HC Deb 22 March 1827 vol 16 cc1302-5
Mr. Secretary Peel

, in the absence of Mr. Secretary Canning, presented, by command of his Majesty, the following

CONVENTION between his Majesty and her Royal Highness the Infanta Regent of Portugal, for providing for the maintenance of a Corps of British Troops, sent to Portugal, Dec. 1826; signed at Brighthelmstone, Jan. 19, 1827.

"In the name of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity.

"Her Royal Highness the Infanta Regent of Portugal having, in consequence of aggressions committed against the Portuguese territory, claimed the fulfilment, by his Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, of the ancient treaties of alliance and friendship which subsist between the two Crowns; and his Britannic Majesty having thereupon resolved to send, and having actually sent, a body of troops to Portugal, the two High Contracting Parties think it necessary to agree upon certain arrangements for the maintenance of the said troops, during their stay in Portugal, and have named as their plenipotentiaries for that purpose, viz;—

"His Majesty, the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the right hon. George Canning, a member of his said Majesty's most hon. Privy Council, a member of Parliament, and his said Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs:—And her Royal Highness the Infanta Regent of Portugal, the most illustrious and most excellent lord, Don Pedro de Souza e Holstein, marquis of Palmella, a peer of the Kingdom of Portugal, Grand Cross of the Order of Christ, knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece, Grand Cross of several other Orders, and her Royal High ness's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to his Britannic Majesty; who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found to be in due and proper form, have agreed upon, and concluded, the following articles:—

Art. 1. "Her Royal Highness the Infanta Regent of Portugal, anxious that the body of troops which has been so promptly sent to her Royal Highness's aid by his Britannic Majesty, should be treated with the hospitality becoming the relations of the two allied nations, engages to provide the necessary barracks and quarters, and buildings for hospitals, and for stores and magazines, and the necessary rations of provisions and forage, for the officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers, and for the horses and cattle of the British Auxiliary Army, according to the regulations of the British service.

2. "The provisions and forage above specified are to be delivered to the British Commissariat, at a distance not greater than six Portuguese leagues from the head-quarters of each British detachment to which they are supplied, unless in cases where a different arrangement shall be made, with the consent of the British Commissariat.

3. "In order to obviate the difficulties which an immediate disbursement of funds for the purchase of the aforesaid provisions and forage might occasion, under the present circumstances, to the Government of Portugal, it is agreed that the British Commissary-general shall, for the present, provide those supplies for the British army, charging the cost thereof to the account of the Portuguese Government. As, however, cases may arise, in which it may be more convenient to receive such supplies from Portuguese magazines, for the purpose of avoiding competition in the markets, the British Commissary-general shall, in the execution of this agreement, concert his proceedings from time to time with a person appointed for that end by the Government of Portugal.

4. "The accounts of the British Commissariat being- approved and signed by the Commander of the Auxiliary Army, shall be delivered every three months to the Portuguese Government, which, having verified the same, shall either pay the amount thereof forthwith to the British Commissary-general, or carry it over to the credit of the British Government, as shall be judged most convenient by the two Governments.

5. "The cost of provisions and forage, for the British troops shall be placed to the account of the Portuguese Government, from the clay of the landing of the said troops in Portugal, and shall cease to be placed to that account from the day of their departure, or of their passing the frontiers of Portugal.

6. "Her Royal Highness the Infanta Regent of Portugal, having consented that on this, as on former occasions, the forts St. Julien and of Bugio shall be occupied by the British troops, it is agreed that the said occupation shall continue so long as the auxiliary army shall remain in Portugal. Those forts shall be, from time to time, duly provisioned by the Portuguese Government, or by the British Commissariat, on account of the Portuguese Government, in the same manner as is provided in the foregoing articles with respect to the Auxiliary Army.

"Arrangements shall be made between the Government of Portugal and the Commander of the British Army, for the currying on of the service of the Pratique, of the Police of the Harbour, and of the Customs, by the proper officers of the Portuguese Government, usually employed for those purposes. A list of these officers shall be given to the British Commanding Officer, and they shall be strictly under his command in all that may relate to military service, and to the defence of the forts.

7. "His Britannic Majesty requiring, on the part of his ally, only that which is in dispensably necessary for insuring the proper maintenance of his troops, and for the good of the common service, declares, that he will not bring forward any pecuniary claims whatever against the Portuguese Government, on account of the assistance furnished by his Majesty, on this occasion, to Portugal, beyond what is specified in the preceding articles.

8. "The stipulations of this Convention shall remain in full force until the two High Contracting Parties shall mutually agree to make any change therein.

9. "The present Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications shall be exchanged in London in the space of six weeks from the date hereof, or sooner, if possible.

"In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the seals of their arms.

(L.S.) GEORGE CANNING.
(L.S.) MARQUEZ DE PALMELLA.

"Done at Brighthelmstone, January 19, 1827."