M. le Prince Gortchakoff, en mentionnant cette initiative du Cabinet Austro-Hongrois, s'étonne de ce que j'aie parlé de la froideur de l'accueil qu'elle avait dans le temps rencontré en Russie, et il invoque, comme preuve de contraire, une dépêche adressée par lui au Comte Stackelberg au mois de Novembre 1866. Je regrette de devoir faire observer que ce fait ne détruit en rien mon allégation, la dépêche Russe en question étant antérieure de plusieurs mois à nos ouvertures du mois de Janvier 1867, et ne pouvant par conséquent pas être citée à titre de réponse.

Enfin M. le Chancelier se méprendrait absolument sur ma pensée s'il supposait ainsi que cela semble résulter d'un passage de sa dépêche No. 2, que j'ai voulu dire dans la mienne que le Gouvernement Impérial de Russie, par sa récente Circulaire, se serait proposé de mettre la question d'Orient sur le tapis. En qualifiant cette manifestation de stimulant pour les populations du Levant, j'étais loin de mettre en cause les intentions de la Russie; j'ai seulement voulu donner à entendre que l'effet, assurément non prémédité, de cet acte serait de semer l'agitation dans les esprits et de faire naître ainsi des complications sérieuses. Certes, nous serions heureux de voir l'évènement démentir nos prévisions, et la Cour de St. Pétersbourg n'aurait pas de meilleur moyen de s'assurer notre reconnaissance et celle du reste de l'Europe que de contribuer, pour sa part, à faire ressortir que nous nous étions livrés à de vaines alarmes.

Ces quelques observations faites, je tiens à bien établir que ce ne sont en aucune façon des sentiments hostiles à la Russie qui ont dicté notre réponse aux déclarations Russes du Octobre dernier, mais uniquement la préoccupation de sauvegarder le développement régulier et pacifique du droit international. Cette préoccupation, jointe à celle de mettre à couvert les intérêts de l'Europe en général et les nôtres en particulier engagés dans la question, servira aussi de guide à notre conduite lors des délibérations de la Conférence.

Ainsi que le Prince Gortchakoff le constate avec raison, nous comprenons les intérêts légitimes de son Gouvernement tout aussi bien que les intérêts généraux de l'Europe, et la dépêche Russe ne fait que me rendre justice en disant que j'ai trop de sentiment de la dignité de mon pays pour ne pas apprécier ce que réclame de la Russie le souci de la sienne. C'est précisément à concilier toutes ces considérations et tous ces intérêts que devra, dans notre conviction, s'appliquer la Conférence. Le chef du Cabinet Russe peut compter que le Gouvernement Impérial et Royal abordera cette tâche sans parti pris d'aucune sorte et dans le seul but de consolider la paix de l'Orient en donnant au différend soulevé par la Russie un dénouement qui soit de nature à ménager les susceptibilités nationales que nous savons respecter sans affaiblir les garanties que réclament les autres nations également intéressées dans les questions qui se rattachent à la Mer Noire. Car nous comptons bien que c'est ainsi que notre pensée a été saisie à St. Pétersbourg. Comprendre, apprécier les sentiments de dignité d'un pays voisin, ce n'est pas abdiquer en sa faveur, et le désir sincère de faire cesser tout sujet de discorde ne saurait nous amener à y sacrifier nos propes intérêts. Si, comme nous l'espérons, les Puissances se placent sur ce terrain, on arrivera, ainsi que le désire le Gouvernement Impérial de Russie, à garantir le repos de l'Orient et l'équilibre de l'Europe.

Veuillez, M. le Comte, communiquer cette dépêche à M. le Prince Gortchakoff; et recevez, &c.

(Translation.)

(Signé)

BEUST.

Buda, December 7, 1870.

THE Russian Envoy has obeyed the instructions of his Government, and has communicated to me two despatches, of which copies are annexed, in answer to those which I addressed to your Excellency on the 16th of last month on the subject of the question raised by the Russian Circular of the 19th October.

31st

I received these documents with all the interest they deserved. The matters contained in them are treated of in terms such as give the impression that they are as anxious at St. Petersburgh as we are that they shall have a satisfactory solution for all the parties interested.

On the eve of a Conference at which the question at point will be thoroughly examined, I think it useless to enter into discussion on the ground of the replies of Prince Gortchakoff.

