APPENDIX.

ing to spare the Sublime Porte the expense and inconvenience which might be occasioned to it by affording substantial aid, will not ask for that aid if circumstances should place the Sublime Porte under the obligation of furnishing it, the Sublime Ottoman Porte in place of the aid which it is bound to furnish in case of need, according to the principle of reciprocity of the patent treaty, shall confine its action in favour of the Imperial Court of Russia to closing the Straits of the Dardanelles, that is to say, to not allowing any foreign vessel of war to enter therein under any pretext whatsoever.

The present separate and Secret Article shall have the same force and value as if it was inserted word for word in the Treaty of Alliance of this day.

England and France protested against this Secret Article as soon as it became known to them.

8. Convention of London, 13th July, 1841. England, Austria, France, Prussia, Russia, and Turkey.

ARTICLE I.

His Highness, the Sultan, on the one part, declares that he is firmly resolved to maintain for the future the principle invariably established as the ancient rule of his Empire, and in virtue of which it has at all times been prohibited for the ships of war of foreign Powers to enter the Straits of the Dardanelles and of the Bosphorus; and that so long as the Porte is at peace, His Highness will admit no foreign ship of war into the said Straits.

And their Majesties, the Queen, &c., &c., on the other part, engage to respect this determination of the Sultan, and to conform themselves to the principle above declared.

ARTICLE II.

It is understood that in recording the inviolability of the ancient rule of the Ottoman Empire mentioned in the preceding Article, the Sultan reserves to himself, as in past times, to deliver Firmans of Passage for light vessels under flag of war, which shall be employed as is usual in the service of the Missions of Foreign Powers.

TREATY OF PARIS.

9. General Treaty of Peace between Great Britain, Austria, France, Prussia, Russia, Sardinia, and Turkey. Signed at Paris, 30th March, 1856.

IN the name of Almighty God.

Their Majesties the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Emperor of the French, the Emperor of all the Russias, the King of Sardinia, and the Emperor of the Ottomans, animated by a desire of putting an end to the calamities of war, and wishing to prevent a return of the complications which occasioned it, resolved to come to an understanding with his Majesty the Emperor of Austria, as to the bases on which peace might be re-established and consolidated, by securing, through effectual and reciprocal guaranties, the Independence and Integrity of the Ottoman Empire.

Articles I. to VI. refer to the evacuation of occupied territories, the restoration of Sebastopol, &c., to Russia, and of Kars to Turkey, the exchange of prisoners of war, and the amnesty to be granted by each of the Powers to those of their subjects who might have been compromised by any participation in the war in favour of the enemy.

ARTICLE VII.

Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, His Majesty the Emperor of the French, His Majesty the King of Prussia, His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, and His Majesty the King of Sardinia, declare the Sublime Porte admitted to participate in the advantages of the Public Law and System (concert) of Europe. Their Majesties engage, each on his part, to respect the independence and territorial integrity of the Ottoman Empire; guarantee in common the strict observance of that engagement; and will, in consequence, consider any act tending to its violation as a question of general interest.

ARTICLE VIII.

If there should arise between the Sublime Porte and one or more of the other signing Powers any misunderstanding which might endanger the maintenance of their relations, the Sublime Porte, and each of such Powers, before having recourse to the use of force, shall afford the other Contracting Parties the opportunity of preventing such an extremity by means of their mediation.

ARTICLE IX.

His Imperial Majesty the Sultan having, in his constant solicitude for the welfare of his subjects, issued a Firman, which, while ameliorating their condition without distinction of religion or of race, records his generous intentions towards the Christian population of his Empire, and wishing to give a further proof of his sentiments in that respect, has resolved to communicate to the Contracting Parties the said Firman, emanating spontaneously from his sovereign will.

The Contracting Powers recognize the high value of this communication. It is clearly understood that it cannot, in any case, give to the said Powers the right to interfere, either collectively or separately, in the relations of His Majesty the Sultan with his subjects, nor in the internal administration of his Empire.

