ment does not exist between the letter and the spirit of that Convention, when regarded in connexion with the circumstances which have attended the separation that has taken place between the two principal divisions of the united kingdom of the Netherlands; but that, on referring to the object of the above-mentioned Convention of the 19th May, 1815, it appears that that object was to afford to Great Britain a guarantee that Russia would, on all questions concerning Belgium, identify her policy with that which the Court of London had deemed the best adapted for the maintenance of a just balance of power in Europe; and, on the other hand, to secure to Russia the payment of a portion of her old Dutch debt, in consideration of the general arrangements of the Congress of Vienna, to which she had given her adhesion arrangements which remain in full force their said majesties being desirous at the present moment, that the same principles should continue to govern their relations with each other, and that the special tie to which the Convention of the 19th of May, 1815, had formed between the two Courts, should be maintained, have for this purpose named as their plenipotentiaries, viz.:~

(Here are inserted the names of lord Palmerston and of prince Lieven and count Matuszewic.)

Who, after having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following articles:

1. In virtue of the considerations above specified, his Britannic majesty engages to recommend to his parliament to enable him to undertake to continue, on his part,

the payments stipulated in the Convention of the 19th of May, 1815, according to the mode, and until the completion of the sum fixed for Great Britain in the said Convention.

2. In virtue of the same consi

derations, his majesty the emperor of all the Russias, engages, that if (which God forbid) the arrangements agreed upon for the independence and the neutrality of Belgium, and to the maintenance of which the two high powers are equally bound, should be endangered by the course of events, he will not contract any other engagement, without a previous agreement with his Britannic majesty, and his formal assent.

3. The present Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at London, within the space of six weeks, or sooner, if possible.

In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the seals of their arms.

Done at London, the 16th of November, in the year of our Lord 1831.

(L. S.) PALMERSTON.

Communications between the Agents of the Russian Government and the Commissioners of his majesty's Treasury, relating to the payment of the Russian Loan in Holland, due the 1st of July,

1832.

LETTER from MESSRS, HOPE & Co. to C. R. PEMBERTON, Esq., TREASURY, LONDON.

Amsterdam, May 22. Sir,-The annual reimbursement of a part of the capital of the Russian Loans in Holland, being to take place on the 1st of July

ARTICLE I. The mutual right of search may be exercised on board the vessels of each of the two nations, but only within the waters hereinafter described,-namely,

1st. Along the western coast of Africa, from Cape Verd to the distance of ten degrees to the south of the Equator,-that is to say, from the tenth degree of south latitude to the fifteenth degree of north latitude, and as far as the thirtieth degree of west longitude, reckoning from the meridian of Paris.

2. All round the island of Madagascar, to the extent of twenty leagues from that island.

3. To the same distance from the coasts of the island of Cuba.

4. To the same distance from the coasts of the island of Porto Rico.

5. To the same distance from the coasts of Brazil.

It is, however, understood that a suspected vessel descried and begun to be chased by the cruisers, whilst within the said space of twenty leagues, may be searched by them beyond those limits, if without having ever lost sight of her, they should only succeed in coming up with her at a greater distance from the coast.

II. The right of searching merchant-vessels of either of the

two nations in the waters hereinbefore mentioned, shall be exercised only by ships of war whose commanders shall have the rank of captain, or at least that of lieutenant, in the navy.

III. The number of ships to be invested with this right shall be fixed, each year, by a special agreement. The number for each nation need not be the same, but in no case shall the number of the cruisers of the one nation be more than double the number of the cruisers of the other.

IV. The names of the ships, and of their commanders, shall be communicated by each of the contracting governments to the other, and information shall be reciprocally given of all changes which may take place in the cruisers.

V.-Instructions shall be drawn up and agreed upon in common by the two governments for the cruisers of both nations, which cruisers shall afford to each other mutual assistance in all circumstances in which it may be useful that they should act in concert.

The ships of war authorized to exercise the reciprocal right of search shall be furnished with a special authority from each of the two governments.

VI.-Whenever a cruiser shall have chased and overtaken a mer

chant-vessel as liable to suspicion, the commanding officer, before he proceeds to the search, shall exhibit to the captain of the merchant-vessel the special orders which confer upon him, by exception, the right to visit her; and in case he shall ascertain the ship's papers to be regular, and her proceedings lawful, he shall certify upon the log-book of the vessel that the search took place only in virtue of the said orders: these formalities having been completed, the vessel shall be at liberty to continue her course.

VII. The vessels captured for being engaged in the slave-trade, or as being suspected of being fitted out for that infamous traffic, shall, together with their crews, be delivered over, without delay, to the jurisdiction of the nation to which they shall belong. It is furthermore distinctly understood, that they shall only be judged according to the laws in force in their respective countries.

VIII. In no case shall the right of mutual search be exercised upon the ships of war of either nation.

The two governments shall agree upon a particular signal, with which those cruisers only shall be furnished which are invested with this right, and which signal shall not be made known to any other ship not employed upon this service.

IX. The high contracting parties to the present treaty agree to invite the other maritime powers to accede to it within as short a period as possible.

X. The present convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications of it shall be exchanged, within one month, or sooner, if it be possible.

In faith of which the plenipo tentiaries have signed the present convention, and have affixed thereto the seal of their arms. Done at Paris, the 30th Nov. 1881. GRANVILLE (L. s.) HORACE SEBASTIANI (L. S.)

TREATY relative to the NETHERLANDS, signed at LONDON, Nov.

15, 1831.

The courts of Great Britain, Austria, France, Prussia, and Russia, taking into consideration the events which have occurred in the united kingdom of the Netherlands since the month of September of the year 1830, the obligation which they are under to prevent the events from disturbing the general peace, and the necessity which arises from these events of making certain modifications in the trans

actions of the year 1815, by which the united kingdom of the Netherlands was created and established ; and his majesty the present king of the Belgians participating in these intentions of the above-mentioned courts, they have named for their plenipotentiaries, &c. &c. who, after having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and signed the following articles:

ARTICLE I. The Belgian territories shall be composed of the provinces of South Brabant, Liege, Namur, Hainault, West Flanders,