ABSTRACT
No. 297.-NOTES on the Possessions formerly held by the Netherlands in Africa. 1814-1871.
Gape of Good Hope. The Cape of Good Hope, which was captUled by the British during
the French Revolutionary War, was retained by Great Britain at the conclusion of the General Peace of 1814, and was formally ceded by the Netherlands to Great Britain by the Convention of 13th August, 1814, from which the following is an extract* :-
Preamble. "The United Provinces. of the Netherlands, under the favour of Divi~e Providence, having been restored to their independence, and having been placed by the loyalty of the Dutch people and the acllievements of the Allied Powers under the government of the Illustrious House of Orange; and His Britannick Majesty being desirous of entering into such arrangements with the Prince Sovereign of the United Netherlands concerning the Colonies of the said United Netherlands wllicll have been conquered by His Majesty's arms during the late war, as may conduce to the prosperity of the said State, and may afford a lasting testimony of His. Majesty's friendship and attachment to the family of Orange and to the Dutch nation; the said High Contracting Parties, equally animated by those sentiments of cordial goodwill and attachment to each other, have nominated for their Plenipotentiaries, namely:
[Here follow the names and Titles of the Plenipotentiaries.]
Gape of Good Hope, &c. " Art. I.--His Britannick Majesty engages to restore to the Prince
Sovereign of the United Netherlands, within the term which shall be hereafber fixed, the Colonies, factories, and establishments, which were possessed by Holland at the commencement of the late war, viz., on the 1st January, 1803, in the seas and on the continents of Ameriea, Africa, and Asia, UJith the exception of the Cape of Good Hope and the Settlements of Demerara, Essequibo, and Berbice, of which Possessions the High Contracting Parties reserve to themselves the right to dispose by a Supplementary Convention, hereafter to be negotiated according to their mutual interests; and especially with reference to the provisions contained in .A.rticles VI and IX of the Treaty of Peace signed between His Britannick Majesty and His Most Christian Majesty, on the 30th of May, 1814."t
In an Additional Article to this Treaty, relating to the cession to Great Britain of the Cape of Good Hope, it was agreed as follows :-
of the Belgick Provinces ,vith IIolland, and a130 to provide, in confornlity to Article IX of the Treaty of Pari3,* a suitable conlpensation for the rights ceded by His Swedish Majesty under the said Article, which conlpensation, it i3 understood, in the event of the above reunion, Holland should be liable to furnish in pursuance of the above stipulations; it is hereby agreed between the High Contracting Parties, that His Britannick Majesty shall take upon himself, and engage ta defray the following chalges :-
"1. The payment of 1,000,000l. stelling to Sweden, in satisfaction of the claims aforesaid, and in pursuance of a Convention this day executed with His S,vedish l\iajesty's Plenipotentiary to that effect, a copy of which Convention is annexed to these Additional Articles.t
"2. The advance of 2,000,000l. sterling, to be applied, in concert with the Prince Sovereign of the Netherlands, and in aid of an equal sum, to be furnished by him, to,vards augmenting and improving the defences of the Lo,v Countries.
