dated April 15, announced to the Belgian Government that the conditions of separation as laid down in the January protocols were final and irrevocable, and, if not accepted, relations would be broken off.  Leopold was not discouraged, however; and such was his influence that he did succeed in obtaining from the Conference an undertaking that they would enter into negotiations with King William in regard both to the territorial and financial disputes with a view to a settlement, moyennant de justes compensations.

The Saxe-Coburg prince was elected king by the Congress (June 4); and in redemption of their undertaking the Conference promulgated (June 26) the preliminary treaty, generally known as the Treaty of the XVIII Articles.  By this treaty the question of Luxemburg was reserved for a separate negotiation, the status quo being meanwhile maintained.  Other boundary disputes (Maestricht, Limburg and various enclaves) were to be amicably arranged, and the share of Belgium in the public debt was reduced.  Leopold had made his acceptance of the crown depend upon the assent of the Congress being given to the Treaty.  This assent was given, but in the face of strong opposition (July 9); and the new king made his public entry into Brussels and took the oath to the Constitution twelve days later.  On the same day (July 21) the Dutch king refused to accept the XVIII Articles, declaring that he adhered to the protocols of January 20 and 27, which the plenipotentiaries had themselves declared (April 15) to be fundamental and irrevocable.  Nor did he confine himself to a refusal.  He declared that if any prince should accept the sovereignty of Belgium or take possession of it without having assented to the protocols as the basis of separation he could only regard such prince as his enemy.  He followed this up (August 2) by a despatch addressed to the Foreign Ministers of the Five Powers, announcing his intention “to throw his army into the balance with a view to obtaining more equitable terms of separation.”

These were no empty words.  The facile success of the Belgian revolution had led to the Dutch army being branded as a set of cowards.  The king, therefore, despite a solemn warning from the Conference, was determined to show the world that Holland was perfectly able to assert her rights by armed force if she chose to do so.  In this course he had the whole-hearted support of his people.  It was a bold act politically justified by events.  Unexpectedly, on August 2, the Prince of Orange at the head of an army of 30,000 picked men with 72 guns crossed the frontier.  The Belgians were quite taken by surprise.  Their army, though not perhaps inferior in numbers to the invaders, was badly organised, and was divided into two parts—­the army of the Scheldt and the army of the Meuse.  The prince knew that he must act with promptness and decision, and he thrust his army by rapid movements between the two Belgian corps.  That of the Meuse fell back in great disorder