M. le Ministre,

Inclosure 1 in No. 70.

Sir J. Savile to Signor Crispi.

Rome, November 17, 1887.

I HAVE the honour to transmit to your Excellency herewith the draft of a Convention for guaranteeing the free use of the Suez Canal by all Powers at all times, which has been agreed upon beforehand by Her Majesty's Government in concert with that of France, in pursuance of a general wish expressed by the other Governments represented in the International Commission of 1885.

The French Government, as your Excellency is aware, have undertaken to communicate the draft in question to the Powers who were represented in the Commission, and to invite their adhesion to it; and I have accordingly been authorized by the Marquis of Salisbury to support the communication which has been made to you on the subject by M. Gérard, by expressing the hope of Her Majesty's Government that the Government of Italy will be prepared to join in the signature of the Convention, the terms of which have already been approved by them.

I avail, &c.

WITH reference to my preceding note of this day's date relative to the draft Convention for securing the free navigation of the Suez Canal, I have the honour to transmit herewith to your Excellency, in compliance with the instructions which I have received from the Marquis of Salisbury, copy of a despatch addressed by his Lordship to Her Majesty's Minister at Paris, giving an account of the discussions which have led to the settlement of the draft in question, and of the conditions under which Her Majesty's Government have expressed their willingness to agree to it.

I am further instructed to communicate the inclosed copies of correspondence relative to the construction to be placed on Article V of the Convention, from which it will be seen that the French Government and that of Her Majesty are agreed that the prohibition to disembark troops in the Canal and its ports of access, contained in that Article, cannot be interpreted as depriving unarmed invalid soldiers of access to the military hospitals of Suez and Port Saïd.

Sir E. Malet to the Marquis of Salisbury.-(Received November 21.)

My Lord, Berlin, November 19, 1887. WITH reference to your Lordship's telegram of the 14th instant, instructing me to give a general support to the communication relative to the free navigation of the Suez Canal to be made to Count Bismarck by the French Ambassador, M. Herbette, I have the honour to inform your Lordship that M. Herbette made the communication in question on the 15th instant to Count Bismarck, and that I immediately afterwards executed your Lordship's above-mentioned instructions.

On the following morning I had the honour to receive your Lordship's despatches on the same subject of the 4th instant, and I in consequence addressed to Count Bismarck the note of which I have the honour to inclose a copy herewith.

The communication made by M. Herbette to Count Bismarck consisted of the French Circular, copy of which accompanied your Lordship's despatch to me of the draft Convention, and of your Lordship's despatch to Mr. Egerton of the 21st October, giving an account of the discussions which had led to it.

Count Bismarck informed me that he had told the French Ambassador that he proposed to consult the Austrian and Italian Governments before giving a reply because they were primarily interested, but that he did not think that any difficulty would be made about agreeing to the draft proposed.

M. Herbette tells me that, in consequence of subsequent instructions from his Government, he has addressed a note to Count Bismarck to say that the British and French Governments are agreed, with reference to Article V, that the prohibition to disembark troops in the Canal and its ports of access cannot be interpreted as depriving unarmed invalid soldiers of access to the military hospitals of Suez and Port Saïd.

M. le Secrétaire d'État, Berlin, November 16, 1887. I HAD the honour to inform your Excellency yesterday that I was desired by Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to support the communication made to your Excellency by the French Ambassador relative to the Suez Canal, when his Excellency submitted to your Excellency the draft of a Convention for guaranteeing its free use by all Powers at all times; and I expressed the hope of Her Majesty's Government that the terms of the proposed Convention would meet with the approval of the Imperial Government.

With reference to this verbal communication on my part, I have the honour to transmit to your Excellency herewith, under instructions from Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy of a despatch from his Lordship to Her Majesty's Minister at Paris, giving an account of the discussions which have led to the settlement of the draft in question, and of the conditions under which Her Majesty's Government have expressed their willingness to agree to it.

I have also the honour to inclose copies of a correspondence relative to the construction to be placed on Article V of the Convention, from which it will be seen that Her Majesty's Government and the Government of France are agreed that the prohibition to disembark troops in the Canal and its ports of access, contained in that Article, cannot be interpreted as depriving unarmed invalid soldiers of access to the military hospitals of Suez and Port Saïd.

I avail, &c.

Sir,

The Marquis of Salisbury to Sir W. Stuart.

