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Negapatnam, Port City in
Southeastern India, Becomes
Officially British
Treaty of Paris — May 20,
1784:
Transcript — English Translation
This treaty is part of the
1783 Peace of Paris,
also called the 1783 Peace of
Versailles.
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It follows the English
translation of the treaty.
For more information about the
treaty see
Treaty of Paris 1784
Image Above
View of Negapatnam,
also spelled Nagapattinam or Nagappattinam, on
the Coromandel Coast
Anonymous
engraving,
1676
Maritime Museum
Rotterdam |
The Definitive
Treaty of Peace and Friendship between his Majesty the King
of Great Britain and their High Mightinesses the States
General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries
In the name of the most holy and undivided Trinity, Father,
Son, and Holy Ghost. So be it.
Be it known to all those whom it shall or may in any manner
concern. The most Serene and most Potent Prince and Lord
George the Third, by the grace of God, King of Great
Britain, France, and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick and
Luneburg, Arch-Treasurer and Elector of the Holy Roman
Empire etc. and the High and Mighty Lords the States General
of the United Provinces of the Low Countries, having laid
the foundation of peace by the preliminary articles signed
at Paris the second of September last; and his said Majesty
and the said States General being desirous to complete so
great and salutary a work, have named and authorized to wit,
on the part of his Britannic Majesty, Daniel Hailes, Esq.
his said Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary to his most
Christian Majesty; and on the part of their High
Mightinesses the said States General, the most Noble and
most Excellent Lords Mathew Lestevenon, Lord of Berkenroode
and Stryen, Deputy to the States General of the United
Provinces of the Low Countries from the province of Holland,
and their Ambassador in Ordinary to his Majesty the most
Christian King, and Gerard Brantsen, Burgomaster and Senator
of the city of Arnheim, Counselor and Grand Master of the
Mint of the Republic, Deputy to the States General of the
United Provinces, and their Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary to his most Christian Majesty: who, after
having duly communicated to each other their full powers in
good form, have agreed upon the following articles.
I. There shall be a Christian,
universal, and perpetual peace, as well by sea as by land,
and a sincere and constant friendship shall be
re-established, between his Britannic Majesty, his heirs and
successors, kingdoms, dominions, and subjects, and their
High Mightinesses the said States General, and their
dominions and subjects, of what quality or condition soever
they be, without exception either of places of persons, so
that the high contracting parties shall give the greatest
attention to the maintaining between themselves, and their
said dominions and subjects, this reciprocal friendship and
intercourse, without permitting hereafter, on either part,
any kind of hostilities to be committed, either by sea or by
land, for any cause or under any pretence whatsoever: and
they shall carefully avoid, for the future, every thing
which might prejudice the union happily re-established,
endeavouring, on the contrary, to procure reciprocally for
each other, on every occasion, whatever may contribute to
their mutual glory, interests, and advantage, without giving
any assistance or protection, directly or indirectly, to
those who would do any injury to either of the high
contracting parties. There shall be a general oblivion of
every thing which may have been done or committed, before or
since the commencement of the war which is just ended.
II. With respect to the honours
of the flag, and the salute at sea, by the ships of the
Republic towards those of his Britannic Majesty, the same
custom shall be respectively followed, as was practised
before the commencement of the war which is just concluded.
III. All the prisoners taken on
either side, as well by land as by sea, and the hostages
carried away or given during the war, and who have not yet
been restored, conformably to the preliminary treaty, shall
be restored as soon as possible, without ransom; each Power
respectively discharging the advances which shall have been
made, for the subsistence and maintenance of their
prisoners, by the Sovereign of the country where they shall
have been detained, according to the receipts, attested
accounts, and other authentic vouchers, which shall be
furnished on each side: and sureties shall be reciprocally
given for the payment of the debts which the prisoners may
have contracted in the countries where they may have been
detained until their entire release. And all ships, as well
men of war as merchant-ships, which may have been taken
since the expiration of the terms agreed upon for the
cessation of hostilities by sea, shall likewise be restored,
bona fide, with all their crews and cargoes: and the
execution of this article shall be proceeded upon
immediately after the exchange of the ratifications of this
treaty.
