Meanwhile, a strife between Christians in Bulgaria (excited in part by secret societies, and by the Circassians and Bashi-Bazouks, with other Mohammedans) led to horrible atrocities. In the autumn of 1876, the Czar thought that force should be used to stop Turkish misrule. A conference of representatives of the signatories of the treaty of 1856 assembled at Constantinople, in December, 1876, but effected nothing. Russia then went to war on its own account, alleging the cruelties in Bulgaria and the oppression in Servia. The result of the war was to crush Turkey and bring an invading army near to the capital. The separate peace and a number of its special stipulations were flagrant violations of the treaties of 1856 and 1871. As this treaty has been superseded by the definitive treaty, we give only the substance of its leading articles: (1.) Bulgaria, with a vastly greater territory than before, comprising nearly the whole of Roumelia, was to be a self-governing tributary principality, electing its own prince, with a Christian government, and a national militia. An assembly of Bulgarian notables was to organize a future administration under the superintendence of a Russian commissioner, and in the presence of an Ottoman commissioner in conformity with the precedent established in 1830, after the peace of Adrianople, in the Danubian principalities. (Articles VI., VII.) The new system was for two years to be under the superintendence of a Russian commissioner. (Article VII.) The Ottoman army is required to evacuate the province, the fortresses are to be razed, and Russian troops are to occupy the country for about two years. The tribute to be paid by Bulgaria to the Ottoman government is to be determined by an agreement between Russia, the Ottoman government, and the other Cabinets. The Porte shall have the right to transport regular troops, etc., through Bulgaria by fixed routes, and to send its postal service and telegraphs through the province. (Articles VIII.-XI.) Montenegro and Servia shall be independent, with boundaries partly new, to be adjusted by boards of commissioners. Roumania also is to be Independent. 1,410,000,000 roubles are to be paid by the Porte as war-indemnity, of which 1,100,000,000 can be discharged by the cession of certain territory, in which Ardahan, Kars, Batoum, Bayazet are included with other places. (Articles V.-XIX.) The definitive Treaty of Berlin, signed July 13, and ratified August 3, 1878, consists of sixty-three articles, of which Articles I.-XII. relate to Bulgaria; XIII-XXII. to a new province of East Roumelia; XXV. to Bosnia and Herzegovina; XXVI.-XXXIII. to Montenegro; XXXIV.-XLII. to Servia; XLIII.-LVII. to Roumania and the Danube; LVIII.-LXI. to the eastern territory in Asia Minor; LXII. to general liberties in the Ottoman Empire; and LXIII. maintains the Treaty of Paris in 1856, and that of London in 1871, as far as their provisions are not abrogated or modified by the stipulations of the Treaty of Berlin itself. Of the indemnity to be paid by Turkey to Russia the definitive treaty takes no notice. The definitive, like the preliminary treaty, establishes Bulgaria as an autonomous tributary principality under the Sultan's suzerainty, with a Christian government and a national militia. The frontier from Servia follows the Danube to a point, east of Silistria, to be determined by a European commission, thence crosses to the Black Sea to the south of Mangalia, which is included in Roumanian territory, thence follows the coast to a brook, up the channel of which it ascends to the Balkan, and follows the high lands to the former eastern frontier of Servia, and thence that frontier to the Danube. The prince of Bulgaria shall be freely chosen by the population and confirmed by the Porte, with the assent of the signatory powers. The organic law shall be drawn up by Bulgarian notables convened at Tirnova before the choice of a prince, who shall belong to no reigning dynasty from among the great European powers. No one shall be excluded from any rights, civil or political, or profession or industry, on account of his religious confession. The provisional administration shall be under a Russian commissioner until the organic law shall be completed, and he shall be aided by a Turkish commissioner and consuls of other powers delegated ad hoc. The provisional regime shall not continue longer than nine months. The tribute to be paid to the suzerain shall be fixed by agreement between the powers signatory of the treaty at the close of the first year of the new organization. The powers will decide also what part of the debt of the Empire ought to fall to Bulgaria's share. The Ottoman army will leave Bulgaria, and within a year all fortresses be razed. Mussulman proprietors, living outside the principality, may farm out their property, or have it administered by third parties. South of the Balkans, and bounded north and west by Bulgaria, a province is constituted by the treaty, to be called Eastern Roumelia. This is to be under the direct authority of the Sultan, to have a Christian governor general and an administrative autonomy. The governor, nominated by the Sultan, shall hold office for five years. A European commission will determine within three months, in concert with the Porte, the organization of Eastern Roumelia, and will administer the finances of the province in concert with the Sublime Porte until the organization shall be completed. The Russian army of occupation in Bulgaria and Eastern Roumelia shall not exceed fifty thousand men, to be maintained at the expense of the country occupied, nor continue the occupation longer than nine months after the exchange of the ratification of the present treaty. The organic law of 1868, with equitable modifications, the Sultan undertakes to apply in the Island of Crete, and to introduce similar laws, excepting as regards exemption from taxation, in other parts of Turkey in Europe for which the present treaty has provided no special organization. In so doing he will consult the European Commission for Eastern Roumelia. Bosnia and Herzegovina shall be occupied by Austria-Hungary, except the Sandjak of Novi-Bozar, between Servia and Montenegro, where the Ottoman administration will