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the arrangements which have been made for the administration of the districts which had been disturbed will henceforth secure their internal tranquillity.

Her Majesty has seen with satisfaction the rapid improvement in the internal condition of her East Indian territories, and the progress which has been made towards equalizing the revenue and expenditure of that part of her Empire.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

Her Majesty commands us to convey to you her warm acknowledgments for the liberal supplies which you have granted for the service of the present year; and Her Majesty has seen with satisfaction that, after amply providing for the wants of the public service, you have been able to make a sensible diminution in the taxes levied upon her people.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

Her Majesty commands us to express to you the deep gratification with which she has witnessed the spirit of devoted patriotism which continues to animate her volunteer forces, and the admiration with which she has observed their rapid progress in discipline and military efficiency.

Her Majesty has given her cordial assent to the Act for completing the number of the Members of the House of Commons by allotting the forfeited seats of Sudbury and Saint Alban's.

Her Majesty trusts that the Act for improving the laws relating to bankruptcy and insolvency will be productive of important advantage to the trade and commerce of her subjects.

Her Majesty has given her ready assent to Acts for consolidating and assimilating the criminal law of England and Ireland, and for promoting the revision of the Statute Law.

Her Majesty has given her assent to important Acts which she trusts will have the effect of opening more largely employment in the public service to the European and native inhabitants of India, of improving the means of legislation, of furthering, the ends of justice, and of promoting the contentment and well-being of all classes of Her Majesty's Indian subjects.

Her Majesty has assented with pleasure to the Act for the improvement of harbours on the coast of the United Kingdom, and for relieving merchant shipping from passing tolls, and also to the Act for improving the administration of the law relating to the relief and the removal of the poor.

Her Majesty trusts that the Act for rendering more easy arrangements connected with the drainage of land will assist agricultural improvements in many parts of the United Kingdom.

Her Majesty has gladly given her assent to many other measures

of public usefulness, the results of your labours during the session now brought to its close.

Her Majesty has observed, with heartfelt satisfaction, the spirit of loyalty, of order, and of obedience to the law, which prevails throughout all her dominions; and she trusts that by wise legislation, and a just administration of the law, the continuance of this happy state of things will be secured.

On returning to your respective counties you will still have important public duties to perform; and Her Majesty fervently prays that the blessing of Almighty God may attend your exertions, and may guide them to the attainment of the objects of Her Majesty's constant solicitude-the welfare and happiness of her people.

CONVENTION between Great Britain and Turkey, for the establishment of a Telegraphic Cable between Malta and Alexandria.-Signed at Constantinople, April 21, 1861.

[Ratifications exchanged at Constantinople, June 11, 1861.]

HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland being desirous, with a view to accelerate communication with India, to establish a submarine telegraphic cable from Malta to Alexandria, His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, in order to afford a fresh proof of his friendship for Her Britannic Majesty, has consented to afford her the necessary facilities for that purpose, so far as regards the Ottoman territory. Their Majesties have accordingly resolved to record the needful arrangements in a Convention, and have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Right Honour

Sa Majesté la Reine du Royaume Uni de la Grande Bretagne et d'Irlande étant désireuse, dans le but d'accélérer la communication avec les Indes, d'établir un cable télégraphique sousmarin entre Malte et Alexandrie, Sa Majesté Impériale le Sultan, afin de fournir une nouvelle preuve de son amitié pour Sa Majesté Britannique, a consenti à lui donner les facilités nécessaires à cet effet, en autant que cela regarde le territoire Ottoman. Leurs Majestés ont, par conséquent, résolu de consigner les arrangements requis dans une Convention, et ont nommé pour leurs Plénipotentiaires, savoir:

Sa Majesté la Reine du Royaume Uni de Grande Bretagne et d'Irlande, le Très Honorableo

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Who, after having communicuted to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon The following Articles:

Aue. I. It being the intention ator Britannic Majesty to stablish a telegraphic cable from Malta to Alexandria, His Imporial Majosty the Sultan conmonta that such cable may be landed near Alexandria, and may there be placed in connection with the other telegraphic lines terminating at that city.

His Imperial Majesty also Consents that the said telegraphic cable may be landed at such points of the coast of Africa, within the Regency of Tripoli, as

Sir Henry Lytton Bulwer. Membre du Très Honorable Conseil Privé de Sa Majesté Britannique, Grand-Croix da Très Honorable Ordre du Bain, Son Ambassadeur Extraordinaire et Plénipotentiaire près la Sublime Porte, &c.;

Et Sa Majesté Impériale le Sultan, Mouhammed Emin Aali Pacha, Président du Haut Conseil du Tanzimat, et Ministre des Affaires Etrangères ad interim, décoré de l'Ordre Impérial du Medjidié de la première classe, et Grand-Croix de plusieurs Ordres Etrangers, &c.

