[Neutrality of Belgium.] No. 427.-TREATY between Great Britain and Prussia, relative to the Independence and Neutrality of Belgium. Signed at London, 9th August, 1870.* Preamble. Reference to Treaties of 19th April, 1839. 1. Co-operation of Great Britain with Prussia in case of violation of Neutrality of Belgium by France. Great Britain not engaged to take part in War between North German Confederation and France, except as regards violation of Belgian Neutrality. 2. Co-operation of Prussia with Great Britain in case of violation of Neutrality of Belgium by France. 3. Treaty to be binding until conclusion of a Treaty of Peace between France and Prussia. 4. Ratifications. (English Version.) Reference to Treaties of 19th April, 1839. HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the King of Prussia, being desirous at the present time of recording in a solemn Act their fixed determination to maintain the Independence and Neutrality of Belgium, as provided in Article VII of the Treaty signed at London on the 19th April, 1839 (No. 184), between Belgium and the Netherlands, which Article was declared by the Quintuple Treaty of 1839 (No. 183) to be considered as having the same force and value as if textually inserted in the said Quintuple Treaty, their said Majesties have determined to conclude between themselves a separate Treaty, which, without impairing or invalidating the conditions of the said Quintuple Treaty, shall be subsidiary and accessory to it; and they have accordingly named as their Plenipotentiaries for that purpose, that is to say: Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Granville George Earl Granville, Lord Leveson, Her Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, &c.; And His Majesty the King of Prussia, his Excellency the Minister of State, Albert Count of Bernstorff-Stintenburg, Ambas* See also Treaty between Great Britain and France of 11th August, 1870. [Neutrality of Belgium.] sador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Her Britannic Majesty from His said Majesty for the North German Confederation, &c.; Who, after having communicated to each other their respective Full Powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles: Co-operation of Great Britain with Prussia in case of violation of Neutrality of Belgium by France. ART. I. His Majesty the King of Prussia having declared that notwithstanding the Hostilities in which the North German Confederation is engaged with France, it is his fixed determination to respect the Neutrality of Belgium, so long as the same shall be respected by France, Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on her part declares that, if during the said Hostilities the Armies of France should violate that Neutrality, she will be prepared to co-operate with His Prussian Majesty for the defence of the same in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon, employing for that purpose her Naval and Military Forces to insure its observance, and to maintain, in conjunction with His Prussian Majesty, then and thereafter, the Independence and Neutrality of Belgium. Great Britain not engaged to take part in War between North German Confederation and France, except as regards Violation of Belgian Neutrality. It is clearly understood that Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland does not engage herself by this Treaty to take part in any of the general operations of the War now carried on between the North German Confederation and France, beyond the Limits of Belgium, as defined in the Treaty between Belgium and the Netherlands of 19th April, 1839 (No. 184). Co-operation of Prussia with Great Britain in case of Violation of Neutrality of Belgium by France. ART. II. His Majesty the King of Prussia agrees on his part, in the event provided for in the foregoing Article, to co-operate with Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, employing his Naval and Military Forces for the purpose aforesaid; and, the case arising, to concert with Her [Neutrality of Belgium.] Majesty the measures which shall be taken, separately or in common, to secure the Neutrality and Independence of Belgium. Treaty to be binding until conclusion of a Treaty of Peace between France and Prussia. ART. III. This Treaty shall be binding on the High Contracting Parties during the continuance of the present War between the North German Confederation and France, and for 12 months after the Ratification of any Treaty of Peace* concluded between those Parties; and on the expiration of that time the Independence and Neutrality of Belgium will, so far as the High Contracting Parties are respectively concerned, continue to rest as heretofore on Article I of the Quintuple Treaty of the 19th April, 1839 (No. 183). Ratifications.t ART. IV. The present Treaty shall be ratified, and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at London as soon as possible. In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the Seal of their Arms. Done at London, the 9th day of August, in the year of Our Lord, 1870. (L.S.) GRANVILLE. * A Preliminary Treaty of Peace was concluded and signed at Versailles on the 26th February, 1871, and on the 16th March a further Convention was concluded for ensuring the execution of the Preliminaries of Peace, and the Ratifications of the latter Convention were exchanged at Rouen on the 1st April, 1871. The Definitive Treaty of Peace was concluded on the 10th May, 1871, and the Ratifications were exchanged on the 20th May following. + Ratifications exchanged at London, 26th August, 1870. [Neutrality of Belgium.] No. 428.-TREATY between Great Britain and France, relative to the Independence and Neutrality of Belgium. Signed at London, 11th August, 1870.* Preamble. Reference to Treaties of 19th April, 1839. 1. Co-operation of Great Britain with France in case of violation of Neutrality of Belgium by Prussia. Great Britain not engaged to take part in War between France and North German Confederation, except as regards violation of Belgian Neutrality. 2. Co-operation of France with Great Britain in case of violation of Neutrality of Belgium by Prussia. 3. Treaty to be binding until conclusion of a Trenty of Peace between France and Prussia. 4. Ratifications. (English Version.) Reference to Treaties of 19th April, 1839. HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the Emperor of the French, being desirous at the present time of recording in a solemn Act their fixed determination to maintain the Independence and Neutrality of Belgium, as provided by Article VII of the Treaty signed at London on the 19th April, 1839 (No. 184), between Belgium and the Netherlands, which Article was declared by the Quintuple Treaty of 1839 (No. 183) to be considered as having the same force and value as if textually inserted in the said Quintuple Treaty, their said Majesties have determined to conclude between themselves a Separate Treaty, which, without impairing or invalidating the conditions of the said Quintuple Treaty, shall be subsidiary and accessory to it; and they have accordingly named as their Plenipotentiaries for that purpose, that is to say: Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Granville George Earl Granville, Lord Leveson, Iler Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, &c.; And His Majesty the Emperor of the French, his Excellency * See also Treaty between Great Britain and Prussia of 9th August, 1870. [Neutrality of Belgium.] the Marquis de La Valette, his Ambassador to Her Britannic Majesty, &c.; Who, after having communicated to each other their respective Full Powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles: Co-operation of Great Britain with France in case of Violation of Neutrality of Belgium by Prussia. ART. I. His Majesty the Emperor of the French having declared that, notwithstanding the Hostilities in which France is now engaged with the North German Confederation and its Allies, it is his fixed determination to respect the Neutrality of Belgium, so long as the same shall be respected by the North German Confederation and its Allies, Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on her part declares that, if during the said Hostilities the Armies of the North German Confederation and its Allies should violate that Neutrality, she will be prepared to co-operate with His Imperial Majesty for the defence of the same in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon, employing for that purpose her Naval and Military Forces to insure its observance, and to maintain, in conjunction with His Imperial Majesty, then and thereafter, the Independence and Neutrality of Belgium, Great Britain not engaged to take part in War between France and North German Confederation, except as regards Violation of Belgian Neutrality. It is clearly understood that Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland does not engage herself by this Treaty to take part in any of the general operations of the War now carried on between France and the North German Confederation and its Allies, beyond the Limits of Belgium as defined in the Treaty between Belgium and the Netherlands of 19th April, 1839 (No. 184). Co-operation of France with Great Britain in case of Violation of Neutrality of Belgium by Prussia. ART. II. His Majesty the Emperor of the French agrees on his part, in the event provided for in the foregoing Article, to co |