THE MARITIME CANAL OF SUEZ. 279 



France, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, and Turkey, respecting the free naviga- 

 tion of the Suez Maritime Canal. 



Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 

 and Empress of India ; His Majesty the Emperor of Germany and King of 

 Prussia ; His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, &c., and 

 August King of Hungary ; His Majesty the King of Spain ; the President of the 

 French Republic ; His Majesty the King of Italy ; His Majesty the King of the 

 Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg ; His Majesty the Emperor of All the 

 Russias ; and His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans; wishing to establish, 

 by a Conventional Act, a definite system destined to guarantee at all times, and 

 by all the Powers, the free use of the Suez Maritime Canal, and thus to complete 

 the system under which the navigation of this Canal has been placed by the 

 Firman of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, dated 22nd of February, 1886, 

 (2 Zilkade, 1282), and sanctioning the Concessions of His Highness the Khedive, 

 have named as their plenipotentaries, that is, to say :— * 



Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 

 and Empress of India, the Right Hon. Sir William Arnold White, Her 

 Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. 



His Majesty the Emperor of Germany, King of Prussia, M. Joseph de 

 Radowitz, his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. 



His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, &c., and August 

 King of Hungary, Baron de Calice, his Ambassador Extraordinary and 

 Plenipotentiary. 



His Majesty the King of Spain, and in his name the Queen Regent of the 

 Kingdom, Don Miguel, Florez-y Garcia, his Charge d' Affaires. 



The President of the French Republic, M. Gustave Louis Lannes, Count de 

 Montabello, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France. 



His Majesty the King of Italy, M. Albert, Baron Blanc, his Ambassador 

 Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. 



His Majesty the King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg, 

 M. Gu stave Keun, his Charg^ d'AfFaires. 



His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, M. Alexandre de Nllidow, his 

 .Embassador Extraordinary and Pleniootentiary. 



His Majesty the Emperor of the Ottomans, Mohammed Said Pasha, his 

 Minister for Foreign Affairs. 



Who, having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found 

 in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles : — 



Article i. — The Maritime Canal of Suez shall always be free and open, in 

 time of War as in time of Peace, to every vessel of Commerce, 

 or of War, without distinction of flag. 



Consequently, the High Contracting Parties agree not in any 

 way to interfere with the free use of the Canal, in time of War, as 

 in time of Peace. 



The Canal can never be subjected to the exercise of the right 

 of blockade. 



