Chapter XVIII: Appendix: B

TREATY BETWEEN RUSSIA AND TURKEY, CONCLUDED AT ST. PETERSBURG, BY ACHMET PACHA, ON THE 29th OF JANUARY, 1834.

Translation.

The most high and most puissant Ottoman Emperor, my benefactor and master, on the one part, and the most high and most magnanimous Emperor of all the Russias, on the other, animated by the desire with which they are inspired by the sincere friendship, cordiality, and confidence, that happily exist between them, to arrange definitively certain points of the Treaty concluded between the two High Powers at Adrianople, which have not been hitherto carried into execution, have named for this purpose as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say, H. M. the Ottoman Emperor, His Excellency Mouchir Ahmed Pacha, Military Counsellor of the Seraglio, Ambassador Extraordinary of the Sublime Porte at the Imperial Court of Russia, &c. &c., and H. M. the Emperor of Russia, their Excellencies the Count Nesselrode, Vice-Chancellor of the Empire, and the Count Alexis Orloff, General of Cavalry, Aide-de-Camp of the Emperor, &c. &c., who, after having reciprocally shown their full powers, have agreed on the following Articles:

ARTICLE I.

The two high Courts having deemed it necessary to establish, as has been already stipulated in the Treaty of Adrianople, a line of demarcation between the two Empires in the East, such as may henceforth prevent every species of dispute and discussion, it has been agreed that a line should be traced that should completely obstruct the depredations which the neighbouring tribes have been in the habit of committing, and which have more than once compromised the relations of neighbourhood and friendship between the two Empires. Accordingly, and as Commissioners on both sides have examined the localities, and obtained the necessary information for this purpose, the two Contracting Parties have resolved to proceed to the settlement of the frontiers in such a way as that the object wisely laid down in the Treaty of Adrianople should be completely fulfilled; and with that view they have adopted, with common accord, the line which may be seen traced in red on the map which is appended to the present treaty.

Conformably to the fourth Article of the Treaty of Adrianople, this line departs from Port St. Nicolo on the coast of the Black Sea, follows the actual frontiers of Guriel, ascends as far as the frontiers of Juira, thence traverses the Province of Akhiskha, and strikes the point where the provinces of Akhiskha and of Cars are reunited to the Province of Georgia. Thus the greatest part of the Province of Akhiskha remains, together with the other countries and territories mentioned in the said Treaty, under the dominion of the Sublime Porte, as may be seen by the map, of which two copies have been made and collated by the Plenipotentiaries of the two Powers, and which, considered as forming part of the present Treaty, are to be subjoined to it, as evidence of the manner in which the future limits of the two empires have been settled.

After the exchange of the ratifications of the present Treaty and as soon as posts shall have been erected by the Commissioners named on both sides, according to the line traced on the map, from one end to the other, the Russian troops shall evacuate the territories situated beyond that line, and shall retire within the limits which it prescribes. So also the Mussulmans who inhabit the inconsiderable territories which are comprised within the line that passes by the Sandjack of Ghroubhan and the extremities of the Sandjacks of Ponskron and of Djildir, and who may wish to establish themselves within the territories of the Sublime Porte, shall be at liberty, within the term of eighteen months, from the date of the exchange of the ratifications of the Treaty, to arrange the affairs which attach them to the country, and to transport themselves to the Turkish States without molestation.

ARTICLE II.

By the Instrument executed separately at Adrianople relative to the Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, the Sublime Porte had undertaken to recognise formally the regulations made, while the Russian troops occupied those Provinces, by the Principal inhabitants with reference to their internal administration; the Sublime Porte finding nothing in the Articles of that Constitution which can affect its rights of Sovereignty, consents henceforth to recognise formally the said Constitution.

It engages to publish in this respect a Firman, accompanied by a Hatti Sherif, two months after the exchange of ratifications, and to give a copy of the same to the Russian Mission at Constantinople.

After the formal recognition of the Constitution, the Hospodars of Wallachia and Moldavia shall be named, but for this time only, and as a case entirely peculiar, in the manner which was agreed upon some time ago between the two Contracting Powers, and they will proceed to govern the two Provinces conformably to the Constitution, in pursuance of the stipulations above mentioned.

His Majesty the Emperor of Russia wishing to afford a new proof of the regard and consideration which he entertains towards his Highness, and to hasten the moment when the Sublime Porte shall exercise the rights which the Treaties secure to it over the two Provinces, will order his troops, as soon as the Princes shall have been named, to retire from the two Provinces. This point shall be executed two months after the nomination of the Princes. And as a compensation is due in all justice for the advantages which the Sublime Porte grants as a favour to the Wallachians and Moldavians, it is agreed and ordained that the annual tribute, which the two Provinces ought to pay according to the Treaties, shall be fixed henceforth at six thousand purses (that is to say, at three millions of Turkish piastres); and the Princes shall take care that this sum be annually paid, counting from the 1st of January, 1835.

It is agreed between the two Courts that the number of troops, which shall be employed as garrisons in the interior of the two Provinces, shall be fixed in an invariable manner and with the approbation of the Porte, and that the latter is to give colours to the garrisons, and a flag to the Valacho-Moldavian merchant vessels which navigate the Danube.

ARTICLE III.

With respect to the desire manifested by His Highness to execute scrupulously the engagements which he has undertaken by the third Article of the explanatory and separate Act which is appended to the Treaty of Adrianople, and by the Treaty of Petersburg relative thereunto, H. M. the Emperor of all the Russias is most willing to afford to the Sublime Porte new facilities for the execution of the engagements imposed by the Acts above mentioned, and it is accordingly agreed:

1º. That although it has been stipulated by the second Article of the Treaty of St. Petersburg, that the Sublime Porte shall pay annually, and during eight years, one million of Dutch ducats, it shall pay only five hundred thousand ducats per annum.

2º. That the Sublime Porte be no longer obliged, as it has hitherto been, to pay in the month of May, each year, and at one time only, the whole yearly sum, and that it shall henceforth pay the five hundred thousand ducats by degrees, but the entire sum within the interval from the month of May of one year to the month of May in the following year.

3º. That his Imperial Majesty renounces his right to demand the difference, which arose at the period of each payment of the portion of the indemnities for the expenses of the war and the commercial claims, between the price at which the Sublime Porte paid the ducat in Turkish piastres, and the real value of the ducats.

4º. That moreover, his Imperial Majesty, taking into consideration the embarrassments in which the Treasury of that Empire has been lately involved, consents to the immediate defalcation of two millions of ducats, which is the third of the amount of the indemnities for the expenses of the war.

5º. That considering the defalcation above announced, and the other arrangements already mentioned, the sum total of the indemnities amounts to four millions of Dutch ducats, of which the first portion to be paid in one year, as one account, consists of 500,000 ducats, and which shall be paid from the 1st of May, 1834, to the 1st of May, 1835, and the corresponding portions in the following years shall be paid in the same manner until the whole debt be discharged; but upon the condition that the assurances, guarantees, and facilities stipulated by Articles 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9 of the Treaty of St. Petersburg shall preserve down to that period all their force, as if they had been inserted word for word in the present Treaty.

CONCLUSION.

In virtue of the powers which have been given me, I have concluded the present Treaty, which shall be ratified by the Contracting Parties, and the ratification of which shall be exchanged at Constantinople, within the term of six weeks, or sooner if possible; I have affixed to it my seal and signature, and I have delivered it to their Excellencies the Plenipotentiaries of the Court of Russia at Petersburg, in exchange for the counterpart which they have delivered to me.

Done the 18th Ramazan,
1249.