§ A CONVENTION between his Britannic Majesty and his Catholic Majesty Ferdinand the 7th. Signed at London, Feb. 5, 1814.
§ In the Name of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity:
§ His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and his Catholic Majesty, Ferdinand the 7th, being equally desirous of promoting the good understanding which happily subsists between them, and of preventing any differences which might arise respecting the disposal of vessels and goods recaptured from the enemy by either party, have judged it expedient that a Convention should be entered into upon that subject: for this purpose they have named their respective plenipotentiaries—that is to say, his royal highness the Prince Regent, acting in the name and on the behalf of his Britannic Majesty, Henry 225 Earl Bathurst, Baron Bathurst and Apsley, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, a member of his Majesty's most honourable Privy Council, and a peer of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, &c. &c. &c. and the Regency of the Spains, acting in the name and on the behalf of his Catholic Majesty Ferdinand the 7th, Don Carlos Joze Gutierrez de los Rios Fernandez de Cordova Sarmiento de Sotomayor, &c. &c.; Count de Fernan Nunez and Barajas, marquis of Castel Moncayo, duke of Montellano, Arco, and Aremberg, prince of Barbanzon, and of the Holy Roman Empire, &c. &c. &c. Grandee of Spain of the First Class, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal and distinguished Order of Charles the Third, Gentleman of the Chamber in actual Service, Colonel of the Regiment of Cavalry bearing his Catholic Majesty's name, and his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to his Britannic Majesty; who, having duly communicated to each other their respective full powers, drawn up in due form, have agreed upon the following article:—
§ It is agreed that any ships or goods belonging to either of the contracting parties, which shall have been taken by the enemy, and shall be afterwards retaken by any ship or vessel belonging to either of the contracting powers, shall reciprocally, in all cases, save as hereafter excepted, be restored to the former owners or proprietors, on payment of salvage of one-eighth part of the true value thereof, if retaken by any ship of war; and of one-sixth part, if retaken by any privateer, or other ship or vessel; and in case such ship or goods shall have been retaken by the joint operation of one or more ships of war, and one or more private ship or ships, then on payment also of the last-mentioned salvage of one-sixth part.
§ But if such ship or vessel, so retaken, shall appear to have been, after the taking by the enemy, set forth as a ship or vessel of war, the said ship or vessel shall not be restored to the former owners or proprietors; but shall, in all cases, whether retaken by any ship of war, or by any privateer or other vessel, be adjudged lawful prize for the benefit of the captors.
§ The present Convention shall be ratified by the two high contracting parties, and the ratifications exchanged at London in six weeks, or sooner, if possible.
§ In witness whereof, we, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries, have signed, in virtue of 226 our respective full powers, the present Convention, and have affixed thereto the seals of our arms.
§ Done at London, this 5th day of February, 1814. (L. S.) BATHURST.
§ (L. S.) EL CONDE DE FERNAN NUNEZ, Duque de Montellano.