ships of war of foreign Powers to enter the Straits of the Dardanelles and of the Bosphorus; and that, so long as the Porte is at peace, His Majesty will admit no foreign ship of war into the said Straits. And their Majesties the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Emperor of Austria, the Emperor of the French, the King of Prussia, the Emperor of all the Russias, and the King of Sardinia, on the other part, engage to respect this determination of the Sultan, and to conform themselves to the principle above declared. Article II. The Sultan reserves to himself, as in past times, to deliver firmans of passage for light vessels under flag of war, which shall be employed, as is usual, in the service of the missions of foreign Powers. Article III. The same exception applies to the light vessels under flag of war, which each of the Contracting Powers is authorised to station at the mouths of the Danube in order to secure the execution of the regulations relative to the liberty of that river, and the number of which is not to exceed two for each Power. (3.)-Annex 2.-Convention between Russia and the Sultan, limitating their Naval Force in the Black Sea; signed at Paris, March 30, 1856. Article I. THE High Contracting Parties mutually engage not to have in the Black Sea any other vessels of war than those of which the number, the force, and the dimensions are hereinafter stipulated. Article II. The High Contracting Parties reserve to themselves each to maintain in that sea six steam-vessels of fifty mètres in length at the line of flotation, of a tonnage of eight hundred tons at the maximum, and four light steam or sailingvessels of a tonnage which shall not exceed two hundred tons each. (4.)-Treaty between Great Britain, Austria, and France, guaranteeing the Independence and Integrity of the Ottoman Empire; signed at Paris, April 15, 1856. Article I. THE High Contracting Parties guarantee, jointly and severally, the independence and the integrity of the Ottoman Empire, recorded in the Treaty concluded at Paris on the thirtieth of March, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six. Article II. Any infraction of the stipulations of the said Treaty will be considered by the Powers signing the present Treaty as casus belli. They will come to an understanding with the Sublime Porte as to the measures which have become necessary, and will without delay determine among themselves as to the employment of their military and naval forces. TURKEY. (MOLDAVIA, WALLACHIA, AND SERVIA.) Treaty between Great Britain, Austria, France, Prussia, Russia, Sardinia, and Turkey; signed at Paris, March 30, 1856. Article XXII. LES Principautés de Valachie et de Moldavie continueront à jouir, sous la suzeraineté de la Porte et sous la garantie des Puissances Contractantes, des privilèges et des immunités dont elles sont en possession. Aucune protection exclusive ne sera exercée sur elles par une des Puissances garantes. Il n'y aura aucun droit particulier d'ingérence dans leurs affaires intérieures. Article XXVII. Si le repos intérieur des Principautés se trouvait menacé ou compromis, la Sublime Porte s'entendra avec les autres Puissances Contractantes sur les mesures à prendre pour maintenir ou rétablir l'ordre légal. Une intervention armée ne pourra avoir lieu sans un accord préalable entre Puissances. Article XXVIII. La Principauté de Servie continuera à relever de la Sublime Porte, conformément aux Hats Impériaux qui fixent et déterminent ses droits it immunités, placés désormais sous la garantie collective des Puissances Contractantes. En conséquence, la dite Principauté conservera son administration indépendante et nationale, ainsi que la pleine liberté de culte, de législation, de commerce, et de navigation. Article XXIX. Le droit de garnison de la Sublime Porte, tel qu'il se trouve stipulé par les réglements antérieurs, est maintenu. Aucune intervention armée ne pourra avoir lieu en Servie sans un accord préalable entre les Hautes Puissances Con- tractantes. (Translation.) Article XXII. THE Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia shall continue to enjoy under the suzerainty of the Porte, and under the guarantee of the Contracting Powers, the privileges and immunities of which they are in possession. No exclusive protection shall be exercised over them by any of the guaranteeing Powers. There shall be no separate right of interference in their internal affairs. Article XXVII. If the internal tranquillity of the Principalities should be menaced or compromised, the Sublime Porte shall come to an understanding with the other Contracting Powers in regard to the measures to be taken for maintaining or reestablishing legal order. No armed intervention can take place without previous agreement between those Powers. Article XXVIII. The Principality of Servia shall continue to hold of the Sublime Porte, in conformity with the Imperial Hats which fix and determine its rights and immunities, placed henceforward under the collective guarantee of the Contracting Powers. 275. M 4 In In consequence, the said Principality shall preserve its independent and national administration, as well as full liberty of worship, of legislation, of commerce, and of navigation. Article XXIX. The right of garrison of the Sublime Porte, as stipulated by anterior regulations, is maintained. No armed intervention can take place in Servia without previous agreement between the High Contracting Powers. TURKEY, (MOLDAVIA AND WALLACHIA.) Convention between Great Britain, Austria, France, Prussia, Russia, Sardinia, and Turkey, relative to the Organisation of the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia; signed at Paris, August 19, 1858. Article I. LES Principautés de Moldavie et de Valachie, constituées désormais sous la dénomination de Principautés Unies de Moldavie et de Valachie, demeurent placées sous la Suzeraineté de Sa Majesté le Sultan. Article II. En vertu des Capitulations émanées des Sultans Bajazet I., Mahomet II., Selim I., et Soliman II., qui constituent leur autonomie, en réglant leurs rapports avec la Sublime Porte, et que plusieurs Hatti-chérifs, notamment celui de 1834, ont consacrées; conformément aussi aux Articles XXII. et XXIII. du Traité conclu à Paris, le 30 Mars 1856, les Principautés continueront de jouir, sous la garantie collective des Puissances Contractantes, des priviléges et immunités dont elles sont en possession. En conséquence, les Principautés s'administreront librement et en dehors de toute ingérence de la Sublime Porte, dans les limites stipulées par l'accord des Puissances garantes avec la Cour Suzeraine. Article VIII. Les Principautés serviront à la Cour Suzeraine un tribut annuel dont le montant demeure fixé à la somme de un million cinq cent mille piastres pour