TREATIES, &c., with FOREIGN POWERS, viz. :—with France. Convention. Extradition. Stuttgardt, 25th January, 1853.. State Papers. SPEECH of the Lords Commissioners, on the Closing of the British Parliament.-Westminster, August 2, 1858. My Lords and Gentlemen, We are commanded by Her Majesty to express her satisfaction at being enabled to release you from the duties of a session, which, though interrupted, has, by your unremitting assiduity, been productive of many important measures. Her Majesty is happy to believe that her relations with foreign Powers are such as to enable Her Majesty to look with confidence to the preservation of general peace. Her Majesty trusts that the labours of the Plenipotentiaries now sitting in Conference at Paris, may lead to a satisfactory solution of the various questions which have been referred to them. The efforts, the gallantry, and devotedness displayed in India by Her Majesty's Forces, and those of the East India Company, have been above all praise; and Her Majesty hopes that those efforts have already been so far crowned with success, that the formidable revolt which has raged throughout a large portion of Her Indian possessions may now, under the blessing of Almighty God, be speedily suppressed, and peace be restored to those important provinces. In this hope Her Majesty has given her willing assent to the Act which you have passed for transferring to Her direct authority the Government of Her Indian dominions; and Her Majesty hopes to be enabled so to discharge the high functions which she has assumed, as, by a just and impartial administration of the law, to secure its advantages alike to her subjects of every race and creed, and, by promoting their welfare, to establish and strengthen Her empire in India. Gentlemen of the House of Commons, Her Majesty commands us to thank you for the judicious liberality with which you have made provision for the exigencies of the public service. The present state of the Revenue authorizes Her Majesty to entertain a confident hope that the supplies which you have granted will be found fully adequate to the demands upon them. My Lords and Gentlemen, The sanitary condition of the Metropolis must always be a subject of deep interest to Her Majesty, and Her Majesty has [1857-58. XLVIII.] B readily sanctioned the Act which you have passed for the purifica tion of that noble River, the present state of which is little creditable to a great country, and seriously prejudicial to the health and comfort of the inhabitants of the Metropolis. Her Majesty has also willingly assented to an Act whereby greater facilities are given for the acquisition by towns and districts of such powers as may be requisite for promoting works of local improvement, and thus extending more widely the advantages of municipal self-government. Her Majesty trusts that the Act which you have passed for the future Government of the Scotch Universities will be found highly advantageous to those venerable institutions, and will greatly promote and extend a system of sound moral and religious education in Scotland. The Transfer of Land Bill, which extends the powers hitherto exercised by the Incumbered Estates Commissioners, and facilitates the acquisition of an indefeasible title by purchasers of land in Ireland, cannot fail to be highly beneficial to the landed proprietors, and to advance the prosperity of that part of Her Majesty's dominions. The Act to which Her Majesty has assented for the establishment of the Colony of British Columbia was urgently required, in consequence of the recent discoveries of gold in that district; but Her Majesty hopes that this new colony on the Pacific may be but one step in the career of steady progress, by which Her Majesty's dominions in North America may ultimately be peopled, in an unbroken chain, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, by a loyal and industrious population of subjects of the British Crown. Her Majesty thankfully acknowledges the diligence and perseverance which has enabled you, in a comparatively short time, to pass these and other measures of inferior but not insignificant importance. Many of you, in returning to your respective counties, have extensive influence to exercise, and duties to perform of hardly less value to the community than those from the labours of which you are about to be released; and Her Majesty entertains a confident assurance that, under the guidance of Providence, that influence will be so employed, and those duties so performed, as to redound to your own honour, and to promote the general welfare and the happiness of a loyal and contented people. CONVENTION between Great Britain and Spain, relative to Communication by Post.-Signed at Aranjuez, May 21, 1858. [Ratifications exchanged at Madrid, July 10, 1858.] HER Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and Her Majesty the Queen of Spain, being desirous to promote the friendly relations existing between the 2 countries, and to regulate, by means of a Convention, the communications by post between their respective dominions, have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, &c., the Right Honourable John Hobart Caradoe, Lord Howden, a Peer of Great Britain and Ireland, and a Peer of Ireland, a MajorGeneral in the Royal Army, a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, and a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III, Her Britannic Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of Her Catholic Majesty; And Her Majesty the Queen of Spain, &c., Don Xavier de Isturiz y Montero, a Knight of the Most Illustrious Order of the Golden Fleece, a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Charles III, of the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour of France, of those of the Conception of Villa Su Magestad la Reina de España, y Su Magestad la Reina del Reino Unido de la Gran Bretaña é Irlanda, deseando estrechar las buenas relaciones que existen entre ambos paises, y regularizar por medio de un Convenio las communicaciones postales de sus respectivos dominios, han nombrado con este objeto por sus Plenipotenciarios, á saber: Su Magestad la Reina de España, á Don Xavier de Isturiz y Montero, Caballero de la Insigne Orden del Toison de Oro, Gran Cruz de la Real y Distinguida de Carlos III, de la Imperial de la Legion de Honor de Francia, de las de la Concepcion de Villaviciosa y de Cristo de Portugal, Senador del Reino, Presidente del Consejo de Ministros y Primer Secretario de Estado, &c.; Y Su Magestad la Reina del Reino Unido de la Gran Bretaña é Irlanda, al muy Honorable Juan Hobart Caradoc Lord Howden, Par de la Gran Bretaña é Irlanda y Par de Irlanda, Mariscal de Campo del Real Ejercito, Caballero Gran Cruz de la Muy Honorable Orden del Baño y de la Distinguida de Carlos III de viciosa and of Christ of Portugal, a Senator of the Kingdom, &c., President of the Council of Ministers, and First Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles: ART. I. There shall be a periodical and regular exchange of correspondence between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and Spain, as well for letters, newspapers, and other printed papers originating in the 2 States, or in the Balearic and Canary Islands, as for articles of the same nature originating in or destined for the countries the correspondence of which is forwarded through Great Britain or through Spain. II. The principal exchange of correspondence between the United Kingdom and Spain shall take place by means of closed mails sent through the French territory. Mails shall also be exchanged by means of the mail-packets now established, or hereafter to be established, between the 2 countries either by the British or Spanish Governments; but it is stipulated and understood that the Government of the country which provides such packets will be at full liberty to withdraw them whenever it may think fit. III. The exchange of correspondence between the British España, Enviado Extraordinario y Ministro Plenipotenciario de Su Majestad Británica en la Corte de Su Magestad Católica, &c.; Los cuales, despues de haber exhibido sus plenos poderes, y hallándolos en debida forma, han convenido en los Articulos siguientes: ART. I. Habrá un cambio periódico y regular de la correspondencia entre España y el Reino Unido de la Gran Bretaña é Irlanda, tanto para las cartas, periódicos é impresos procedentes de los 2 Estados, ó de las Islas Baleares y Canarias, como para los efectos de igual naturaleza procedentes ó destinados á los paises cuya correspondencia se remite por medio de España ó de la Gran Bretaña. |