Vol. I. Ch. II. Lawrence, and in the gulph of the same name, shall hereafter belong of right to the French; and the Most Christian King shall have all manner of liberty to fortify any place or places there. FRANCE. Britain and Spain. Signed at In a treaty of navigation and commerce, between Anne Queen of Great Britain, and Lewis XIV, concluded at Utrecht, in 1713, it was agreed: "That it shall be free for their royal majesties, for the advantage of their "subjects trading to the kingdoms and dominions of the other, to consti"tute national consuls (1) of their own subjects, who shall enjoy that right "and liberty which belongs to them, by reason of the exercise of their "functions; but as to the places where such consuls are to be appointed, "both sides shall afterwards agree between themselves."-(Supp. Art.) Definitive Treaty 5. (2) THE subjects of France shall have the liberty of fishing and drybetween Greating on a part of the coasts of the island of Newfoundland, such as it is specified in Article XIII. of the Treaty of Utrecht; which article is renewed and confirmed by the present treaty (except what relates to the island of Cape Breton, as well as to the other islands and coasts in the mouth and in the Gulph of St. Lawrence). And His Britannic Majesty consents to leave to the subjects of the Most Christian King the liberty of fishing in the Gulph St. Lawrence, on condition that the subjects of France do not exercise the said fishery, but at the distance of three leagues from all the coasts belonging to Great Britain, as well those of the continent, as those of the islands situated in the said Gulph St. Lawrence. And as to what relates to the fishery on the coasts of the Island of Cape Breton out of the said Gulph, the subjects of the Most Christian King shall not be permitted to exercise the said fishery, but at the distance of fifteen leagues from the coasts of the Island of Cape Breton; and the fishery on the coasts of Nova Scotia or Acadia, and every where else out of the said Gulph, shall remain on the foot of former Treaties. Definitive Treaty France. Signed 6. The King of Great Britain cedes the Islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, in full right, to His Most Christian Majesty, to serve as a shelter to the French fishermen and His said Most Christian Majesty engages not to fortify the said islands; to erect no buildings upon them, but merely for the convenience of the fishery; and to keep upon them a guard of fifty men only for the police. Done at Paris, the 10th of February Bedford, C.P.S. (L. S.) 1763. CHOISEUL, DUC DE PRASLIN, (L.S.) 4. His Majesty the King of Great Britain is maintained in His right to the island of Newfoundland, and to the adjacent islands, as the whole were assured to him by the Thirteenth Article of the Treaty of Utrecht; excepting the Islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, which are ceded in full right, by the present Treaty, to His Most Christian Majesty. 5. His Majesty the Most Christian King, in order to prevent the quarrels which have hitherto arisen between the two Nations of England and France, (1) Consules nationales ex subjectis suis instituere. (2) Renewed by Article 6. of the Treaty of Versailles, 1783. (3) Renewed by Article 13. of the Definitive Treaty of Paris, 1814. FRANCE. consents to renounce the right of fishing, which belongs to Him in virtue of Vol. I. Ch. II. the aforesaid Article of the Treaty of Utrecht, from Cape Bonavista to Cape St. John, situated on the eastern coast of Newfoundland, in fifty degrees North latitude; and His Majesty the King of Great Britain consents on His part, that the fishery assigned to the subjects of His Most Christian Majesty, beginning at the said Cape St. John, passing to the north, and descending by the western coast of the Island of Newfoundland, shall extend to the place called Cape Raye, situated in forty-seven degrees, fifty minutes latitude. The French fishermen shall enjoy the fishery which is assigned to them by the present Article, as they had the right to enjoy that which was assigned to them by the Treaty of Utrecht. 6. With regard to the fishery in the Gulph of St. Lawrence, the French shall continue to exercise it conformably to the fifth Article of the Treaty of Paris. Done at Versailles, the 3d of September, 1783. GRAVIER DE VERGENNES, (L.S.) The King having entirely agreed with His Most Christian Majesty upon British Declarathe Articles of the Definitive Treaty, will seek every means which shall not tion, signed at only ensure the execution thereof, with His accustomed good faith and Versailles, 3d of punctuality, but will besides give, on His part, all possible efficacy to the September 1783. principles which shall prevent even the least foundation of dispute for the future. To this end, and in order that the fishermen of the two nations may not give cause for daily quarrels, His Britannic Majesty will take the most positive measures for preventing His subjects from interrupting, in any manner, by their competition, the fishery of the French, during the temporary exercise of it which is granted to them, upon the coasts of the Island of Newfoundland; and He will, for this purpose, cause the fixed settlements which shall be formed there, to be removed. His Britannic Majesty will give orders, that the French fishermen be not incommoded, in cutting the wood necessary for the repair of their scaffolds, huts, and fishing vessels. The Thirteenth Article of the Treaty of Utrecht, and the method of carrying on the fishery which has at all times been acknowledged, shall be the plan upon which the fishery shall be carried on there; it shall not be deviated from by either party; the French fishermen building only their scaffolds, confining themselves to the repair of their fishing vessels, and not wintering there; the subjects of His Britannic Majesty, on their part, not molesting, in any manner, the French fishermen, during their fishing, nor injuring their scaffolds during their absence. The