(C) Dans les autres expéditions destinées à être délivrées aux cinq autres Puissances signataires, il sera fait mention du Souverain auquel l'acte est destiné. (D) On est convenu de faire expédier les actes de ratification sous la date du 15 Septembre, parceque l'acte du Congrès doit être ratifié sous une date antérieure aux transactions actuelles de Paris. En foi de quoi, Nous avons signé et fait munir de notre sceau les actes de ratification en sept expéditions conformes, dont une sera réunie au traité déposé, comme titre commun, aux archives impériales à Vienne et remise à cet effet au ministre des affaires étrangères d'Autriche ; les six autres seront échangées avec les six Puissances signataires entre les quelles expéditions la présente sera échangée contre les actes de ratification (C) de Sa Majesté l'Empereur d'Autriche. Fait à Londres, le quinze Septembre, (D) l'an de grace mil-huitcent-quinze. (Signé) (Contresigné) Lord Liverpool to Lord Castlereagh. GEORGE. N. N. Fife House, October 31, 1815. My dear Castlereagh-Your despatch No. 84, of the 24th instant, has been received and read by the Prince Regent. In conveying to you the approbation of the Government of the projet of the Treaty which you have transmitted, and which, it is supposed, you will sign without delay, I have only to call your particular attention to the concluding stipulation of the fifth Article, by which it is agreed that, in all events, the places and fortresses occupied by the Allies within the French territory shall be evacuated at the expiration of five years. It had, I conceive, been clearly understood that, either in the body of this Treaty, in one or other of the Conventions regulating the occupation and contributions which are to be signed at the same time, an engagement should be introduced to make the evacuation of the fortresses at the expiration of five years, or any other term, dependent on the final payment of the whole of the contributions agreed to be paid by the French Government. It is indeed expressed in Prince Metternich's projet, annexed in the Protocol of the 20th, that the prolonged occupation of those places forms one of the guarantees we are to have for the liquidation of the demand; but we conclude that such agreement must be stated in a more formal manner, before it can be binding upon France or we can be authorized to continue the occupation on the ground of non-payment alone. I trust I shall not be too late in bringing this consideration before you, and beg you will consider it as one of the most urgent importance. As we cannot but contemplate the possibility that delays may occur in the payment of what France agrees to furnish, even without any intentional fault on the part of the Government, it is most desirable that we should have in our hands the strongest and most effectual of all guarantees, that is, the right, under certain circumstances, to continue in possession of her fortresses until her other engagements by Treaty are fully executed. It would be preferable, if not too late, that this engagement should be in the general Treaty; but the purpose may be answered by its being in the Convention for contributions, (or even an additional Article, if necessary) provided it be so expressed as to admit of no cavil. I am, my dear Castlereagh, &c., LIVERPOOL. Mr. Brackenbury to Mr. Planta (Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs). November 4, 1815. Mr. Brackenbury presents his best compliments to Mr. Planta, with the enclosed Paper, which contains some infor mation relative to the Bordeaux claims, in addition to the communication which Mr. Brackenbury had the honour to make to Lord Castlereagh. In the midst of Lord Castlereagh's most important avocations, Mr. Brackenbury entrusts the delivery of the enclosed entirely to the discretion of Mr. Planta. [Enclosure.] References to certain Letters and Documents concerning the Bordeaux Claims, under the Decree of the King of France. OBSERVATIONS. This letter contains a proposition, which is replied to in the letter of his Excellency Sir C. Stuart, July 5, 1814. In this letter his Excellency Sir Charles Stuart happened to omit the word insurance. On my discovering the error, he immediately wrote to have it rectified (vide note, Aug. 4 or 5); and M. de la Bernardière personally assured Mr. Bidwell, then Secretary, and myself, that we might charge the assurance, and the payment of it would not be disputed, as the error had been noticed. November 3, 1815. REFERENCES. The letter of his Highness the Prince de Benevente to his Excellency Sir C. Stuart, July 2, 1814. The letter of Sir C. Stuart, of the 5th July, contains the ultimatum of the British Government, and details the principles upon which alone he can consent to the proposition of the French Government. In this letter, it will be observed that the demand of Sir C. Stuart includes the entire fulfilment of the Tariff in every case which occurred between the 24th of March and the 24th of May—the admission of British manufactures alone excepted, and upon them an indemnity of 5 per cent., For the purpose of retarding the execution of the Decree, the Comité des Finances, to whom the documents from Bordeaux were referred, presumed to dispute the right of foreign vessels being admitted to the benefits of the Decree, although it specifies the articles upon which the indemnity was granted, a great proportion whereof was imported in neutral bottoms. The documents and accounts, properly attested by the authorities at Bordeaux and by myself, have been twelve months in the posses together with freight (and insurance) out and home The note of Sir C. Stuart of the 15th July, 1814, presses with much warmth the decision of his Most Christian Majesty upon his Excellency's letter of the 5th of the same month. The letter of his Highness the Prince de Benevente, of the 29th or 30th July, contains the decision of the King of France, which imports his Majesty's compliance with all the demands of his Excellency Sir C. Stuart; and, as a proof that no exceptions were taken, there is not only a repetition of the words used by Sir Charles, but there is also annexed to the letter itself an enumeration of the articles upon which the indemnity, &c., is accorded, and an assurance that the delay has "not proceeded from any hesitation on the principles upon which the transaction ought to be decided," &c. The letter of Baron Louis to his Excellency Sir C. Stuart of the 19th August, 1814, promises that, as soon as the necessary documents shall be sion of this Government. The order in which they were made out, and the regularity with which they were preferred, in strict conformity with the Decree, left an impression on the parties interested that the repeated assurances of the different Ministers would be carried into prompt execution. Lord Castlereagh will therefore perceive how little prospect the British merchants entertain of being relieved from the embarrassment into which the breach of good faith and the non-fulfilment of the engagement of this Government have plunged them, if his lordship should not demand some security for the payment of the amount claimed under the Decree, 1,316,212 fr. 85 c., without interest. transmitted from Bordeaux, and their correctness ascertained, that the money shall be paid; and he therein recommends that I should, on behalf of the claimants, concert with the authorities at Bordeaux and in Paris. The letter from his Highness the Prince de Benevente (Talleyrand) to the Duke of Wellington, dated 12th September, 1814, states the satisfaction which his Highness feels in being able to announce to his Grace that the business is on the point of being terminated in a manner conformable to the desire of the British Government;" and another, from the Office of the Relations Extérieures of the 28th December, confirms the promises previously made. J. M. BRACKENBURY. Memorandum upon the Application of the Twenty-five Millions coming to Great Britain and her Allies, for the Battle of Waterloo and the Capture of Paris. BY THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON. Head-quarters, Paris, November 6, 1815. My opinion is that Government ought to give this sum to the army, to be distributed amongst them in the shape of |