ÆäÀÌÁö À̹ÌÁö
PDF
ePub

4

but also to nations who have taken no part in the contest. Her Majesty, however, has seen no reason to depart from the strict neutrality which Her Majesty has observed from the beginning of the contest.

The Greek nation having chosen Prince William of Denmark for their King, Her Majesty is taking steps with a view to the union of the Ionian Islands with the Kingdom of Greece. For this purpose Her Majesty is in communication with the Powers who were parties to the Treaty of 1815, by which those islands were placed under the protection of the British Crown; and the wishes of the Ionians on the subject of such union will be duly ascertained.

Several barbarous outrages committed in Japan upon British subjects have rendered it necessary for Her Majesty to demand reparation; and Her Majesty hopes that her demands will be conceded by the Japanese Government without its being necessary to

resort to coercive measures to enforce them.

The Emperor of Brazil has thought fit to break off his diplomatic relations with Her Majesty, in consequence of Her Majesty not having complied with demands which she did not deem it possible to accede to. Her Majesty has no wish that this estrangement should continue, and would be glad to see her relations with Brazil re-established.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

Her Majesty commands us to convey to you her warm acknowledgments for the liberal supplies which you have granted for the service of the present year, and towards the permanent defence of Her Majesty's dockyards and arsenals; and Her Majesty commands us to thank you for the provision you have made for the establishment of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

The distress which the civil war in North America has inflicted upon a portion of Her Majesty's subjects in the manufacturing districts, and towards the relief of which such generous and munificent contributions have been made, has in some degree diminished, and Her Majesty has given her cordial assent to measures calculated to have a beneficial influence upon that unfortunate state of things.

Symptoms of a renewal of disturbances have manifested themselves in Her Majesty's colony of New Zealand, but Her Majesty trusts that by wise and conciliatory measures, supported by adequate means of repression, order and tranquillity will be maintained in that valuable and improving colony.

Her Majesty has given her assent to a measure for augmenting

the income of a considerable number of small benefices, and she trusts that this measure will be conducive to the interests of the Established Church.

Her Majesty has given her assent to an Act for the revision of a large portion of the Statute Book, by the removal of many Acts which, although they had become obsolete or unnecessary, obstructed the condensation of the statute law.

Her Majesty has felt much pleasure in giving her assent to an Act for placing upon a well-defined footing that Volunteer Force which has added a most important element to the defensive means of the country.

Her Majesty has gladly given her assent to an Act for carrying into effect the Additional Treaty concluded by Her Majesty with the President of The United States for the more effectual suppression of the Slave Trade; and Her Majesty trusts that the honourable co-operation of the Government of The United States will materially assist Her Majesty in those endeavours which Great Britain has long been engaged in making to put an end to the perpetration of that most disgraceful crime. Her Majesty has assented with satisfaction to many other measures of public usefulness, the result of your labours during the present session.

It has been gratifying to Her Majesty to observe that, notwithstanding many adverse circumstances, the general prosperity of her Empire continues unimpaired. Though great local distress has been suffered in Great Britain from the effects of the civil war in America, and in Ireland from the results of three unfavourable seasons, the financial resources of the United Kingdom have been fully maintained, and its general commerce with the world at large has not been materially impaired.

It has been a source of great satisfaction to Her Majesty to find that her East Indian possessions, rapidly recovering from the disasters which lately overspread them, are entering upon a course of improvement, social, financial, and commercial, which holds out good promise for the growing prosperity of those extensive regions.

On returning to your several counties you will still have important duties to perform; and Her Majesty fervently prays that the blessing of Almighty God may attend your efforts to promote the welfare and happiness of her subjects, the object of her constant and earnest solicitude.

TREATY between Great Britain and the United States of America, for the Settlement of the Claims of the Hudson's Bay and Puget's Sound Agricultural Companies.-Signed at Washington, July 1, 1863.

[Ratifications exchanged at Washingon, March 3, 1864.]

HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the United States of America, being desirous to provide for the final settlement of the claims of the Hudson's Bay and Puget's Sound Agricultural Companies, specified in Articles III and IV of the Treaty concluded between Great Britain and the United States of America on the 15th of June, 1846,* have resolved to conclude a Treaty for this purpose, and have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Richard Bickerton Pemell, Lord Lyons, a Peer of Her United Kingdom, a Knight Grand Cross of Her Most Honourable Order of the Bath, and Her Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States of America;

And the President of the United States of America, William H. Seward, Secretary of State;

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:

ART. I. Whereas by Articles III and IV of the Treaty concluded at Washington, on the 15th day of June, 1846, between Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of America, it was stipulated and agreed that in the future appropriation of the territory south of the 49th parallel of north latitude, as provided in Article I of the said Treaty, the possessory rights of the Hudson's Bay Company, and of all British subjects who may be already in the occupation of land or other property lawfully acquired within the said territory, should be respected; and that the farms, lands, and other property of every description belonging to the Puget's Sound Agricultural Company, on the north side of the Columbia River, should be confirmed to the said Company; but that in case the situation of those farms and lands should be considered by the United States to be of public and political importance, and the United States' Government should signify a desire to obtain possession of the whole or of any part thereof, the property so required should be transferred to the Vol. XXXIV. Page 14.

said Government at a proper valuation, to be agreed upon between the parties:

And whereas it is desirable that all questions between the United States' authorities on the one hand, and the Hudson's Bay and Puget's Sound Agricultural Companies on the other, with respect to the possessory rights and claims of those Companies and of any other British subjects in Oregon and Washington territory, should be settled by the transfer of those rights and claims to the Government of the United States for an adequate money consideration:

It is hereby agreed that Her Britannic Majesty and the United States of America shall, within 12 months after the exchange of the ratifications of the present Treaty, appoint each a Commissioner for the purpose of examining and deciding upon all claims arising out of the provisions of the above quoted Articles of the Treaty of June 15, 1846.

II. The Commissioners mentioned in the preceding Article shall, at the earliest convenient period after they shall have been respectively named, meet at the city of Washington, in the District of Columbia, and shall, before proceeding to any business, make and subscribe a solemn declaration that they will impartially and carefully examine and decide, to the best of their judgment, and according to justice and equity, without fear, favour, or affection to their own country, all the matters referred to them for their decision; and such declaration shall be entered on the record of their proceedings.

The Commissioners shall then proceed to name an arbitrator or umpire to decide upon any case or cases on which they may differ in opinion. And if they cannot agree in the selection, the said arbitrator or umpire shall be appointed by the King of Italy, whom the two High Contracting Parties shall invite to make such appointment, and whose selection shall be conclusive on both parties. The person so to be chosen shall, before proceeding to act, make and subscribe a solemn declaration, in a form similar to that which shall already have been made and subscribed by the Commissioners, which declaration shall also be entered on the record of the proceedings. In the event of the death, absence, or incapacity of such person, or of his omitting, or declining, or ceasing to act as such arbitrator or umpire, another person shall be named in the manner aforesaid to act in his place or stead, and shall make and subscribe such declaration as aforesaid.

Her Britannic Majesty and the United States of America engage to consider the decision of the two Commissioners conjointly, or of the arbitrator or umpire, as the case may be, as final and conclusive on the matters to be referred to their decision, and forthwith to give full effect to the same.

III. The Commissioners and the arbitrator or umpire shall keep accurate records and correct minutes or notes of all their proceedings, with the dates thereof, and shall appoint and employ such clerk or clerks, or other persons, as they shall find necessary to assist them in the transaction of the business which may come before them.

The salaries of the Commissioners and of the clerk or clerks shall be paid by their respective Governments. The salary of the arbitrator or umpire, and the contingent expenses, shall be defrayed in equal moieties by the two Governments.

IV. All sums of money which may be awarded by the Commissioners, or by the arbitrator or umpire, on account of any claim, shall be paid by the one Government to the other in two equal annual instalments, whereof the first shall be paid within 12 months after the date of the award, and the second within 24 months after the date of the award, without interest, and without any deduction whatever.

V. The present Treaty shall be ratified, and the mutual exchange of ratifications shall take place in Washington, in 12 months from the date hereof, or earlier if possible.

In faith whereof, we, the respective Plenipotentiaries, have signed this Treaty, and have hereunto affixed our seals.

Done in duplicate at Washington, the 1st day of July, Anno Domini 1863.

(L.S.) LYONS.

(L.S.) WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

TREATY between Great Britain, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Spain, France, Hanover, Italy, Oldenburg, Peru, Portugal, Prussia, Russia, Sweden and Norway, Turkey, and the Hanse Towns, on the one part, and Belgium on the other part, for the Redemption of the Scheldt Tall.-Signed at Brussels, July 16, 1863.

[Ratifications exchanged at Brussels, August 3, 1863.]

SA Majesté la Reine du Royaume Uni de la Grande Bretagne et d'Irlande, Sa Majesté l'Empereur d'Autriche, Roi de Hongrie et de Bohême, Sa Majesté le Roi des Belges, Sa Majesté l'Empereur du Brésil, Son Excellence le Président de la République du Chili, Sa Majesté le Roi de Danemark, Sa Majesté la Reine d'Espagne, Sa Majesté l'Empereur des Français, Sa Majesté le Roi de Hanovre, Sa

« ÀÌÀü°è¼Ó »