Foreign Office, November 21, 1887. I HAVE received your despatch of the 17th instant, together with copy of the note which you addressed to the Netherlands Minister for Foreign Affairs, communicating to his Excellency the correspondence respecting the draft Suez Canal Convention which has been agreed upon between the British and French Governments, and expressing the hope that the proposed Convention would meet with the concurrence of the Netherlands Government.

The terms of your note to M. de Karnebeek are approved by Her Majesty's Government.

I am, &c.

(Signed)

SALISBURY.

No. 73.

The Marquis of Salisbury to Sir E. Malet.

Sir,

Foreign Office, November 23, 1887. I HAVE received your Excellency's despatch of the 19th instant, inclosing copy of the note which you addressed to Count Bismarck in support of the communication made to the German Government by the French Ambassador respecting the draft Convention for securing the free navigation of the Suez Canal.

Your Excellency's proceedings, as reported in your above-mentioned despatch, are approved by Her Majesty's Government.

No. 74.

I am, &c.

Sir,

The Marquis of Salisbury to Sir J. Savile.

Foreign Office, November 23, 1887.

I HAVE received your Excellency's despatch of the 17th instant, and I approve the terms of the notes, copies of which are therein inclosed, which you addressed to Signor Crispi, expressing the hope of Her Majesty's Government that the Italian Government will be prepared to join in the signature of the Convention for securing the free navigation of the Suez Canal, and forwarding papers in explanation of the draft Convention.

Foreign Office, November 23, 1887.

I HAVE received your despatch of the 16th instant, and I approve the terms of the note, a copy of which is therein inclosed, which you addressed to Count Kálnoky, communicating to his Excellency the correspondence respecting the draft Convention for securing the free navigation of the Suez Canal, and expressing the hope of Her Majesty's Government that the proposed Convention will meet with the approval of that of Austria-Hungary.

I am, &c.

Mr. Phipps to the Marquis of Salisbury.—(Received by telegraph, November 26.) My Lord,

Vienna, November 26, 1887. THE Austro-Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs informed me to-day that this Government will offer no objection to the Suez Canal Convention, the draft of which was communicated by the French Chargé d'Affaires on the 15th instant.

The Imperial and Royal Government, however, proposes, like that of Italy, to await, out of deference to the Porte, the Sultan's sanction to the Convention. Should such sanction, however, be unduly delayed, Count Kálnoky expressed his intention of conveying the formal approval of Austria-Hungary without waiting.

The German Government, his Excellency added, would, he believed, act in a similar manner, but he was not aware what steps Russia proposed to adopt. His Excellency informed me that he conveyed similar information to the French Ambassador.

My Lord,

Sir W. White to the Marquis of Salisbury.—(Received December 3.)

Constantinople, November 22, 1887. IN obedience to your Lordship's telegraphic instructions received on the morning of the 15th instant, I proceeded to the Sublime Porte on the morning of that day, and informed Grand Vizier, and subsequently Saïd Pasha (at his own house), that I was

authorized by you to support the communication made to them on the previous Saturday by Count Montebello on the subject of the draft of a Convention for guaranteeing the free use of the Suez Canal at all times which had been agreed upon by the two Governments.

I also informed his Highness and his Excellency that my communication would be shortly followed by the transmission of a copy of this draft.

In accordance with this promise, I sent Mr. Kennedy this morning to Saïd Pasha with copies of all the three inclosures which accompanied your Lordship's instructions of the 4th instant, which were brought to me this morning by Queen's Messenger Callander.

His Excellency was too unwell to see Mr. Kennedy, and I was also unable to leave the Embassy to-day, so I sent these three documents to the Sublime Porte, and they were at once placed in the hands of the Under-Secretary of State, with a communication to the effect that, as Count Montebello had invited the Porte's adhesion to this arrangement, I was authorized in supporting it to express the hope of Her Majesty's Government that the terms of the proposed Convention will meet with the approval of the Imperial Ottoman Government.

I have, &c.

Sir W. Stuart to the Marquis of Salisbury.-(Received December 3.)

My Lord, The Hague, December 2, 1887. WITH reference to your Lordship's despatch of the 4th ultimo and to mine of the 17th ultimo, I have the honour to inclose herewith copy of a note which I have just received from M. de Karnebeek, stating that the Netherlands Government give their willing approval to the terms of the proposed Convention for securing the free navigation of the Suez Canal.

I have, &c. (Signed)

W. STUART.

Inclosure in No. 78.