But there is one point which I cannot at present pass by in silence. I wish to speak of the opinion enunciated in the first of these despatches according to which so great a cohesion is to be attributed to all cotemporary Treaties that no single one of them could be invalidated without impairing the value of all the others, and without giving each

of the Powers concerned in the latter the right to declare as having lapsed those of their stipulations which it would not suit them to allow to exist. We think that such a theory, if it obtained ground, would be a severe blow to the faith placed in Treaties, and its effect would be to loosen all those ties which, up to now, have held nations together.

We have never pretended that international transactions are exempt from the effects of time, and that they must be eternally maintained intact. No matter how firm may be the resolution of the Contracting Parties at the time of the signature of a Treaty that its duration shall be assured, it is incontestable, as the Russian Chancellor remarks, that in the long run, events may happen which change the situation so as to render it desirable to the signataries that a modification of part or all of the Convention should be made. But in that case the Law of Nations points out the course to be followed; this is, that recourse should be had by the interested State to the other intervening Powers with a view to coming to an understanding as to the modifications to be made in the Treaty.

As concerns the clauses in the Treaty of Paris relative to the neutrality of the Black Sea, the Imperial and Royal Government had itself nearly four years ago recognized the opportunity of a revision; but, as I called to mind in my despatch of the 16th of November, what they had in view was a revision, which, taking place with the consent of the Contracting Parties, would tend to strengthen instead of shake the respect due to the public law of Europe.

Prince Gortchakoff, in mentioning this initiative of the Austro-Hungarian Cabinet, is surprised that I have spoken of the coldness of the reception it met with at that time in Russia, and he instances, as a proof to the contrary, a despatch addressed by him to Count Stackelberg in the month of November 1866. I regret to be obliged to request you to observe that this in no way refutes my allegation, as the Russian despatch in question was written many months prior to our overtures in the month of January 1867, and cannot, consequently, be quoted as an answer.

Finally, the Chancellor would quite misunderstand my meaning if he supposed, as seems to be the case from a passage in his despatch No. 2, that I wished to say in mine that the Imperial Government of Russia by their recent Circular intended to raise the Eastern question. When designating that manifestation as a stimulant to the populations of the Levant, I was far from calling in question the intentions of Russia; I only wished to convey that the effect, surely not premeditated, of that act would be to sow agitation in men's minds and thus give birth to serious complications. Certainly, we should be happy to see the event contradict our expectations, and the Court of St. Petersburgh could not use better means to secure to itself our gratitude and that of the rest of Europe than by contributing on its part to prove that we were the prey of vain alarms. Having made these few observations, I wish to state that sentiments hostile to Russia by no means dictated our answer to the Russian declaration of the 19th October last, but merely anxiety to protect the regular and pacific development of international law. This anxiety, coupled with that of protecting the interests of Europe in general and ours in particular engaged in the question, will guide our deliberations at the Conference.

31st

As Prince Gortchakoff, with reason, states, we understand the legitimate interests of his Government quite as well as the general interests of Europe, and the Russian despatch only does me justice in saying that I have too great a sense of the dignity of my country not to appreciate what the anxiety for her own requires of Russia. It is precisely to conciliate all these considerations and all these interests that, in our conviction, the Conference should apply itself. The head of the Russian Cabinet can count upon the Imperial and Royal Government commencing this task without bias of any sort, and with a sole view of consolidating the peace of the East by obtaining for the question started by Russia a result of a nature to spare the national susceptibilities which we know how to respect, without weakening the guarantees which other nations claim who are equally interested in the questions affecting the Black Sea. For we are confident that our meaning has been thus interpreted at St. Petersburgh. To understand, to appreciate the sentiments of dignity of a neighbouring country is not to give way in its favour, and the sincere desire to do away with every subject of discord would not lead us to sacrifice for it our own interests. If, as we hope the Powers take up this ground, we shall succeed, as the Imperial Government of Russia desires, in guaranteeing the repose of the East and the equilibrium of Europe.

You will communicate this despatch to Prince Gortchakoff, and receive, &c. (Signed)

BEUST.

My Lord,

No. 114.

Lord Lyons to Earl Granville.-(Received December 17.)

Tours, December 8, 1870. THE Comte de Chaudordy informed me this afternoon that he had received a letter from M. Jules Favre. which did not convey the formal answer of the Government at Paris to the proposal to France to join in a Conference on the Russian question, but which expressed the feelings with which the proposal was regarded by that Government.