IV. The States General of the
United Provinces cede and guaranty, in full right, to his
Britannic Majesty, the town of Negapatnam, with the
dependencies thereof; but in consideration of the importance
which the States General of the United Provinces annex to
the possession of the aforesaid town, the King of Great
Britain, as a proof of his good-will towards the said
States, promises, notwithstanding this cession, to receive
and treat with them for the restitution of the said town, in
case the Lords the States should hereafter have an
equivalent to offer him.
V. The King of Great Britain
shall restore to the States General of the United Provinces, Trinquemale, as also all the other towns, forts, harbours,
and settlements, which, in the course of the war, have been
conquered, in any part of the world whatever, by the arms of
his Britannic Majesty, or by those of the English East India
Company, and of which he should be in possession; the whole
in the condition in which they shall be found.
VI. The States General of the
United Provinces promise and engage not to obstruct the
navigation of the British subjects in the Eastern seas.
VII. Whereas differences have
arisen between the English African Company, and the Dutch
West India Company, relative to the navigation on the coasts
of Africa, as also on the subject of Cape Apollonia; for
preventing all cause of complaint between the subjects of
the two nations on those coasts, it is agreed that
commissaries shall be named, on each side, to make suitable
arrangements on these points.
VIII. All the countries and
territories which may have been, or which may be conquered,
in any part of the world whatsoever, by the arms of his
Britannic Majesty, as well as by those of the States
General, which are not included in the present treaty,
neither under the head of Cessions, nor under the head of
Restitutions, shall be restored without difficulty, and
without requiring any compensation.
IX. Whereas by the ninth article
of the preliminary treaty, a period was stipulated and
appointed, by the high contracting parties, for the
restitutions and evacuations to be made, on each side, of
the towns, fortresses and territories which might have been
conquered by their respective arms, and of which they should
be in possession, excepting such as had been ceded; and
whereas the term specified in the aforesaid ninth article is
already expired, the high contracting parties engage
reciprocally and bona fide to observe the said
stipulations, and in case, by any accident or otherwise, the
cessions and restitutions therein comprised should not have
taken place, to expedite immediately the necessary orders,
to the end that there may be no further delay in the
accomplishment of the said stipulations.
X. His Britannic Majesty and
their High Mightinesses the aforesaid States General,
promise to observe sincerely, and bona fide, all the
articles contained and established in this present treaty;
and they will not suffer the same to be infringed, directly
or indirectly, by their respective subjects: and the said
high contracting parties guaranty to each other, generally
and reciprocally, all the stipulations of the present
articles.
XI. The solemn ratifications of
the present treaty, prepared in good and due form, shall be
exchanged in this city of Paris, between the high
contracting parties, in the space of one month, or sooner,
if it can be done, to be computed from the day of the
signature of the present treaty.
In witness whereof, we the
under-written, their ambassadors and ministers
plenipotentiary, have signed with our hands, in their names,
and by virtue of our full powers, the present definitive
treaty, and have caused the seals of our arms to be affixed
thereto.
Done at Paris the 20th of May,
one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four.
Daniel Hailes (L.S.)
Lestevenon van Berkenrode (L.S.)
Brantsen (L.S.)
Separate Article
I. It has been agreed and
determined, that the French language, made use of in all the
copies of the present treaty, shall not form an example
which may be alleged, or quoted as a precedent, or, in any
manner, prejudice either of the contracting Powers; and that
they shall conform, for the future, to what has been
observed, and ought to be observed, with regard to, and on
the part of Powers, who are in the practice and possession
of giving and receiving copies of like treaties in a
different language from the French; the present treaty
having, nevertheless, the same force and virtue as if the
aforesaid practice had been therein observed.
Done at Paris, the twentieth of
May, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-four.
Daniel Hailes (L.S.)
Lestevenon van Berkenrode (L.S.)
Brantsen (L.S.)
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Source: A Collection of Treaties Between Great
Britain and Other Powers
by George Chalmers,
Esq., Vol I., London, 1790
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