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EGYPT: TEXTS.

No. XVIII.

Declarations by the Governments of Germany, Austria, Great Britain, France, Italy, Russia, Turkey, and Egypt, with annexed Draft Convention and Draft Decree, signed at London, 17th March, 1885[1].

1885, 17th March. The following Declaration hdls been agreed to by common consent between the Governments of Great Britain, Germany, Austria-Hungary, France, Italy, Russia, and Turkey:—

Declaration.

Sultan authorizes loan. I. The Government of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan authorizes the Government of His Highness the Khedive to issue, under the conditions set forth in the annexed draft, Convention, and Decree, a loan not exceeding 9,000,000l. net, and shall grant the Imperial Firman necessary thereto.

The signatories agree to sign annexed Convention II. The Governments of Germany, Austria- Hungary, France, Great Britain, Italy, and Russia having agreed to guarantee this loan, destined to provide for a settlement of the financial situation of the Egyptian Government;

Whereas it is important that certain modifications should be introduced into the Law of Liquidation;

Whereas they recognize the justice of making their subjects in Egypt liable to the same taxes as the natives;

They undertake, conjointly with the Government of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, to sign a Convention couched in the terms of the annexed draft.

and to accept annexed Decree. They declare their willingness to accept a Decree of His Highness the Khedive expressed in the terms of the annexed draft Decree. They agree that this Decree shall be recognized by the Tribunals of the reform as a binding law so soon as it shall have been officially published by the Government of His Highness the Khedive; and they undertake to bring it collectively to the cognizance of the Powers who took part in the establishment of these Tribunals, and to invite them to give their adhesion to it.

They declare that they accept the application to their subjects in the same manner as to natives the Decree of His

  1. Parl. Papers, 1885, Egypt, No. 6. The signature of the Turkish Ambassador was added, after some hesitation, on 30th March.