It appeared, M. de Chaudordy said, to be considered sad and incongruous that a French Plenipotentiary should be sent to London to talk about the Black Sea, while France itself was suffering the utmost rigour of war at the hands of the Prussians. As England had, at the request of Prussia, invited France to the Conference, the Government at Paris conceived that Her Majesty's Government had undoubtedly the right to insist upon such concessions being made by Prussia as would render it possible for France to send a Plenipotentiary to the Conference and to appear at it with dignity and decorum. For this purpose it would be necessary that the Government of National Defence should have the means of convoking a National Assembly and of deliberating with some calmness. They accordingly once more earnestly requested Her Majesty's Government to use every effort to obtain for France an armistice on reasonable conditions, which must of course include the revictualling of Paris for the time the suspension of hostilities continued.

M. de Chaudordy observed that it must surely be shocking to all Christian feeling that the season of Christmas and the New Year should be desecrated by the continuance of such hostilities as were now carried on in France.

At M. de Chaudordy's request I immediately made known to your Lordship by telegraph the sentiments of the Paris Government.

No. 115.

I have, &c.

My Lord,

Lord Lyons to Earl Granville.—(Received December 17.)

Bordeaux, December 12, 1870. I HAD this morning the honour to receive, with your Lordship's despatch of the 5th instant, copies of Prince Gortchakoff's despatch to Baron Brunnow of the ultimo, and of your Lordship's despatch to Sir Andrew Buchanan of the 28th ultimo. In obedience to your Lordship's instructions I at once gave a copy of the latter document to the Comte de Chaudordy.

8th

20th

I at the same time asked M. de Chaudordy whether he was able to announce to me the acceptance by the French Government of the proposal to them to take part in the proposed Conference on the Russian Question.

M. de Chaudordy said that he had received nothing from Paris on the subject since he had spoken to me on the 8th instant, and he proceeded to express the sentiments of the Paris Government in very much the same terms which he used on that occasion, and which were reported to your Lordship in my telegram and despatch of the same day. He observed that the French Government were placed in a very cruel and embarrassing situation by the proposal that they should take part in a Conference at this moment without any assurance that the questions which were matters of life and death to them would be mentioned at it, and without the means which an armistice could alone afford, of preparing to appear at it with propriety and dignity.

M. de Chaudordy added that he was informed that Count Beust had suggested to your Lordship a collective representation from England, Austria, and Italy to Prussia in favour of an armistice, and that your Lordship had rejected the suggestion.

I said that I was not aware of this, but that I knew that your Lordship was extremely desirous that an armistice should be obtained, and I added that if you had in fact received and rejected any such proposal as that he had mentioned, you must certainly have done so under the conviction that the interference of the neutral Powers would only tend to defeat the object.

Adverting to the question M. de Chaudordy had put to me some time before, I told him that your Lordship had not instructed Mr. Odo Russell to originate a negotiation with Count Bismarck respecting an armistice, because you were sure that any such

instruction would do harm instead of good. You had, I said, communicated to Count Bismarck, through the Prussian Ambassador in London, all the information likely to have a good effect, which you were authorized to give respecting the views of the French Government, and you had thus taken the steps which you deemed best calculated to facilitate the success of any direct communication into which the French Government might enter with the Prussian Authorities. Her Majesty's Government had, I added, been most anxious to afford their assistance in every way in which it could be practically useful towards procuring a suspension of hostilities, but they had not thought that in the present position of affairs they could address, without positive injury to the cause they had at heart, a dictatorial summons to Prussia.

My Lord,

No. 116.

Sir A. Buchanan to Earl Granville.-(Received December 17.)

St. Petersburgh, December 7, 1870. I RECEIVED, at an early hour this morning, your Lordship's telegram of yesterday, transmitting the copy of another, addressed to your Lordship by Mr. Odo Russell; and I immediately called upon Prince Gortchakoff, and read to him a Memorandum of its substance, as it appeared to me, from the date of Mr. Russell's telegram, that something. might have occurred in your conversation with Baron Brunnow since you received it, throwing doubt upon the understanding with which your Lordship believed that Russia had accepted an invitation to the Conference to be held at London, respecting the expediency of revising certain stipulations in the Treaty of 1856, establishing the neutrality of the Black Sea.

