THE NORTHBROOK MISSION. 399 Upon our Government admitting that the action of the Egyptian Government, adopted on the advice of our Envoy, was ultra vires, the Continental Powers consented to the issue of a loan of ;9,ooo,ooo, and agreed to stay all further legal proceedings.

The so-called "London Convention" of July 17, 1885, stipulated, amongst other conditions, that, in consideration of the Powers agreeing to sanction the loan of ;9,ooo,ooo, an International Commission should meet in Paris to decide how the unrestricted passage of the Suez Canal might best be permanently secured.

It was decided, generally, that the Canal should be open alike to merchant vessels and men-of-war, both in time of war and peace ; that the Canal should not be subject to the right of blockade ; that no act ot hostility should be committed in the Canal, its ports of access, or within a radius of three miles ; that vessels of belligerents should only take in supplies so far as they were absolutely necessary, and that their stay in port should be limited to twenty-four hours ; that no belligerent should disembark or embark either troops or munitions of war; that no vessel of war belonging to the contracting Powers should be stationed in the Canal, and not more than two at Port Said or Suez ; that the restrictions imposed should not apply to measures which the Sultan or the Khedive might take for the defence of Egypt by their own forces, or for the maintenance of public order ; and that no fortifications should be erected.

The British delegates agreed to this proposal.