Convention between France and Great Britain relative to the Netherlands
said Treaty, has been jointly guaranteed by their said Majesties,
and by their Majesties the Emperor of Austria, the King of Prus-
sia, and the Emperor of Russia :
Having besides perceived that all the efforts made in com-
mon by the 5 Powers, Parties to the said Treaty, to accomplish its
execution by means of Negotiation, have been, up to the present
time, ineffectual :
Being moreover convinced that any further delay in the
execution of the same would seriously endanger the general
Peace of Europe, their said Majesties, notwithstanding the
regret which they experience at finding that their Majesties
the Emperor of Austria, the King of Prussia, and the Emperor
of Russia, are not, at present, prepared to concur in the active
measures which are requisite for the execution of the said
Treaty, have resolved to fulfil their own engagements in this
respect without further delay; and it is with the view of arriv-
ing at that end; by immediately concerting the measures best
calculated for that purpose, that their Majesties the King of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the
King of the French, have named as their Plenipotentiaries,
viz. :
His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Right Honourable Henry John, Vis-
count Palmerston, Baron Temple, a Peer of Ireland, a Member
of His said Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council, a Mem-
ber of Parliament, and his Principal Secretary of State for For-
eign Affairs, &c. ;
And His Majesty the King of the French, the Sieur Charles
Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, Prince-Duke de Talleyrand, a
Peer of France, His said Majesty’s Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary at the Court of His Britannic Majesty, &c. ;
Who, after having communicated to each other their respec-
tive Full Powers, found to be in due and proper form, have
agreed upon and concluded the following Articles :
Withdrawal of Netherlands Troops from Belgium, and of
Belgian Troops from Netherlands Territory.
ART. I. His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the King of the French, will
notify to His Majesty the King of the Netherlands, and to His
Majesty the King of the Belgians, respectively, that it is their
intention to proceed forthwith to carry into execution the said
Treaty of the 15th of November, 1831, in conformity with the
engagements thereby contracted by them : and, as a first step
towards the accomplishment of that purpose, their said
Majesties will require His Majesty the King of the Netherlands
to enter, on or before the 2nd day of the next ensuing month of
November, into an engagement to withdraw, on or before the
12th day of the same month of November, all his Troops from
the Territories which, by Articles I and II of the said Treaty, are
to form the Kingdom of Belgium, of which Kingdom the High
Contracting Parties to that Treaty have guaranteed the Indepen-
dence and Neutrality : and their said Majesties will also require
His Majesty the King of the Belgians to enter, on or before the
2nd day of the ensuing month of November, into an
engagement to withdraw, on or before the 12th day of the same
month, all his Troops from the Territories of His Majesty the
King of the Netherlands ; so that after the 12th day of Novem-
ber next there shall be no Netherland Troops within the limits
of the Kingdom of Belgium, and no Belgian Troops within the
Territories of the King of the Netherlands; and their Majesties
the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
and the King of the French, will, at the same time, declare to the
King of the Netherlands, and to the King of the Belgians respec-
tively, that if this requisition shall not be complied with, their
said Majesties will proceed, without further notice or delay, to
take such measures as may appear to them necessary for enforc-
ing the same.Embargo on Dutch Vessels in case of refusal to Evacuate.
ART. II. If the King of the Netherlands shall refuse to enter into
the engagement mentioned in the foregoing Article, their
Majesties the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, and the King of the French, will immediately cause an
Embargo to be laid upon all Netherland Vessels within the ports
of their respective dominions, and will order their respective
cruizers to detain and send in all Netherland Vessels which they
may meet with at sea ; and a combined British and French
squadron shall be stationed off the Coast of Holland, for the
more effectual execution of this measure.French Troops to compel Evacuation of Belgian Territory.
ART. III. If on the 15th of November next ensuing, the Nether-
land troops should still continue within the Belgian territory, a
French force shall advance into Belgium for the purpose of
compelling the Netherland troops to evacuate the said Territo-
ries, provided that the King of the Belgians shall have previously
signified his wish for the entrance of such French force into his
Dominions for the aforesaid purpose.French Troops to retire on Evacuation of Belgian Terri-
tory by Dutch Troops.
ART. IV. If the measure contemplated in the preceding Article
shall become necessary, its object shall be confined to the expul-
sion of the Netherland troops from the Citadel of Antwerp, and
from the Forts and places dependent thereupon ; and His
Majesty the King of the French, in his lively solicitude for the
Independence of Belgium, as well as for that of all established
Governments, expressly engages that the French troops which
may be employed in such service, shall not occupy any of the
fortified places of the Kingdom of Belgium, that when the
Citadel of Antwerp, and the Forts and places dependent there-
upon, shall have surrendered, or shall have been taken, or shall
have been evacuated by the Netherland troops, they shall be
immediately delivered over to the Military Authorities of the
King of the Belgians; and that the French troops shall thereupon
forthwith retire within the French Territories.