continue, according to the wish of Austria. Montenegro is recognized by the Sublime Porte and all the contracting powers as an independent state. The free exercise of all forms of worship, and the entire equality of all confessions, as it respects civil and political rights and the exercise of professions and industries, shall be assured to all Montenegrins as well as foreigners residing in the country. These rights are assured also in Servia and Roumania by the treaty, Mussulmans or others possessing property in Montenegro and wishing to reside elsewhere may farm it out or administer it by means of third parties. The same right is granted by the treaty within Servian territory. Montenegro receives by the treaty an accession of territory, among the rest the small Albanian port of Antivari, and shall have complete freedom on the Boyana. It is to have neither ships nor a flag of war; Antivari is to remain closed to all public vessels, and shall adopt the maritime code in force in Dalmatia. Montenegro is to bear for the new territory a share of the public Turkish debt, such as the representatives of the powers at Constantinople shall determine. The same rule applies to Servia also. Servia is recognized as independent, under conditions, several of which have just been named. Its territory is considerably enlarged. It takes the place of Turkey, as far as its territories are concerned in engagements made towards Austria-Hungary and the company for the working of the railways of European Turkey in completing and operating them. Roumania also is recognized as fully independent. As it respects territory the part of Bessarabia detached from Russia by the peace of 1856 is restored; and on the other hand the islands of the Delta of the Danube, the Isle of Serpents, the Sandjak of Toultcha, are added to Roumania, together with a tract to the south of the Dobroutscha, starting from the east of Silistria, and terminating south of Mangalia on the Black Sea. The commission for the Bulgarian boundary is to determine the frontier. Provisions are then made touching rights enjoyed under Turkish supremacy. The sixty-second article is of great importance. The Sultan engages that in no part of the Ottoman Empire shall difference of religion be a ground for excluding any person from the discharge of civil and political rights, admission to public employments, functions and honors, or the exercise of the various professions and industries. All persons shall be admitted, without distinction of religion, to give evidence before the tribunals. The freedom and exercise of all forms of worship are assured to all, and no hindrance shall be offered either to the hierarchical organization of the various communions, or to their relations with their spiritual chiefs. Ecclesiastics, pilgrims, and monks of all nationalities, traveling in Turkey in Europe or Turkey in Asia, shall enjoy equal rights, advantages, and privileges. The right of official protection by the diplomatic and consular agents of the powers in Turkey is recognized, both as regards the abovementioned persons, and their religious, charitable, and other establishments in the holy places and elsewhere. The rights possessed by France are ex pressly reserved; and it is well understood that no alterations can be made in the status quo of the holy places. The monks of Mount Athos, of whatever country they may be natives, shall be maintained in their former possessions and advantages, and shall enjoy, without any exemption, complete equality of rights and prerogatives. A convention between England and Turkey, signed June 4, 1878 (and thus before the Peace of Berlin), provides that if Batoum, Ardahan, Kars, or any of them shall be retained by Russia, and if any attempt shall be made at any future time by Russia to get possession of any other portion of the territories of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, as fixed by the definitive treaty of peace, England engages to join His Imperial Majesty the Sultan in defending them by force of arms. In return, His Imperial Majesty the Sultan promises to England to introduce the necessary reforms (to be agreed upon at a later time, between the two powers), aiming at good administration, and the protection of the Christian and other subjects of the Sublime Porte in these territories; and in order to enable England to secure the necessary means for the execution of her engagement, His Imperial Majesty further consents to assign the Island of Cyprus to be occupied and administered by England. In an Annex it is provided (1.) That a Mussulman tribunal, with sole cognizance of religious matters touching the Mussulman population of the island, shall continue to exist. (2.) That religious property shall be administered by a Mussulman residing in the island, conjointly with a delegate appointed by the British authorities. (3.) That England engages to pay the present excess of revenue over expenditure in the island, calculated on the last five years' averages, and not counting produce of state or crown lands, let or sold during that period. (4.) That other crown or state lands, not yielding the rents referred to under (3), may be sold or leased by the Porte. (5.) That the English government may purchase, compulsorily, uncultivated land, or such as is needed for public improvements; and (6) If Russia restores to Turkey Kars and other conquests made in Armenia during the late war, Cyprus will be evacuated by England, and this convention of 1878 will be at an end. INDEX. The references to the text are generally made to the Sections; those to Appen- ABERDEEN, Earl of, on the right of search, § 219. Adams, J. Q., on the Monroe doctrine, § 48; negotiations on suppressing the Admiralty, English court of, its doctrine on notice of blockade, § 203. Agents of intercourse, § 86, et seq. See Ambassadors, Consuls. Aix-la-Chapelle. See Congress. Alabama, case of the, § 170. Albericus Gentilis, § 96; App. i., p. 417. Alexander VI., Pope, his grants to Spain and Portugal, § 55. Aliens to be protected, § 65; their right to asylum, ibid.; right of innocent pas- Amalfi, sea laws of, App. i., p. 414. Amazon, the, navigation of, § 62. Ambassador, general term, § 86; also denotes one class of agents, ibid., and § 98; |