Lesquels, après avoir échangé leurs pleins pouvoirs, trouvés en bonne et due forme, sont convenus des Articles suivants:

I. Etant l'intention de Sa Majesté Britannique d'établir un cable télégraphique de Malte à Alexandrie, Sa Majesté Impériale le Sultan consent à ce que ce cable puisse prendre terre près d'Alexandrie, et y être mis en communication avec d'autres lignes télégraphiques qui aboutissent à cette ville.

Sa Majesté Impériale consent également à ce que le susdit cable télégraphique puisse prendre terre à tels points de la côte d'Afrique, dans la Régence

may be found necessary.

II. The British Government may establish stations at Alexandria and at all other points where the said cable may be landed, and may maintain such stations and work the said cable.

III. The British Government shall have power to appoint, to pay, and to discharge, at its pleasure, all the officers or persons necessary for the establishment, maintenance, and working of the aforesaid cable at Alexandria and all other places where the cable may be landed within the Ottoman territory, as well as of the stations at these places.

IV. The aforesaid telegraphic cable and stations, at the points where the cable touches the land, shall be watched over and protected by the Ottoman Government wherever it may have an authorized agent, without, however, any responsibility therefrom attaching to the Sublime Porte.

V. The persons employed at the stations which may be established within the Ottoman territory by means of the present Convention, shall be under the protection of Great Britain; and any proceeding, civil or criminal, instituted against them shall be governed by the rules established for British subjects in like cases.

VI. Any message addressed to a person residing within the Ottoman territory, not being an officer of the line, shall, unless

de Tripoli, qui seront trouvés nécessaires.

II. Le Gouvernement Britannique pourra établir des stations à Alexandrie et à tous les autres points où le dit cable pourra prendre terre, et pourra maintenir ces stations et exploiter le dit cable.

III. Le Gouvernement Britannique aura la faculté de nommer, de payer, et de congédier à leur volonté, tous les officiers ou personnes nécessaires à l'établissement, à l'entretien, et à l'exploitation du susdit cable à Alexandrie et aux autres points où le cable prendra terre dans le territoire Ottoman, ainsi que des stations de ces points.

IV. Le susdit cable télégraphique et les stations, aux points où le cable prend terre, seront surveillées et protégées par le Gouvernement Ottoman partout où il aura un agent d'autorité, sans, cependant, qu'il puisse en résulter aucune responsabilité pour la Sublime Porte.

V. Les personnes employées. aux stations qui pourraient être établies dans le territoire Ottoman au moyen de la présente Convention, seront sous la protection de la Grande Bretagne ; et tout procès, civil ou criminel, institué contre eux sera régi par les régles établies pour les sujets Britanniques en pareils cas.

VI. Tout message adressé à une personne résidant dans le territoire Ottoman qui ne serait pas un officier de la ligne, sera, à

intended merely for transmission through and beyond the Ottoman territory, be delivered to such person only through an Agent of the local Government.

VII. Her Britannic Majesty engages that all despatches of the Ottoman Government shall have like priority with those of the British Government over all other despatches forwarded over this line.

The official despatches of the Ottoman Government may be sent in cypher.

VIII. In the event of Her Britannic Majesty making over to a company the establishment or the working of the aforesaid telegraphic cable, His Imperial Majesty the Sultan engages to grant a firman for 85 years to such Company, on the same conditions as are prescribed by the present Convention.

In such case the Company, in all that concerns the stations within the Ottoman territory, shall, in their corporate capacity, be subject to the general laws of the Ottoman Empire; but the persons in the employ of the Company shall, individually, be under the protection of the nation to which they may appertain.

IX. The present Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Constantinople in two calendar months, or sooner, if possible,

moins qu'il ne soit destiné simplement à être transmis à travers et au delà du territoire Ottoman, remis à cette personne seulement par l'intermédiaire d'un Agent du Gouvernement local.

VII. Sa Majesté Britannique s'engage à ce que toutes les dépêches du Gouvernement Ottoman aient la même priorité que celles du Gouvernement Britannique sur toutes les autres dépêches envoyées par cette même ligne.

Les dépêches officielles du Gouvernement Ottoman peuvent être envoyées en chiffres.

VIII. Dans le cas où Sa Majesté Britannique aura cédé à la Compagnie l'établissement ou l'exploitation du susdit cable télégraphique, Sa Majesté Impériale le Sultan s'engage à accorder un firman pour 85 ans à cette Compagnie, aux mêmes conditions qui sont prescrites par la présente Convention.

Dans ce cas la Compagnie, en tout ce qui concerne les stations dans le territoire Ottoman, sera, comme corporation, assujettie aux lois générales de l'Empire Ottoman; mais les personnes dans l'emploi de la Compagnie seront individuellement sous la protection de la nation à laquelle ils appartiennent.

IX. La présente Convention sera ratifiée dans l'espace de deux mois, et les ratifications respectives en seront échangées à Constantinople.

En foi de quoi les Plénipoten

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