Imatges de pàgina
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A love of independence in union with a kindred race has in itself claims to regard from a nation which prides itself on its love of freedom.

It is thus that, with a view to strengthen the Greek Monarchy, to fulfil the original objects of the foundation of the Ionian Islands as a State, and to comply with the wishes frequently, though irregularly, expressed in the Ionian Islands themselves, Her Majesty's Government have declared their readiness to consent to the union of the Ionian Islands with Greece.

Her Majesty's Government are not insensible of the value of Corfu as a maritime and military station, nor are they unaware of the apprehensions felt in Austria and Turkey at the prospect of the abandonment of the Ionian Islands by Great Britain. It has been suggested in England that Corfu might be retained while the other islands might be given up. But Her Majesty's Government conceive that it would be a perversion of the trust confided to them by Europe, and a breach of faith towards the Ionian people, if Great Britain were to turn a portion of a single, free and independent State under Her Protectorate, into a part of her military Possessions, and to make Corfu an element of her European power.

Her Majesty's Government propose, therefore, now that a King of Greece has been recognized by the protecting Powers, to consult in the most formal and authentic manner the wishes of the inhabitants of the Ionian Islands as to their future destiny. If those wishes, deliberately expressed, should be in favour of a union with Greece, Her Majesty's Government would propose that, with

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view to considering the future condition of the Ionian Islands, a Conference should be assembled, to consist of the Representatives of the Powers who signed the Treaty of November 1815, and of the protecting Powers who, in 1827* and 1832, † signed the Treaties by which the Kingdom of Greece was constituted.

I am, &c.,

RUSSELL.

P.S.-You are desired to read and give a copy of this des

patch to Count Rechberg. Lord Bloomfield, Vienna.

R.

Mem.--A similar despatch was addressed to Earl Cowley, Paris; Sir A. Buchanan, Berlin; and Lord Napier, St. Petersburgh.

See Vol. 4, Page 304.

† See Vol. 4, Page 313.

HAMBURG.

BRITISH TREASURYWARRANT, fixing the Rates of Postage on Letters transmitted to or from Hamburg, and between Hamburg and British Colonies and Foreign Countries, and on Newspapers, Books, &c., to or from Hamburg and between Hamburg and Heligoland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. December 29, 1857.

WHEREAS by an Act of Parliament made and passed in the session of Parliament, holden in the 3rd and 4th years of the reign of Her Majesty, for the regulation of the duties of postage,* power is given to the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, from time to time, by Warrant under their hands to alter and fix any of the rates of British postage or inland postage, payable by the law, on the transmission by the post of Foreign or Colonial letters or newspapers, or of any other printed papers, and to subject the same to rates of postage according to the weight thereof, and a scale of weight to be contained in such Warrant, and, from time to time, by Warrant, as aforesaid, to alter or repeal any such altered rates, and make and establish any new and other rates in lieu thereof, and from time to time, by Warrant as aforesaid, to appoint at what time the rates which may be payable are to be paid; and it is provided that the power thereby given should extend to any increase or reduction or remission of postage.

And whereas further powers are given to the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, by another Act made and passed in the session of Parliament, holden in the 10th and 11th years of the reign of Her Majesty, for giving further facilities for the transmission of letters by post, and for regulating the duties on postage thereon, and for other purposes relating to the Post-Office.t

And whereas certain powers are also given to the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury by another Act, passed in the 18th year of the reign of Her Majesty, for amending the lawsrelating to the stamp duties on newspapers, and for providing for the transmission by post, of printed periodical publications.‡

And whereas the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, by certain Warrants in writing, under their hands, relating to the transmission, by the post, of letters and newspapers, and other printed papers, between the United Kingdom and Hamburg, and between Hamburgand Her Majesty's Colonies and Foreign countries, * See Vol. 5, Page 248. † See Vol. 8, Page 247. † See Vol. 10, Page 320, through the United Kingdom respectively, and bearing date respectively, the 18th day of August, 1847;* the 27th day of June, 1859;† the 28th day of July, 1859; and the 17th day of April, 1860;§ did make and give certain orders, directions, and regulations, relating to the transmission, by the post, of such letters and newspapers, and other printed papers respectively.

And whereas a Convention hath been lately made and entered into between the General Post-Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Post-Office of Hamburg, for the purpose of regulating the communications by post between the United Kingdom and Hamburg, and it is expedient, for the better carrying out of the same, that the said recited Warrants of the several dates hereinbefore mentioned should be respectively repealed, and that certain other regulations should be made in the manner hereinafter mentioned.

Now, we, the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, in exercise of the powers reserved to us in and by the said hereinbefore recited Act of Parliament, and every of them, and of all other powers enabling us in this behalf, do, by this Warrant (under the hands of 2 of us, the said Commissioners, by the authority of the statute in that case made and provided), order and direct as follows:

1. The said recited Warrants, bearing date respectively the 18th day of August, 1847; the 27th day of June, 1859; the 28th day of July, 1859; and the 17th day of April, 1860; be, and the same are hereby repealed, revoked, and annulled: and the several orders, directions, regulations, and rates of postage therein mentioned and set forth shall wholly cease and determine, except so far as the said recited Warrants shall respectively repeal, revoke, or annul any other Warrants or any orders, directions, regulations, or rates of postage therein mentioned and set forth, which said several last-mentioned Warrants, orders, directions, regulations, or rates of postage shall remain repealed, revoked, and annulled as if this present Warrant had not been made or signed.