King of Great Britain, in ceding the Islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon to France, regards them as ceded for the purpose of serving as a real shelter to the French fishermen, and in full confidence that these possessions will not become an object of jealousy between the two nations; and that the fishery between the said Islands, and that of Newfoundland, shall be limited to the middle of the channel. Given at Versailles, the 3d of September 1783. Signed MANCHESTER, (L.S.) signed at Ver The principles which have guided the King, in the whole course of the French Counternegociations which preceded the re-establishment of peace, must have con- Declaration, vinced the King of Great Britain, that His Majesty has had no other design sailles, the 3d of than to render it solid and lasting, by preventing as much as possible, in the September 1783 four quarters of the world, every subject of discussion and quarrel. The King of Great Britain undoubtedly places too much confidence in the uprightness of His Majesty's intentions, not to rely upon His constant attention Vol. I. Ch. II. to prevent the Islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon from becoming an object of jealousy between the two nations. FRANCE. Treaty of Commerce, A.D.1786. Convention between Great Britain and France. Signed at Paris, the 23d of April 1814. As to the fishery on the coasts of Newfoundland, which has been the object of the new arrangements settled by the two Sovereigns upon this matter, it is sufficiently ascertained by the fifth Article of the Treaty of Peace signed this day, and by the Declaration likewise delivered to-day, by His Britannic Majesty's Ambassador extraordinary and Plenipotentiary: and His Majesty declares, that He is fully satisfied on this head. In regard to the fishery between the Island of Newfoundland, and those of St. Pierre and Miquelon, it is not to be carried on, by either party, but to the middle of the channel, and His Majesty will give the most positive orders, that the French fishermen shall not go beyond this line. His Majesty is firmly persuaded that the King of Great Britain will give like orders to the English fishermen. Given at Versailles, the 3d of September 1783. Signed GRAVIER DE Vergennes. France, in her Treaty of Commerce with England, concluded in 1786, stipulated, "That it shall be permitted to Their Majesties respectively, to establish in the kingdoms and countries of each other, for the advantage of Their subjects who trade there, national consuls, who shall enjoy those rights, immunities and freedom, which belong to them in virtue of their duties and functions; and they shall afterwards agree concerning the places where the said consuls may be established, and also concerning the nature and extent of their functions. The Convention relative to this subject shall be executed immediately after the signing of the Treaty, of which it is to constitute a part.” This Convention was executed on the seventh of January 1787, of which the sixth article is as follows: "Their Majesties having stipulated, by the forty-third article of the said Treaty, to determine the nature and extent of the functions of consuls, it is agreed that the Convention, relative to this subject, shall be framed in the space of two months; and that, in the meantime, the consuls general, consuls and vice-consuls, shall act conformably to established usages concerning consulates, in the respective states of the two Sovereigns; and that they shall have all the privileges, rights and immunities, which their quality supposes; and which are given to the consuls general, to the consuls and viceconsuls of the most favored nations." 1. All hostilities by land and sea are, and shall remain, suspended between the Allied Powers and France, that is to say: - for the land forces, as soon as the commanding officers of the French armies and fortified places shall have signified to the Allied troops opposed to them, that they have recognized the authority of the Lieutenant General of the Kingdom of France; and in like manner upon the sea, as far as regards maritime places and stations, as soon as the shipping and ports of the Kingdom of France, or those occupied by French forces, shall have manifested the same sub mission. 5. The fleets and ships of France shall remain in their respective situations, vessels only charged with particular missions shall be allowed to sail, but the immediate effect of the present Act in respect to the French ports, shall be the raising of all blockade by land or sea, the liberty of fishing, that of the coasting trade, particularly of that which is necessary for supplying Paris with provisions; and the re-establishment of the relations of commerce conformably to the internal regulations of each country; and the immediate effect in respect to the interior shall be the free provisioning of the cities, Vol. I. Ch. II. and the free passage of all means of military or commercial transport. 6. In order to anticipate every subject of complaint and dispute which may arise respecting the captures which might be made at sea after the sig nature of the present Convention, it is reciprocally agreed that vessels and effects which may be taken in the channel, and in the North Seas, after the space of twelve days, to reckon from the exchange of the ratifications of the present Act, shall be restored on both sides, that the term shall be one month within the channel and North Seas to the Canary Islands and to the Equator, and five months in every other part of the world, without any exception or other particular distinction of time, or of place. 7. On both sides, the prisoners, officers and soldiers, of land or sea, or of any other description whatever, and particularly hostages, shall be immediately sent back to their respective countries, without ransom and without exchange. Commissaries shall be named reciprocally in order to carry this general liberation into effect. Done at Paris, the 23d of April in the Year of our Lord 1814. Le Prince de BENEVENT, (L.S.) FRANCE. 