HC Deb 03 March 1859 vol 152 cc1172-3
MR. J. L. RICARDO

said, he rose to ask the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs at what date the notice for the termination of the Treaty of the 22nd day of July, 1844, in reference to Stade Dues, between the United kingdom and Hanover, according to the Eighth Article of that Treaty, was given to the Hanoverian Government. Whether that notice was withdrawn or suspended, if so, whether it has been renewed, and at what date the said Treaty will actually terminate under the notice announced to the House as having been given by the Under-Secretary of State.

MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALD

in reply said, that the notice for the termination of the Treaty between this country and Hanover regulating the Stade Dues was provisionally and formally communicated to the Hanoverian Government, in accordance with the Eighth Article of the Treaty on the 14th of August last. Shortly afterwards, when his noble Friend at the head of the Foreign Office was in attendance on Her Majesty at Hanover, lie was urged by Count Platen to withdraw the notice, but declined doing so. Lord Malmesbury, however, intimated that if his Excellency would impart to him the reasons why he wished the notice to be withdrawn they should be carefully considered, and if they should be deemed satisfactory the notice might be withdrawn. In consequence of that, and of some communications which took place between our Envoy at Hanover and Count Platen, it was afterwards represented to Her Majesty's Government that Hanover considered the notice withdrawn or suspended; but to that view the British Government refused to accede, and in the last communication which had passed between the two Governments it was stated by Lord Malmesbury that any change in the date of the notice could only be made by official negotiations, and that the British Government could not do otherwise than maintain that the notice of the 14th of August was in full force and effect. Her Majesty's Government had not thought it politic to withdraw that notice, and it had never been either withdrawn or suspended, and the Treaty would therefore expire on the 14th of August in the present year.