M. le Ministre,

M. de Karnebeek to Sir W. Stuart.

La Haye, le 2 Décembre, 1887. PAR votre office du 17 du mois précédent vous avez bien voulu, au nom du Gouvernement de Sa Majesté Britannique et d'accord avec celui de la République Française, inviter le Gouvernement du Roi à donner son approbation au projet de Convention sur lequel les Cabinets de Londres et de Paris sont tombés d'accord par rapport à la libre navigation du Canal de Suez, tout en me faisant connaître le sens et la portée que le Gouvernement de la Reine est disposé à accorder à cette Convention.

J'ai l'honneur, M. le Ministre, de vous prier de porter à la connaissance de votre Gouvernement que le Gouvernement du Roi approuve volontiers les termes de la Convention proposée.

Veuillez, &c.

(Signé)

KARNEBEEK.

The Hague, December 2, 1887.

BY your note of the 17th ultimo your were so good as to invite the Government of His Majesty, in the name of Her Britannic Majesty's Government and in agreement with that of the French Republic, to give their approbation to the draft Convention upon which the Cabinets of London and Paris have agreed on the subject of the free navigation of the Suez Canal, and at the same time you informed me of the meaning and scope which Her Majesty's Government attach to this Convention.

I have the honour to request you, M. le Ministre, to inform your Government that the King's Government willingly approves the terms of the proposed Convention. I have, &c.

[550]

(Signed)

KARNEBEEK.

I

No. 79.

Sir R. Morier to the Marquis of Salisbury.-(Received December 5.)

St. Petersburgh, November 25, 1887.

(Extract.) I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith a copy of the note addressed to me by M. de Giers in reply to my communication to him of the 19th instant, a copy of which is likewise inclosed, on the subject of the Suez Canal Convention. It is, as your Lordship will perceive, a mere acknowledgment of receipt.

I may mention that my French colleague, M. de Laboulaye, who returned from leave yesterday, has informed me that M. de Giers had told him that the matter had been placed in the hands of the Minister of Marine, Admiral Shestakow.

November 30.

P.S.-M. de Giers told me to-day that no decision would, for the present, be taken by the Russian Government respecting the Suez Canal Convention.

They considered the preliminaries lay in the first instance with the Porte, whose decision they had no intention of prejudging.

Inclosure 1 in No. 79.

Sir R. Morier to M. de Giers.

M. le Ministre, St. Petersburgh, November 7 (19), 1887. WITH reference to the verbal statement I had the honour to make to your Excellency on Wednesday last to the effect that I had been instructed by Her Majesty's Government to support the communication by the French Chargé d'Affaires respecting the draft of Suez Canal Convention agreed to by the British and French Governments, and to express the hope that the terms of the said Convention would meet with the approval of the Russian Government, I have been instructed to communicate to your Excellency the copy of a despatch addressed by the Marquis of Salisbury to Her Majesty's Minister at Paris, giving an account of the discussions which have led to the settlement of this draft, and of the conditions under which Her Majesty's Government have expressed their willingness to agree to it.

I likewise have the honour to transmit copies of a correspondence relative to the construction to be placed on Article V of the Convention, from which it will be seen that the French Government and that of Her Majesty are agreed that the prohibition to disembark troops in the Canal and its ports of access contained in that Article cannot be interpreted as depriving unarmed invalid soldiers of access to the military hospitals of Suez and Port Saïd.

M. l'Ambassadeur,

Inclosure 2 in No. 79.

M. de Giers to Sir R. Morier.

St. Pétersbourg. le 10 (22) Novembre, 1887. PAR sa note en date du 7 (19) courant, votre Excellence a bien voulu me transmettre copies des correspondances relatives au Projet de Convention arrêté par les Gouvernements de la Grande-Bretagne et de France au sujet du Canal de Suez,

Je me fais un devoir de vous informer que le Cabinet Impérial ne manquera pas de vouer à l'étude de ces correspondances, ainsi que du Projet de Convention qui m'a été remis par M. le Chargé d'Affaires de France, toute l'attention que l'importance de la présente question est de nature à comporter.

M. l'Ambassadeur,

(Translation.)

Veuillez, &c. (Signé)

GIERS.

St. Petersburgh, November 10 (22), 1887.

IN your Excellency's note of the 7th (19th) instant you were good enough to transmit to me copies of the correspondence relative to the draft Convention agreed upon by the Governments of Great Britain and France on the subject of the Suez Canal.