The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-10 00:00:00

ZEALAND. THE ANN.

Further correspondence relating to the affairs of
Italy, Savoy, and Switzerland was laid before par-
liament last evening. The series, extending to
nearly 250 pages, consists chiefly of correspondence
with the various powers respecting the annexation
of Savoy to France. The following dispatches will
show the position in which the question rests as
between the English and French Governments :

LORD J. RUSSELL TO EARL COWLEY.
Foreign-Office, May 15, 1860.
My Lord,—After the communications which have passed
with various courts of Europe on the subject of the neu-
tralised districts of Savoy, her Majesty's Government think
the time is come to define and fix the position they mean to
assume on this question.
The Treaty of Vienna and the Act of Guarantee of Swit-
zerland of the 20th November, 1815, provide that, in case
of war between neighbouring powers, certain parts of Savoy,
namely, the districts of Chablais, Faucigny, and part of the
Genevois, shall be comprised within the neutrality of Swit •
zerland, and that no troops other than those of the Con-
federation shall occupy that territory so long as the war
shall last.
Her Majesty's Government consider that this provision
was made no less in the interest of Switzerland and of Eu-
rope, than in that of Sardinia.
The documents in their possession, the records of Geneva,
and the correspondence of M. Pictet de Rochemont lately
published, appear to them amply to bear out this position.
It appears to them that if France and Sardinia were
desirous of making a treaty by which the Sovereignty of
Savoy should be transferred to France, it was the duty of
Sardinia to confer with the powers who signed the treaty of
Vienna before completing the cession of territory of which
she was not merely the Sovereign, but of which she held
the deposit for purposes of Swiss independence and Euro-
pean security.
It appeared to her Majesty's Government that if this was
not done by Sardinia it ought to have been done by France
before French troops should occupy Savoy. But if neither
of these were done, it seemed clear to her Majesty's Govern-
ment that the defect could only be cured by the offer on the
part of France of such ample guarantees as should be an
efficient substitute for the security which the provisions of
Article XCIL'of the Treaty of Vienna gave to Switzerland
in consequence of Savoy forming part of the dominions of
the King of Sardinia.
Her Majesty's Government are of opinion that an under:
taking by France to fulfil in time of war the obligations of
Sardinia in respect to the neutralised parts of Savoy forms
no such efficient substitute.
Her Majesty's Government are likewise of opinion that
the arrangements hitherto suggested by the Government of
France form no such efficient substitute.
Her Majesty's Government do not see any other efficient
substitute which could be found, but one, which giving a
military frontier to Switzerland, should comprise southern
shores of the Lake of Geneva, and the Alpine Passes to the
Valais.
To such a cession the French Government have declared
they will not consent.
The argument upon which this refusal is founded is the
vote of the people of Faucigny, Chablais, and the Genevois.
But the mode in which this vote was taken deprives it, in
the eyes of her Majesty's Government, of all authority.
Had the population been asked whether they would remain
under the House of Savoy, or prefer to become subjects of
the Emperor of the French, the answer might have been
doubtful. But when the King of Sardinia had already ab-
solved them from their allegiance, discarded them as hie
subjects, and ceded them by treaty, the only question which
remained was between France and anarchy. No alterna-
tive was offered, and no real choice could take place.
Her Majesty's Government omit all argument as to the
propriety of a vote by universal suffrage for the purpose of
confirming a treaty. It is the first instance of such a pro-
ceeding, and the circumstances have not been such as to
encourage a repetition of it.
The question remains, what is to be done ?
Her Majesty's Government are not of opinion that
Switzerland, even if she had the means, would have the
right to resist the occupation of the neutralised parts of
Savoy by the French civil and military authorities.
But her Majesty's Government must decline to take any
step which may confer any additional validity on the Treaty
of Turin of the 24th of March. In their opinion that treaty
weakens Switzerland, and diminishes one of the securities
of Europe for the maintenance of Swiss neutrality.
If a conference of the European powers is summoned
your excellency will attend it on the part of Great Britain.
But in the conference your excellency will hold no other
language than that which is contained in this and my
former dispatches.
If the conference should not be convoked her Majesty's
Government will instruct you further ; and in that case you
will inform me of the reasons for which the Government of
France declines to summon a meeting of the great Powers,
which the Federal Council of Switzerland has so constantly
demanded.
You will, of course, fully understand that nothing is
changed in that part of the Treaty of Vienna which binds
the powers who were parties to it to maintain the neutralit y
of Switzerland.—l am, &c.
(Signed)

J. RUSSELL

EARL COWLEY TO LORD J. RUSSELL (RECEIVED MAY 19'
'

(Extract.) ' Paris, May 18, 1860.
I have had the honour to receive your lordship's dispatch
of the 15th instant, informing me of the position which her
Majesty's Government mean to assume on the subject of
the neutralised districts of Savoy. _

This matter has not been alluded to by M. Thouvenel or
myself for some time.