2. On every letter not exceeding of an ounce in weight, posted in the United Kingdom, addressed to Hamburg, and on every letter not exceeding of an ounce in weight, posted in Hamburg, addressed to any place within the United Kingdom, when the said respective letters are conveyed between the United Kingdom and Hamburg, in closed mails, via Belgium, there shall be charged, taken, and paid a uniform rate of British postage of 21⁄2 pence, if such respective letters be prepaid, and if such respective letters be not prepaid, a uniform rate of British postage of 3 pence; and when the said respective letters are conveyed between the United Kingdom, and Hamburg, direct by private ship, there shall be charged, taken, and paid a uniform rate of British postage of 4 pence, if such respective letters be prepaid, and if such respective letters be not prepaid a uniform rate of British postage of 6 pence.

* See Vol. 8, Page 541.
↑ See this Vol. Page 80.

† See this Vol. Page 348.
§ See this Vol. Page 351,

3. On every letter not exceeding of an ounce in weight posted in the United Kingdom, addressed to any place in any of Her Majesty's Colonies or any Foreign country, transmitted between the United Kingdom and such Colony or Foreign country, through Hamburg, and on every letter not exceeding of an ounce in weight, posted in any of Her Majesty's Colonies or any Foreign country, addressed to any place in the United Kingdom, transmitted between such Colony or Foreign country and the United Kingdom, through Hamburg, when the said respective letters are conveyed between the United Kingdom and Hamburg in closed mails, via Belgium, there shall be charged, taken, and paid, a uniform rate of British postage of 24 pence if such respective letters be prepaid, and if such respective letters be not prepaid a uniform rate of British postage of 31⁄2 pence; and when the said respective letters are conveyed between the United Kingdom and Hamburg direct by private ship, there shall be charged, taken, and paid a uniform rate of British postage of 41⁄2 pence, if such respective letters be prepaid, and if such respective letters be not prepaid a uniform rate of British postage of 6 pence.

4. On every letter not exceeding of an ounce in weight, posted in Hamburg, or posted in any of Her Majesty's Colonies or any Foreign country, and forwarded through Hamburg, addressed to any place in any of Her Majesty's Colonies or any Foreign country, transmitted by the post between Hamburg and any of Her Majesty's Colonies or any Foreign country, through the United Kingdom; and on every letter not exceeding of an ounce in weight, posted in any of Her Majesty's Colonies or any Foreign country, addressed to Hamburg, or to any place in any of Her Majesty's Colonies or any Foreign country, and forwarded through Hamburg, transmitted by the post between any of Her Majesty's Colonies or any Foreign country and Hamburg through the United Kingdom; when the said respective letters are conveyed between the United Kingdom and Hamburg in closed mails, via Belgium, there shall be charged, taken, and paid a uniform rate of British postage of 21⁄2 pence if such respective letters be prepaid, and if such respective letters be not prepaid, a uniform rate of British postage of 31⁄2 pence, and when the said respective letters are conveyed between the United Kingdom and Hamburg direct by private ship, there shall be charged, taken, and paid, a uniform rate of British postage of 4 pence, if such respective letters be prepaid, and if such respective letters be not prepaid, a uniform rate of British postage of 6 pence; and also on every letter mentioned in this 4th clause there shall be charged, taken, and paid, such a further or additional rate of British postage for the conveyance of every such letter between the port in the United Kingdom, of the departure or arrival of the packet or shipconveying the same, and the Colony or Foreign country to or from which the same shall be forwarded, as shall from time to time be charged and payable for British postage on letters not exceeding an ounce in weight, posted or delivered at the port in the United Kingdom, of the departure or arrival of the packet or ship conveying the same, and transmitted direct between such port and any such Colony or Foreign country; provided that in all cases where such additional rate includes both inland and sea services, there shall be deducted therefrom the sum of 1 penny in respect of the inland conveyance, under this clause, of every such letter sent through the United Kingdom.

5. On every letter transmitted as is hereinbefore in this Warrant mentioned, exceeding of an ounce in weight, there shall be charged, taken, and paid, progressive and additional rates of postage, according to the scale of weight and number of rates following, that is to say :

On every such letter so transmitted exceeding of an ounce in weight, and not exceeding 1 ounce in weight, 2 rates of postage.

On every such letter so transmitted exceeding 1 ounce, and not exceeding 2 ounces in weight, 4 rates of postage.

On every such letter so transmitted exceeding 2 ounces, and not exceeding 3 ounces in weight, 6 rates of postage.

And for every ounce in weight of any such letter above the weight of 3 ounces there shall be charged, taken, and paid, 2 additional rates of postage, and every fractional part of such additional ounce snall be charged as an additional ounce in weight; and each progressive and additional rate chargeable under this clause, shall be estimated and charged at the sum which any such letter would be charged with under this Warrant, if not exceeding an ounce in weight.

6. If any letter shall be posted in the United Kingdom addressed to Hamburg, or if any letter shall be posted in Hamburg addressed to the United Kingdom, and the value of the postage stamp or stamps affixed thereto shall be less in amount than the rate of postage to which such letter would be liable under or by virtue of this Warrant, every such letter shall be forwarded charged with the amount of the difference between the value of the postage stamp or stamps thereon, and the rate of postage payable under or by virtue of this Warrant, as an unpaid letter.

7. Registered letters may be transmitted by the post under the authority of this Warrant, upon the payment of such additional charges or rates of postage or otherwise as the Postmaster-General may from time to time direct or appoint, provided that all rates of postage and additional charges or rates from time to time payable thereupon shall be prepaid, and that no payment shall be made thereupon on the delivery of any such registered letters :

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