[Black Sea and Danube.] No. 439.-TREATY between Great Britain, Austria, France, Germany (Prussia), Italy, Russia, and Turkey, for the Revision of certain Stipulations of the Treaties of 30th March, 1856, relative to the Black Sea and Danube. Signed at London, 13th March, 1871. Preamble. Reference to Treaty of 30th March, 1856. 1. Abrogation of Articles of Treaty of 30th March, 1856, and of Convention of 30th March, 1856. 2. Closing of Straits of Dardanelles and Bosphorus, and power to open to Vessels of War in time of Peace. 3. Black Sea open to Mercantile Marine of all Nations. them 4. Extension of Term of Duration of Danube Commission to 24th April, 1883. 5. Conditions of re-assembling of Riverain Commission. 6. Provisional Tax on Vessels in the Danube, until Extinction of Debt. 7. Neutrality of Works and Establishments created by European Commission of the Danube. 8. Confirmation of Stipulations of Treaty of 30th March, 1856. 9. Ratifications. (Translation as laid before Parliament.*) In the Name of Almighty God. Reference to Treaty of 30th March, 1856. HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia, His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, &c., and Apostolic King of Hungary, the Chief of the Executive Power of the French Republic, His Majesty the King of Italy, His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, and His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans, have judged it necessary to assemble their Representatives in Conference at London, in order to come to an understanding, in a spirit of concord, with regard to the revision of the stipulations of the Treaty concluded at Paris on the 30th March, 1856 (No. 264), relative to the navigation of the Black Sea, as well as to that of the Danube; being desirous, at the same time, to ensure in those regions new facilities for the development of the commercial activity of all nations, the High Contracting Parties have resolved to conclude a Treaty, and have For French version, see "State Papers," vol. lxi. [Black Sea and Danube.] for that purpose named as their Plenipotentiaries, 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, a Peer of the United Kingdom, a Member of Her Majesty's Privy Council, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Constable of Dover Castle, Chancellor of the University of London, Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, &c.; His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia, the Sieur Albert, Count of Bernstorff-Stintenburg, his Minister of State and Chamberlain, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of His Imperial and Royal Majesty to Пler Britannic Majesty, &c.; His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, &c., and Apostolic King of Hungary, the Sieur Rudolph Count Apponyi, Chamberlain, Privy Councillor of His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty, his Ambassador Extraordinary to Her Britannic Majesty, &c.; The Chief of the Executive Power of the French Republic, the Sieur James Victor Albert Duc de Broglie, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic to Her Britannic Majesty, &c.; His Majesty the King of Italy, the Chevalier Charles Cadorna, Minister of State, Senator of the Kingdom, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Her Britannic Majesty, &c.; His Majesty, the Emperor of All the Russias, the Sieur Philip Baron de Brunnow, his Actual Privy Councillor, his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Her Britannic Majesty, &c.; And His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans, Constantine Musurus Pasha, Muchir and Vizir of the Empire, his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Her Britannic Majesty, &c.; Who, after having exchanged their Full Powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles: Abrogation of Articles of Treaty of 30th March, 1856, and of Convention of 30th March, 1856. ART. I. Articles XI, XIII, and XIV of the Treaty of Paris of [Black Sea and Danube.] the 30th March, 1856 (No. 264), as well as the special Convention concluded between Russia and the Sublime Porte (No. 266), and annexed to the said Article XIV, are abrogated, and replaced by the following Article. Closing of Straits of Dardanelles and Bosphorus, and power to open them to Vessels of War in time of Peace. ART. II. The principle of the closing of the Straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus, such as it has been established by the separate Convention of the 30th March, 1856 (No. 265), is maintained, with power to His Imperial Majesty the Sultan to open the said Straits in time of Peace to the Vessels of War of friendly and allied Powers, in case the Sublime Porte should judge it necessary in order to secure the execution of the stipulations of the Treaty of Paris of the 30th March, 1856 (No. 264). Black Sea open to Mercantile Marine of all Nations. ART. III. The Black Sea remains open, as heretofore, to the Mercantile Marine of all Nations. Extension of Term of Duration of Danube Commission to 24th April, 1883. ART. IV. The Commission established by Article XVI of the Treaty of Paris (No. 264), in which the Powers who joined in signing the Treaty are each represented by a delegate, and which was charged with the designation and execution of the works necessary below Isaktcha, to clear the Mouths of the Danube, as well as the neighbouring parts of the Black Sea, from the sands and other impediments which obstruct them, in order to put that part of the River and the said parts of the sea in the best state for navigation, is maintained in its present composition. The duration of that Commission is fixed for a further period of 12 years, counting from the 24th April, 1871, that is to say, till the 24th April, 1883, being the term of the Redemption of the Loan contracted by that Commission, under the Guarantee of Great Britain, Germany, Austria-Hungary, France, Italy, and Turkey (No. 410). Conditions of re-assembling of Riverain Commission. ART. V. The conditions of the re-assembling of the Riverain Commission, established by Article XVII of the Treaty of Paris [Black Sea and Danube.] of the 30th March, 1856 (No. 264), shall be fixed by a previous understanding between the Riverain Powers, without prejudice to the clause relative to the 3 Danubian Principalities; and in so far as any modification of Article XVII of the said Treaty may be involved, this latter shall form the subject of a special Convention between the co-signatory Powers. Provisional Tax on Vessels in the Danube, until extinction of Debt. ART. VI. As. the Powers which possess the shores of that part of the Danube where the Cataracts and the Iron Gates offer impediments to navigation reserve to themselves to come to an understanding with the view of removing those impediments, the High Contracting Parties recognise from the present moment their right to levy a Provisional Tax on Vessels of commerce of every flag which may henceforth benefit thereby, until the extinction of the Debt contracted for the execution of the Works; and they declare Article XV of the Treaty of Paris of 1856 (No. 264), to be inapplicable to that part of the River for a space of time necessary for the repayment of the debt in question. Neutrality of Works and Establishments created by European Commission of the Danube. ART. VII. All the Works and Establishments of every kind created by the European Commission in execution of the Treaty of Paris of 1856 (No. 264), or of the present Treaty, shall continue to enjoy the same Neutrality which has hitherto protected them, and which shall be equally respected for the future, under all circumstances, by the High Contracting Parties. The benefits of the immunities which result therefrom shall extend to the whole administrative and engineering staff of the Commission. It is, however, well understood that the provisions of this Article shall in no way affect the right of the Sublime Porte to send, as heretofore, its Vessels of War into the Danube in its character of Territorial Power. Confirmation of Stipulations of Treaty of 30th March, 1856. ART. VIII. The High Contracting Parties renew and confirm all the stipulations of the Treaty of the 30th March, 1856 (No. 264), as well as of its annexes, which are not annulled or modified by the present Treaty. [Black Sea and Danube.] Ratifications. ART. IX. The present Treaty shall be ratified, and the Ratifications shall be exchanged at London in the term of 6 weeks,* or sooner if possible. In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the Seal of their Arms. Done at London, the 13th day of the month of March, in the year 1871. (L.S.) GRANVILLE. (L.S.) BROGLIE. (L.S.) CADORNA. (L.S.) BRUNNOW. (L.S.) MUSURUS. * This period was afterwards extended to the 15th of May, on which day the Ratifications were exchanged. |