la Moldavie, et à la somme de deux millions cinq cent mille piastres pour la Valachie. L'investiture sera, comme par le passé, conférée aux Hospodars par Sa Majesté le Sultan. La Cour Suzeraine combinera avec les Principautés les mesures de défense de leur territoire, en cas d'aggression extérieure ; et il lui appartiendra de provoquer, par une entente avec les Cours garantes, les mesures nécessaires pour le rétablissement de l'ordre, s'il venait à être compromis. Comme par le passé, les Traités internationaux qui seront conclus par la Cour Suzeraine avec les Puissances étrangères, seront applicables aux Principautés dans tout ce qui ne portera pas atteinte à leurs immunités. Article IX. En cas de violation des immunités des Principautés, les Hospodars adresseront un recours à la Puissance Suzeraine, et s'il n'est pas fait droit à leur réclamation ils pourront la faire parvenir par leurs agents aux Représentants des Puissances garantes à Constantinople. Les Hospodars se feront représenter auprès de la Cour Suzeraine par des Agents (Capou-Kiaya) nés Moldaves ou Valaques, ne relevant d'aucune juridiction étrangère, et agréés par la Porte. (Translation.) Article I. THE Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, constituted henceforward under the denomination of United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, are placed under the Suzerainty of His Majesty the Sultan. Article II. In virtue of the Capitulations issued by the Sultans Bajazet I., Mahomet II., Selim I, and Soliman II., which constitute their self-government, settling their relations with the Sublime Porte, and which are recorded in various Hatti-sherifs, specially that of 1834; conformably also to Articles XXII. and XXIII. of the Treaty concluded at Paris on the 30th of March 1856, the Principalities shall continue to enjoy, under the collective guarantee of the Contracting Powers, the privileges and immunities of which they are in possession. Consequently, the Principalities shall carry on their own administration freely and exempt from any interference of the Sublime Porte, within the limits stipulated by the agreement of the guaranteeing Powers with the Suzerain Court. Article VIII. The Principalities shall pay to the Suzerain Court an annual tribute, the amount of which is fixed at the sum of one million five hundred thousand piastres for Moldavia, and at the sum of two millions five hundred thousand piastres for Wallachia. Investiture shall be, as heretofore, conferred upon the Hospodars by His Majesty the Sultan. The Suzerain Court shall arrange with the Principalities the measures for the defence of their territory, in case of external aggression; and it will be for that Court to initiate, by an understanding with the guaranteeing Powers, the measures necessary for the re-establishment of order, in case it should be compromised. As hitherto, the international Treaties which shall be concluded by the Suzerain Court with foreign Powers, shall be applicable to the Principalities in all that shall not prejudice their immunities. Article IX. In the event of a violation of the immunities of the Principalities, the Hospodars shall address a representation to the Suzerain Power; and if their representation be not attended to, they may communicate it through their agents to the Representatives of the guaranteeing Powers at Constantinople. The Hospodars shall be represented at the Suzerain Court by agents (CapouKiaya), who shall be native-born Moldavians or Wallachians, not holding of any foreign jurisdiction, and accepted by the Porte. UNITED STATES. Convention between Great Britain and the United States, relative to the Establishment of a Communication by Ship-Canal between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans; signed at Washington, 19 April 1850. HER Britannic Majesty and the United States of America being desirous of consolidating the relations of amity which so happily subsist between them, by setting forth and fixing in a Convention their views and intentions with reference to any means of communication by Ship-Canal, which may be constructed between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, by the way of the River St. Juan de Nicaragua, and either or both of the Lakes of Nicaragua or Managua, to any port or place on the Pacific Ocean; Her Britannic Majesty has conferred full powers on the Right Honourable Sir Henry Lytton Bulwer, a Member of Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, and Eavoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Her Britannic Majesty to the United States; and the President of the United States, on John M. Clayton, Secretary of State of the United States, for the aforesaid purpose; and the said Plenipotentiaries having exchanged their full powers, which were found to be in proper form, have agreed to the following Articles: Article I. The Governments of Great Britain and the United States hereby declare, that neither the one nor the other will ever obtain or maintain for itself any exclusive control over the said Ship-Canal; agreeing that neither will ever erect or maintain any fortifications commanding the same, or in the vicinity thereof; or occupy, or fortify, or colonize, or assume or exercise any dominion over Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito Coast, or any part of Central America; nor will either make use of any protection which either affords, or may afford, or any alliance which either has, or may have, to or with any State or people, for the purpose of erecting or maintaining any such fortifications, or of occupying, fortifying, or colonizing, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito Coast, or any part of Central America, or of assuming or exercising dominion over the same. Nor will Great Britain or the United States take advantage of any intimacy, or use any alliance, connection, or influence that either may possess with any State or Government through whose territory the said canal may pass, for the purpose of acquiring or holding, directly or indirectly, for the subjects or citizens of the one, any rights or advantages in regard to commerce or navigation through the said canal, which shall not be offered, on the same terms, to the subjects or citizens of the other. Article II. Vessels of Great Britain or the United States traversing the said canal shall, in case of war between the Contracting Parties, be exempted from blockade, detention, or capture by either of the belligerents; and this provision shall extend to such a distance from the two ends of the said canal as may hereafter be found expedient to establish. Article III. In order to secure the construction of the said canal, the Contracting Parties engage that if any such canal shall be undertaken upon fair and equitable terms by |