th January, 1880,* between Her Majesty and the Sultan for the suppression of the Slave Trade, was signed at Constantinople on the 3rd day of March, 1883, in the following terms, that is to say :

[See page 324.]

And whereas by an Act passed in the 37th year of Her Majesty's reign, chapter 88, intituled "The Slave Trade Act, 1873,"t it was, amongst other things, provided that "where any Treaty in relation to the Slave Trade is made after the passing of that Act, by or on behalf of Her Majesty with any foreign State, Her Majesty may, by Order in Council, direct that as from such date, not being earlier than the date of the Treaty, as may be specified in the Order, such Treaty shall be deemed to be an existing Slave Trade Treaty within the meaning of the Act;" and it was further provided that thereupon (as from the said date, or if no date should be specified as from the date of such Order) all the provisions of the Act should apply and be construed accordingly:

And whereas it is expedient that the said Declaration should be brought within the operation of "The Slave Trade Act, 1873:"

And whereas an Order in Council for the purpose of carrying out that object was passed on the 19th day of July last, and it is expedient that the said Order in Council should be repealed, and a fresh Order in Council issued in lieu thereof:

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by virtue and in exercise of the powers in this behalf, is pleased, by and with the advice of her Privy Council to order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows:

The Order in Council of the 19th July last, which purported to

* Vol. LXXI. Page 199. [1882-83. LXXIV.]

+ Vol. LXIII, Page 394.

3 F

bring the said Declaration within the operation of "The Slave Trade Act, 1873," is hereby repealed.

The said Declaration of the 3rd day of March, 1883, shall, from the day of the date of the said Declaration, be deemed to have been and to be an existing Slave Trade Treaty within the meaning of the said Slave Trade Act, 1873.

And the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, the Right Honourable the Earl Granville, one of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, and the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, are to give the necessary directions herein, as to them may respectively appertain.

C. L. PEEL.

BRITISH ORDER IN COUNCIL, respecting the Tonnage Measurement of Danish Vessels.—Osborne, April 20, 1883.

At the Court at Osborne House, Isle of Wight, the 20th day of April, 1883.

PRESENT: THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.

WHEREAS by "The Merchant Shipping Act Amendment Act, 1862," it is enacted that whenever it is made to appear to Her Majesty that the rules concerning the measurement of tonnage of merchant-ships for the time being in force under the principal Act have been adopted by the Government of any foreign country, and are in force in that country, it shall be lawful for Her Majesty by Order in Council to direct that the ships of such foreign country shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in their certificates of registry, or other national papers; and thereupon it shall no longer be necessary for such ships to be remeasured in any port or place in Her Majesty's dominions, but such ships shall he deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in their certificates of registry or other papers, in the same manner, to the same extent, and for the same purposes, in, to and for which the tonnage denoted in the certificates of registry of British ships is to be deemed the tonnage of such ships :"

And whereas by "The Merchant Shipping Act, 1876,"t it is enacted that "where Her Majesty has power under 'The Merchant Shipping Act, 1854,'‡ or any Act passed or hereafter to be passed amending the same, to make an Order in Council, it shall be lawful for Her Majesty from time to time to make such Order in Council, * Vol. LXVI. Page 682.

+ Vol. LXVII. Page 751.

Vol. XLV. Page 1347.

and by Order in Council to revoke, alter, or add to, any Order so made:"

And whereas by Order in Council dated the 29th day of February, 1868, Her Majesty, to whom it was made to appear that the Rules concerning the measurement of tonnage of merchant-ships now in force under "The Merchant Shipping Act, 1854," had been adopted by the Government of His Majesty the King of Denmark, and were in force in that country, was pleased to direct that the ships of Denmark, the certificates of Danish nationality and registry of which were dated on and after the 1st day of October, 1867, should be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in the said certificates of Danish nationality and registry:

And whereas certain modifications were subsequently made in the said Rules concerning the measurement of tonnage of merchantships in Denmark, whereby from and after the 1st day of October, 1878, the allowance for engine-room in certain steam-ships would be estimated in a mode differing from that in force in this country; and it was made to appear to Her Majesty that it was desirable to alter the said first-recited Order in Council so far as the same applied or related to the mode of estimating the allowance for engine-room in Danish steam-ships:

And whereas Her Majesty, by Order in Council dated the 30th day of December, 1878,† was pleased to direct as regards Danish steamships that if the owner or master of any Danish steam-ship measured after the said 1st day of October, 1878, desires the allowance for engine-room in his ship to be estimated under the British instead. of under the Danish Rules, such engine-room shall be measured and the allowance calculated according to the British Rules:

And whereas it has been made to appear to Her Majesty that it is expedient that certain additions should be made to the provisions of the said last-recited Order in Council in regard to the mode of estimating the net registered tonnage of certain Danish steam-ships:

Now, therefore, Her Majesty, in virtue of the powers vested in her by the said recited Acts, and by and with the advice of her Privy Council, is further pleased to direct as follows: viz., that in the event of the net registered tonnage of merchant-ships belonging to the said Kingdom of Denmark which are propelled by steam or any other power requiring engine-room estimated under the British Rules being denoted in the said certificates of Danish nationality and registry issued on or after the 1st day of September, 1882, such ships shall be deemed to be of the tonnage so denoted in the said certificates. C. L. PEEL.

* Vol. LXV. Page 993.

+ Vol. LXIX. Page 1147.