ARTICLE X.

The Convention of 13th of July, 1841, which maintains the ancient rule of the Ottoman Empire relative to the closing of the Straits of the Bosphorus and of the Dardanelles has been revised by common

consent.

The Act concluded for that purpose, and in conformity with that principle, between the High Contracting Parties, is and remains annexed to the present Treaty, and shall have the same force as if it formed an integral part thereof.

ARTICLE XI.

The Black Sea is neutralized; its waters and its ports, thrown open to the mercantile marine of every nation, are formally and in perpetuity interdicted to the flag of war, either of the Powers possessing its coasts, or of any other Power, with the exceptions mentioned in Articles XIV. and XIX. of the present Treaty (c).

ARTICLE XII.

Free from any impediment, the commerce in the ports and waters of the Black Sea, shall be subject only to regulations of health,

(c) [Abrogated on the 13th March, 1871.]

customs, and police, framed in a spirit favourable to the development of commercial transactions.

In order to afford to the commercial and maritime interests of every nation the security which is desired, Russia and the Sublime Porte will admit Consuls into their ports situated upon the coast of the Black Sea, in conformity with the principles of international law.

ARTICLE XIII.

The Black Sea being neutralized according to the terms of Article XI., the maintenance or establishment upon its coast of militarymaritime arsenals becomes alike unnecessary and purposeless; in consequence, His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, and His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, engage not to establish or to maintain upon that coast any military-maritime arsenal (d).

ARTICLE XIV.

Their Majesties the Emperor of all the Russias and the Sultan having concluded a Convention for the purpose of settling the force and the number of light vessels, necessary for the service of their coasts, which they reserve to themselves to maintain in the Black Sea, that Convention is annexed to the present Treaty, and shall have the same force and validity as if it formed an integral part thereof. It cannot be either annulled or modified without the assent of the Powers signing the present Treaty (d).

Articles XV. to XIX. provide for the navigation of the Danube.

ARTICLE XX.

In exchange for the towns, ports, and territories enumerated in Article IV. of the present Treaty, and in order more fully to secure the freedom of the navigation of the Danube, His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias consents to the rectification of his frontier in Bessarabia.

The new frontier shall begin from the Black Sea, one kilometre to the east of the Lake Bourna Sola, shall run perpendicularly to the Akerman Road, shall follow that road to the Val de Trajan, pass to the south of Bolgrad, ascend the course of the River Yalpuck to the Height of Saratsika, and terminate at Katamori on the Pruth. Above that point the old frontier between the two Empires shall not undergo any modification (e).

Delegates of the Contracting Powers shall fix, in its details, the line of the new frontier.

ARTICLE XXI.

The territory ceded by Russia shall be annexed to the Principality of Moldavia, under the Suzerainty of the Sublime Porte.

The inhabitants of that territory shall enjoy the rights and privileges secured to the Principalities; and during the space of three years they shall be permitted to transfer their domicile elsewhere, disposing freely of their property.

ARTICLE XXII.

The Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia shall continue to enjoy under the Suzerainty of the Porte, and under the guarantee of

(d) [Abrogated in 1871.]

(e) [This territory was given back to Russia in 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin,

and the following articles relating to Roumania and Servia were at the same time annulled.]

the Contracting Powers, the privileges and immunities of which they are in possession. No exclusive protection shall be exercised over them by any of the guaranteeing Powers.

There shall be no separate right of interference in their internal affairs.

ARTICLE XXIII.

The Sublime Porte engages to preserve to the said Principalities an independent and national administration, as well as full liberty of worship, of legislation, of commerce, and navigation.

The rest of Article XXIII., and Articles XXIV. to XXVII., refer to the internal condition of the Principalities.

ARTICLE XXVIII.

The Principality of Servia shall continue to hold of the Sublime Porte, in conformity with the Imperial Hats which fix and determine its rights and immunities placed henceforward under the collective guarantee of the Contracting Powers.

