§ MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN—MILITARY CONVENTION WITH SARDINIA.
§
Message from THE QUEEN delivered by The Lord President, and read by the Lord Chancellor, as follows—
VICTORIA R.
Her Majesty thinks it right to acquaint the House of Lords, that She has concluded, in concert with His Majesty The Emperor of the French, a Military Convention with His Majesty The King of Sardinia, whereby His Majesty The King of Sardinia engages to furnish and keep up for the Requirements of the present War a Body of Fifteen thousand Men, organised as is therein stipu-
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lated; and with a View to facilitate the Execution of the said Military Convention, Her Majesty has, by a supplementary Convention, concluded with His Majesty The King of Sardinia, undertaken to recommend to Her Parliament to enable Her to advance, by way of Loan to His Majesty The King of Sardinia, the Sum of One Million Pounds Sterling, of which Sum Five hundred thousand Pounds Sterling shall be paid by Her Majesty as soon as possible after the Assent of Her Parliament shall have been given thereto, and the remaining Five hundred thousand Pounds at the Expiration of Six Months after Payment of the first Sum:
Her Majesty has further engaged to recommend to Her Parliament, to enable Her, if the War should not have been brought to a close at the Expiration of Twelve Months after Payment of the first Instalment of the above-mentioned Loan, to advance to His Majesty The King of Sardinia in the same Proportions a like Sum of One Million of Pounds Sterling:
The Government of His Majesty The King of Sardinia undertakes to pay Interest on such Loan or Loans at the Rate of Four per Cent per Annum, of which One per Cent per Annum shall be for a sinking Fund; the said Interest to be calculated and payable in the Manner in the said Convention stipulated:
Her Majesty had directed a Copy of these Conventions to be laid before the House of Lords; and She relies on the Zeal and public Spirit of the House of Lords to concur in enabling Her to make good the Engagements which She has contracted with Her Ally:
§ "V.R."
§ Ordered—That the said Message be taken into Consideration on Monday next.