[Footnote 20: Protocol of the Second Chamber, No 33, April 28th, 1883.]
[Footnote 21: See on the dealing with the question in Parliament,
"Riksdagstrycket" 1883. Motion in the Second Chamber, No. 97, pp. 1-8;
First Chamber, protocol No. 33, pp. 3-4, etc., etc.]
[Footnote 22: Mr. Arnoldson's speech ran thus:--
"The second speaker on the Right propounded certain difficulties,
amongst others, one referring to Sweden's union with Norway. Since
Sweden and Norway have the same foreign policy, and the initiative
in this question comes from Sweden, the Union King ought certainly
to be able to act freely in the common interest of the two kingdoms.
In any case, it is probable, as Mr. Hedlund remarked, that if the
Riksdag takes the first step it will not be long before the Storting
comes to meet us. It was chiefly on the ground of courtesy that I did
not undertake to speak for Norway too in the Riksdag. We know that
the Norse--and it does them honour--are tenacious of their right of
deciding for themselves. I do not think it would be seemly for the
mover of such a resolution as this to make himself their spokesman
in the Swedish Riksdag--not to mention the positive incorrectness
of the proceeding. This is why I limited the matter to Sweden in my
proposition."]
[Footnote 23: "Revue de droit international et de Legislation
comparée," 1888, 2.]
[Footnote 24: The most important provisions of the treaty are the
following:--
Article 1. The Suez Canal shall always be free and open whether in time
of war or peace, for both merchant and war-ships, whatever flag they
carry. The treaty-powers therefore decide that the use of this canal
shall not be limited either in time of peace or war. The canal can
never be blockaded.
Article 4. No fortifications which can be used for military operations
against the Suez Canal, may be erected at any point which would command
or menace it. No points which command or menace its entrance or course
may be occupied in a military sense.
Article 5 provides that, although the Suez Canal shall be open in
war-time, no belligerent action shall take place in its vicinity or
in its harbours, or within a distance from its area which shall be
determined by the international committee that watches over the canal.
Article 6 is a continuation of the foregoing and runs thus: In time of
war none of the belligerent powers are permitted to land, or to take on
board, ammunition or other war material, either in the canal or in its
harbours.
Article 8. The powers are not allowed to keep any warship in the waters
of the canal. But they may lay up war-ships in the harbours of Port
Said and Suez to a number not exceeding two of any nation.
Article 9. The representatives in Egypt of the powers who signed the
treaty shall be charged with seeing to its fulfilment. In all cases
where free passage through the canal may be menaced, they shall meet
upon the summons of the senior member to investigate the facts. They
shall acquaint the Khedive's Government with the danger anticipated,
that it may take the measures needful to secure the safety and
unimpeded use of the canal. They shall meet regularly once a year
to ascertain that the treaty is properly observed. They shall most
especially require the deposition of all works and dispersion of all
collections of troops which on any part of the area of the canal might
either design or cause a menace to the free passage or to the security
thereof.
Article 10 treats of the obligations of the Egyptian Government and
runs thus:--
The Egyptian Government shall, so far as its power by firman goes, take
the measures necessary for enforcing the treaty. In case the Egyptian
Government has not adequate means it shall apply to the Sublime Porte,
which will then consult with the other signatories of the London
treaty of March 17, and with them make provision in response to that
application.
Article 14 sets forth: Beyond the duties expressed and stipulated for
in the paragraphs of this treaty, the sovereign rights of his Imperial
Majesty the Sultan are in no way curtailed, nor are the privileges and
rights of his Highness the Khedive as defined by the firman.]
[Footnote 25: Nationaloekonomisk Tidsskrift, xxii. pp. 139-155. See
also _Politiken_, 1890, March 31. Article "Oeresunds Fred," signed,
Defensor Patriæ.]
[Footnote 26: The word "guaranteed" was inserted in the motion contrary
to the opinion of the committee]