M. THOUVENEL TO COUNT PERSIGNY.-(COMMUNICATED
TO LORD J. RUSSELL BY COUNT PERSIGNY, JUNE 22.)
(Translation.)
Paris, June 20, 1860.
M. le Comte,—The Treaty of Turin having received its
definitive sanction, and the transfer of the territories ceded by
the King of Sardinia having been effected, the moment is
come for the Government of the Emperor to conform to the
obligation which it has taken of coming to an understanding,
both with the powers who signed the General Act of Vienna
and with the Swiss Confederation, on the subject of the
contingent neutralisation of.a portion of Savoy. The object
of this understanding, as I had the honour of remarking to
you in my communication of the 10th of April last, should,
according to us, consist in reconciling Article X CIT. of the
Act of Vienna with Article 11. of the Treaty of Turin.
This reconciliation it is proposed to sanction by diplo-
matic' stipulation, destined to a place in the law of Eu-
rope. For the attainment of this object several courses are
open to the powers. The question may be brought before
a conference. An exchange of notes might be likewise
agreed upon, if it were thought preferable, by which the
government of the Emperor should assume towards the
powers who guaranteed Swiss neutrality, and towards
Switzerland, the obligations contracted by Sardinia.
Finally, it might also be pronounced in favour of a pre-
liminary negotiation between France and Switzerland, the
object of which should be to determine the reciprocal rights
and duties resulting from the neutralisation, which would
be done by re-modelling and completing the treaty signed
at Turin between Sardinia and the Swiss Confederation in
1816. The government of the Emperor is ready, for its
part, to choose the course which the other cabinets shall
prefer, and which shall seem to them best suited to the
circumstances. I confine myself, in case they should
decide in favour of a conference, to reminding them
that the majority of them have already recognised
the propriety of meeting at Paris, and that Sar-
dinia and Switzerland have established in favour
of their participation in its labour, considerations the jus-
tice of which has been admitted by his Imperial Majesty's
Government.
You will read this despatch to Lord John Russell, and
give him a copy of it.—Receive, &c.,
(Signed)

THOUVENEL,

LORD J. RUSSELL TO EARL COWLEY.

Foreign Office, June 25, 1860
- • -

My Lord,—l transmit to your excellency herewith a copy
of a despatch from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the
Emperor of the French to his Majesty's ambassador it this
court, which was delivered to me by M. de Persigny on the
22d instant.
In this despatch M. Thouvenel declares that the time has
arrived for France to come to an understanding with the
powers of Europe, with a view to put Article XCII. of the
treaty of Vienna in harmony with Article 11. of the treaty
of Turin. This can be done, according to M. Thouvenel, in
one of three ways :-
1. By a conference of the powers who signed the treaty of
Vienna; or
2. By an exchange of identic notes in which France
should undertake, and Europe should acknowledge, that
France was bound to Europe and to Switzerland by the
same conditions by which Savoy has been hitherto held by

Sardinia ; or
3. By a preliminary negotiation between France and
Switzerland, with a view to determine their re:;iprocal
rights and duties.
Of these three modes her Majesty's Government prefer the
first. It is that which has been asked by Switzerland, the
power most interested in this question. It is that which is
most likely to lead to a frank discussion and a friendly ex-
planation.
Her Majesty's Government accept the proposals of France
that the subject of the conference should be the means of
reconciling Article XCII. of the Treaty of Vienna with
Article 11. of the Treaty of Turin ; that the place of the
conference should bo Paris ; and that Switzerland and Sar-
dinia should participate in its deliberations.—l am, &c.,
(Signed) J. RUSSELL.

M. Dupeuty, who, on the conclusion of the cam-
paign in Italy, was charged to seek in the archives of Milan
for letters of Napoleon 1., has arrived in Paris with a con-
siderable number of documents likely to prove of interest to
the commission charged with the publication of the Em-
peror's correspondence. He has ascertained that a volumi-
nous series of letters of Napoleon I. are preserved at
Vienna, but the Austrian Government has hitherto de-
clined to communicate them.