In consequence the said Principality shall preserve its independence and national administration, as well as full liberty of worship, of legislation, of commerce, and of navigation.

ARTICLE XXIX.

The right of garrison of the Sublime Porte as stipulated by anterior regulations, is maintained (f). No armed intervention can take place in Servia without previous agreement between the High Contracting Powers.

ARTICLE XXX.

His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias and His Majesty the Sultan maintain in its integrity the state of their possessions in Asia, such as it legally existed before the rupture (g).

By Articles XXXI. and XXXII. it was agreed that Russian territory should be evacuated by the allied troops, and that commerce should continue as before between the parties, and in other matters their subjects should be respectively treated upon the footing of the most favoured nation.

STRAITS CONVENTION-DARDANELLES AND BOSPHORUS.

10. Convention between Great Britain, Austria, France, Prussia, Russia, and Sardinia on the one part, and the Sultan on the other part, respecting the Straits of the Dardanelles and of the Bosphorus. Signed at Paris, 30th March, 1856.

ARTICLE I.

His Majesty the Sultan, on the one part, declares that he is firmly resolved to maintain for the future the principle invariably established as the ancient rule of his Empire, and in virtue of which it has, at all times, been prohibited for the ships of war of foreign Powers to enter the Straits of the Dardanelles and of the Bosphorus, and that so long as the Porte is at peace, His Majesty will admit no foreign ship of war into the said Straits.

And their Majesties (the sovereigns of the Contracting Parties) on the other part engage to respect this determination of the Sultan, and to conform themselves to the principle above declared.

(f) [This right was renounced by (g) [Abrogated in 1878.] Turkey on the 10th April, 1867.]

ARTICLE II.

The Sultan reserves to himself, as in past times, to deliver Firmans of Passage for light vessels under flag of war, which shall be employed, as is usual, in the Missions of foreign Powers.

ARTICLE III.

The same exception applies to light vessels under flag of war which each of the Contracting Powers is authorized to station at the mouths of the Danube in order to secure the execution of the regulations relative to the liberty of that river, and the number of which is not to exceed two for each Power.

GUARANTY OF INTEGRITY OF OTTOMAN EMPIRE.

11. Treaty between Great Britain, Austria, and France, guaranteeing the Independence and Integrity of the Ottoman Empire. Signed at Paris, 15th April, 1856.

ARTICLE I.

The High Contracting Parties guarantee, jointly and severally, the independence and the integrity of the Ottoman Empire, recorded in the Treaty concluded at Paris on the 30th of March, 1856.

ARTICLE II.

Any infraction of the stipulations of the said Treaty will be considered by the Powers signing the present Treaty as a casus belli. They will come to an understanding with the Sublime Porte as to the measures which have become necessary, and will without delay determine among themselves as to the employment of their military or naval forces.

NAVAL FORCE IN THE BLACK SEA.

12. Convention between Russia and Turkey limiting their Naval Force in the Black Sea. Signed at Paris, 30th March, 1856 (h).

ARTICLE I.

The High Contracting Parties mutually engage not to have in the Black Sea any other vessels of war than those of which the number, the force, and the dimensions are hereinafter stipulated.

ARTICLE II.

The High Contracting Parties reserve to themselves each to maintain in that Sea, six steam vessels of 50 metres in length at the line of flotation, of a tonnage of 800 tons at the maximum, and four light steam or sailing vessels of a tonnage which shall not exceed 200 tons each.

INVIOLABILITY OF TREATIES.

13. Declaration between Great Britain, Austria, France, Italy, North Germany, Russia, and Turkey, as to non-alteration of Treaties without consent of Contracting Parties. London, 17th January,

1871.

The Plenipotentiaries of North Germany, of Austria-Hungary, of Great Britain, of Italy, of Russia, and of Turkey, assembled to-day in

(h) [Abrogated 13th March, 1871.]