Prince Gortchakoff said, in reply, that I might inform your Lordship that he accepts as correct every word in Mr. Russell's report; and he offered, if I thought it advisable, to make a similar statement to Baron Brunnow. He, therefore, sent for a Secretary, and dictated from my Memorandum a telegram to his Excellency, stating that I had read to him the copy of a telegram from Mr. Russell to your Lordship, reporting that he had been informed by Count Bismarck that Russia had accepted an invitation to the Conference. on the distinct understanding ("entente explicite") that it was not to meet on a foregone conclusion, the latter word being dictated by his Excellency in English. His Excellency further instructs Baron Brunnow that this statement of the case is entirely in harmony with the views of the Imperial Government, and that it is the Emperor's wish that the Conference should meet with the least possible delay.

I have, &c.

(Signed) ANDREW BUCHANAN.

No. 117.

My Lord,

Sir A. Buchanan to Earl Granville.-(Received December 19.)

St. Petersburgh, December 12, 1870. AT an interview with Prince Gortchakoff yesterday, his Excellency informed me that he had received despatches from London, from which he was happy to perceive that, though the Russian Circular of the 31st ultimo had temporarily interrupted the friendly character of Baron Brunnow's relations with your Lordship, they were again becoming more satisfactory, and he trusted that the cordial understanding which, in the interests of Russia and of Europe, the Emperor desires to maintain with Great Britain will not be impaired by the incident which is to be discussed in the Conference about to meet in London. As his Excellency added that he had every reason to be satisfied with the spirit in which Her Majesty's Government was dealing with the question that had arisen between the two Governments, and to look forward with confidence to its amicable solution, I answered that I hoped your Lordship and Her Majesty's Government would have equal reason to be satisfied with the instructions which he had sent to Baron Brunnow, for in my opinion the amicable solution of the question which he desired would greatly depend upon them, and on the freedom of action which may have been allowed to Baron Brunnow. His Excellency said he had done everything that it was possible for him to do under the circumstances, and he believed it would be found that he had done

enough. In answer also to an inquiry on my part, he said Baron Brunnow would present the views of Russia to the Conference without mentioning the declaration in his Excellency's Circular of the 31st of October, and to which, therefore, no reference should be made unless a discussion was raised upon it by others.

In making these conciliatory observations he was disposed, it is true, to defend the right of the Emperor to exercise entire sovereignty within his own dominions; but I suggested that on that subject we had better avoid discussion.

My Lord,

Earl Granville to Lord Lyons.

Foreign Office, December 19, 1870.

1 HAVE received your despatch of the 12th instant, reporting your having delivered to the Count de Chaudordy a copy of my despatch to Sir A. Buchanan of the 28th ultimo, respecting the proposed Conference on the position of Russia as regards the Black Sea, and in which you also state the substance of a conversation which you had with that Minister upon the same occasion with reference to the question of an armistice in connection with the assembling of a Conference.

I have now to convey to your Excellency my approval of the language which you held to the Count de Chaudordy on these subjects.

I am, &c.

I HAVE thought it advisable to avoid pledging Her Majesty's Government to consent to the meeting of the Conference in the absence of any Representative of France, which, indeed, Her Majesty's Government would be very loath to do; but your Excellency will explain to the Count de Chaudordy that whatever regret Her Majesty's Government would feel at the absence of a French Plenipotentiary from the counsels of the Conference, the importance of the questions at issue is so great that they would not feel justified in discouraging the meeting, which they consider on all grounds so necessary in the interests of Europe.

(Extract.)

No. 120.

Earl Granville to Sir A. Paget.

Foreign Office, December 19, 1870.

I HAVE to inform you that in answer to the conditions which the French Government wish to attach to their acceptance of the Conference, I have expressed the opinion of Her Majesty's Government that it will be desirable to confine the discussion to the neutralization of the Black Sea, and such questions as may depend on it.

The French Chargé d'Affaires leads me to hope that his Government will appoint a Representative to the Conference upon this understanding.

No. 121.

My Lord,

Lord Lyons to Earl Granville.-(Received December 20.)

Bordeaux, December 15, 1870.

I HAD this morning the honour to receive your Lordship's telegram of yesterday, expressing your desire to be enabled to announce to-day to the Cabinet the answer of the French Government to the invitation to take part in the Conference on the Russian Question.