1. There shall be from this day forward perpetual peace and friendship Definitive Treaty between His Britannic Majesty and His Allies on the one part, and His Ma- between Great jesty the King of France and Navarre on the other, their heirs and succes- Britain and sors, their dominions and subjects, respectively. France. Signed at Paris, the 1814. (1) 5. The navigation of the Rhine, from the point where it becomes naviga- 30th day of May ble unto the sea, and vice versâ, shall be free, so that it can be interdicted to no one: - and at the future Congress, attention shall be paid to the establishment of the principles according to which the duties to be raised by the States bordering on the Rhine may be regulated, in the mode the most impartial, and the most favourable to the commerce of all nations. The future Congress, with a view to facilitate the communication between nations, and continually to render them less strangers to each other, shall likewise examine and determine in what manner the above provision can be extended to the other rivers which, in their navigable course, separate or traverse different States. (2) 7. The Island of Malta and its dependencies shall belong in full right and Sovereignty to His Britannic Majesty. 8. His Britannic Majesty, stipulating for Himself and His Allies, engages to restore to His Most Christian Majesty, within the term which shall be hereafter fixed, the colonies, fisheries, factories and establishments of every kind, which were possessed by France on the 1st of January 1792, in the seas and on the continents of America, Africa, and Asia; with the exception however of the Islands of Tobago and St. Lucia and of the Isle of France and its dependencies, especially Rodrigues and the Séchelles, which several colonies and possessions His Most Christian Majesty cedes in full right and Sovereignty to His Britannic Majesty, and also the portion of St. Domingo ceded to France by the Treaty of Basle, and which His Most Christian Majesty restores in full right and Sovereignty to His Catholic Majesty. 9. His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway, in virtue of the arrangements stipulated with the Allies, and in execution of the preceding Article, consents that the Island of Guadaloupe be restored to His Most Christian (1) Confirmed by Article 11 of the Definitive Treaty of 20th November 1815. (2) See General Treaty of Congress, signed at Vienna, 9th June 1815, post, title Austria, Vol. I. Ch. II. Majesty, and gives up all the rights He may have acquired over that FRANCE. island. 10. Her Most Faithful Majesty in virtue of the arrangements stipulated with Her Allies, and in execution of the 8th Article, engages to restore French Guyana as it existed on the 1st of January 1792, to His Most Christian Majesty, within the term hereafter fixed. The renewal of the dispute which existed at that period on the subject of the frontier, being the effect of this stipulation, it is agreed that that dispute shall be terminated by a friendly arrangement between the two Courts, under the mediation of His Britannic Majesty. 11. The places and forts in those colonies and settlements, which, by virtue of the 8th, 9th, and 10th Articles, are to be restored to His Most Christian Majesty, shall be given up in the state in which they may be at the moment of the signature of the present Treaty. 12. His Britannic Majesty guarantees to the Subjects of His Most Christian Majesty the same facilities, privileges, and protection, with respect to commerce, and the security of their persons and property within the limits of the British Sovereignty on the Continent of India, as are now or shall be granted to the most favoured nations. His Most Christian Majesty, on His part, having nothing more at heart than the perpetual duration of Peace between the two Crowns of England and of France, and wishing to do His utmost to avoid any thing which might affect their mutual good understanding, engages not to erect any fortifications in the establishments which are to be restored to Him within the limits of the British Sovereignty upon the Continent of India, and only to place in those establishments the number of troops necessary for the maintenance of the police. 13. The French right of fishery upon the great bank of Newfoundland, upon the coasts of the island of that name, and of the adjacent islands in the Gulph of St. Lawrence, shall be replaced upon the footing in which it which it stood in 1792. 14. Those colonies, factories, and establishments, which are to be restored to His Most Christian Majesty by His Britannic Majesty or His Allies, in the Northern Seas, or in the Seas and on the Continents of America and Africa, shall be given up within the three months, and those which are beyond the Cape of Good Hope, within the six months which follow the ratification of the present Treaty. 15. Antwerp shall for the future be solely a commercial port. 16. The high Contracting Parties, desirous to bury in entire oblivion the dissensions which have agitated Europe, declare and promise that no individual, of whatever rank or condition he may be, in the countries restored and ceded by the present Treaty, shall be prosecuted, disturbed or molested, in his person or property, under any pretext whatsoever, either on account of his conduct or political opinions, his attachment either to any of the Contracting Parties, or to any Government which has ceased to exist, or for any other reason, except for debts contracted towards individuals, or acts posterior to the date of the present Treaty. 17. The native inhabitants and aliens, of whatever nation or condition they may be, in those countries which are to change Sovereigns, as well in virtue of the present Treaty as of the subsequent arrangements to which it may give rise, shall be allowed a period of six years, reckoning from the exchange of the ratifications, for the purpose of disposing of their property, |