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[Private Property of King George of Hanover.]

territory of another Power, a Legion" with hostile intentions against a third Power. The Advisers of your Majesty have even spoken with regard to this supposed "Legion" of the rights of defence in case of peril. But how can a number of 700 to 800 unarmed Refugees endanger the safety of a State like Prussia? It is only so far correct that I have not left these Political Refugees helpless.

The other accusation spoke of invitations on my part to hostilities against the Prussian State. This accusation referred to a speech in which I had spoken of my trust in God and my right, at an entertainment of my family in the circle of my own people and my invited guests. This no one can or shall prevent, and as that was not the first time that I had done so, so also it will not be the last.

The facts upon which the Advisers of your Majesty in the Report of the 2nd March, 1868, found their accusations against me were partly known to your Majesty before the 26th September, 1867. This knowledge did not then prevent your Majesty from concluding the Property Agreement unconditionally and perfecting it by your Ratification. They were partly known to your Majesty before the assent of the Prussian Landtag was given. This information did not deter your Majesty from asking the assent of your Landtag to the Agreement, which assent, I repeat, according to the declaration of your own Advisers, was unnecessary, as far as your Majesty was concerned, and of no account whatever as regards myself.

Nevertheless the Ordinance of the 2nd March, 1868, did not bar the way for your Majesty's recurring according to your own judgment to the fulfilment of the Agreement, which has been fulfilled on my part just as I signed it.

But your Majesty then went further.

Your Majesty has, notwithstanding that your Majesty was not at all bound by the decisions of the Prussian Landtag in the matter of this Agreement, by virtue of a resolution of the same Landtag on the Ordinance of 2nd March, 1868, not only actually closed this way, but your Majesty also wished to have it closed to you.

For the first Adviser of your Majesty spoke to the same effect as those who sought to make the raising of the embargo on my Property dependent on the decree of the Prussian Landtag. But Count Bismarck has for that purpose again appealed to the earlier Accusations, which, I repeat it, even if they were true,

[Private Property of King George of Hanover.]

could not be brought into relation with the Property Treaty. He has added fresh untrue accusations, viz., the Anti-Prussian Committee in Heitzing, consisting of 3 or 4 members, and the Committee for Enlisting Poles in Switzerland. Such a Committee has never existed, and just as little has any attempt for such Enlistment taken place.

Count Bismarck has not confined himself to bringing forward these untrue accusations. He has sought to increase their effect by affronts which have provoked the just indignation of Europe.

I will assume that your Majesty has not approved these proceedings of the Premier. But I must express my sorrow that such a disapprobation has not come to my knowledge.

Your Majesty has sanctioned this Bill of the Landtag on the seizure of my Property.

Your Majesty has thereby rendered difficult for yourself the way on which the return to the fulfilment of the engagements undertaken by your Majesty was still possible. For your Majesty has made the fulfilment of the engagements entered into by yourself without any condition, dependent on the will of others.

I therefore now raise a personal solemn Protest with your Majesty yourself, and against the Ordinance of your Majesty of 2nd March, 1868, on the seizure of my Property, as well as against the Law of 15th February, 1869, which makes the repeal of the Ordinance dependent on the consent of the Prussian Landtag.

I concluded the Agreement of 29th September, 1867, respecting the Property with your Majesty alone, with the Prussian Crown, on both sides without any other condition or proviso than is contained in the Agreement itself. From your Majesty only, from the Prussian Crown, do I require and demand the fulfilment of that Agreement, as I have fulfilled it.

I remain,

Your Majesty's faithful Brother and Cousin,

GEORGE REX.

Heitzing, near Vienna,

30th March, 1869.

[Federal Fortresses.]

No. 419.-PROTOCOL OF CONFERENCE between the Representatives of Baden, Bavaria, Hesse-Darmstadt, Prussia, and Wurtemberg, relative to the Joint Moveable Property in the late German Federal Fortresses of Mayence, Ulm, Rastadt, and Landau. Munich, 6th July, 1869.

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1. Joint material of the late Federal Fortresses of Mentz, Ulm, Rastadt, and Landau to remain the joint property of all the States represented at the present Conference.

2. Joint material of the Fortresses of Ulm, Rastadt, and Landau, to be managed by the respective Territorial Governments; that of Mayence by the North German Confederation.

3. Maintenance of Material in quantity and quality.

4. Yearly Inspection of Fortresses.

5. Special Inspection Commission for the Fortresses of Ulm, Rastadt, and Landau; and for the Fortress of Mayence.

6. Objects of the Inspection.

7. Right of Grand Ducal Hesse Government to send a Commissioner to the Inspections.

8. Meeting of Officers after Inspection to discuss Military matters. Inspection Commission to issue special discharge respecting Management and safe custody of the Joint Material in the separate Fortresses. Future Treatment of the Joint Material of Fortresses.

9. South German Fortress Commission to communicate to Prussian Military Plenipotentiary result of their transactions.

10. Preservation of Defensive System between North and South Germany.

[Abolition of the Elbe Duties.]

No. 420.-TREATY between Austria and the North German Confederation, for the Abolition of the Elbe Dues. Signed at Vienna, 22nd June, 1870.

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1. Exceptional Tolls to be levied on the Elbe.

2. Conventions of 4th April, 1863, annulled, and Dues abolished. 3. Ratifications.

(Translation.)

His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, &c., King of Bohemia, &c., and Apostolic King of Hungary, &c., on the one side, and His Majesty the King of Prussia, in the name of the North German Confederation, on the other side, led by a desire to promote the Navigation of the Elbe, by abolishing the Elbe Dues existing on the same, have entered into negotiations and have appointed Plenipotentiaries for this purpose;

His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty, the Chancellor of the Empire and Minister of the Imperial House and for Foreign Affairs, Frederick Ferdinand, Count Beust;

His Majesty the King of Prussia, his Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty, &c., Hans Lothar v. Schweinitz;

Who, after having exchanged their Full Powers found to be in good and due form, have concluded the following Agree

ment:

Exceptional Tolls to be Levied on the Elbe.

ART. I. On and after 1st July, 1870, Tolls shall be levied on the Elbe upon Ships and their Cargoes, and upon Rafts only for use of certain special appliances designed for the facilitation of Traffic.

Conventions of 4th April, 1863, annulled and Dues abolished.

ART. II. The Conventions of the 4th April, 1863, between Prussia, Austria, Saxony, Hanover, Denmark, MecklenburgSchwerin, Anhalt-Dessau-Köthen, Anhalt-Bernburg, Lubeck, and Hamburgh, respecting a readjustment of the Elbe Dues, the regulations imposed by existing Treaties and Compacts, affecting the

[Abolition of the Elbe Duties.]

Navigation of the Elbe, which were suspended in virtue of Art. XIV of that Convention, and the Compact of the 4th of April, 1863, between Prussia, Austria, Saxony, Anhalt-Dessau-Köthen, Anhalt-Bernburg and Hamburgh, concerning the administration and imposition at Wittenberg of the Elbe Dues held in common, will cease to have force on and after 1st July, 1870.

Ratifications.*

ART. III. The present Agreement shall be ratified and the Ratifications thereof shall be exchanged at Vienna within 10 days.

Vienna, 22nd June, 1870.

(L.S.) BEUST, m.p.

(L.S.) v. SCHWEINITZ, m.p.

* Ratifications exchanged at Vienna, 26th June, 1870.

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