[War. Russia and Turkey.]

as the Sublime Porte, from the desire of preserving peace, displayed a mildness and condescension, in so much did Russia oppose to her reserve and hostile proceedings. It was natural that such a conduct should excite in the minds of Mussulmans the idea of inert enmity, and awaken among them all the ardour of Islamism.

Besides that nothing can prove the reproach which Russia addresses to us, of having concluded the Treaty of Ackermann with a mental reservation-the Proclamation which the Sublime Porte for certain reasons circulated in its States, being an internal transaction, of which the Sublime Porte alone knows the motive, it is evident that the language held by a Government to its own subjects cannot be a ground for another Government picking a quarrel with it.

Nevertheless, immediately after the departure of the Envoy, the Grand Vizier, in an official letter to the Prime Minister of Russia, clearly expressed that, faithful to the good intentions so long manifested, the Sublime Porte was always desirous of maintaining Peace. Now if Russia had equally desired, as she pretended in her Declaration, sincerely to maintain Peace between the two States, as all discussions between Powers ought to be based on the text of Treaties, or on official documents, the official letter of the Grand Vizier well deserved to be accepted and taken into consideration according to diplomatic practice; and in the hypothesis of this Proclamation having given some suspicion to Russia, the course of communication not being obstructed between the two Courts, Russia might have applied amicably to the Sublime Porte to ascertain the truth and to clear up her doubts. Far from following this course, perhaps even without taking into consideration the correct information transmitted on the subject by the representatives of other friendly Powers who were still here, she hastened to class that Proclamation among the number of her complaints and pretexts. Then is not the party which has declared War evidently that which must have concluded the Treaty of Ackermann with a mental reservation? The facts carry their proof along with them, and relieve us from the necessity of further demonstration.

We come now to the seizure of the cargoes of Russian vessels. Though the corn which the Ottoman Provinces furnished, is, thanks be to God, sufficient for the consumption of the capital, nevertheless the Blockade, established contrary to Peace and good

1

[War. Russia and Turkey.]

understanding for the purpose of preventing the Mussulman troops in the Morea from receiving provisions, we have determinde to transport from certain parts of Roumelia to that Peninsula the grain destined to the capital, it became necessary to supply the deficit thereby created here in a way heretofore practised, and which equally affected the merchants of other friendly nations. The corn of the Russian merchants was purchased at the current market price for the subsistence of Constantinople, and the amount paid to the owners. This measure, arising solely from the Blockade, cannot be made a just cause of complaint against the Sublime Porte. Besides, the immense losses which the Sublime Porte has experienced in consequence of the Greek Revolution, as well as the damage caused at Navarino, give it a full right to complain, while others had no title to speak of their losses, their commerce enjoying greater advantages than before.

As to the reproach of having excited Persia against Russia, it is a pure caluminy. Never did the Sublime Porte think it consistent with its dignity to instigate one nation against another. Far from exciting Persia, the Sublime Porte observed the strictest neutrality, neither mixing itself up with the origin or the issue of the War or the Peace between the two Empires. If some neighbouring Pachas made preparations, they were only measures of precaution usual to every State bordering upon two other nations at War. It thus clearly appears that the endeavour of Russia to ascribe these preparations to hostile intentions towards herself, has as little foundation as the rest.

Russia has constantly made use of the protection, and of the interests which she felt or professed, in favour of the unfortunate inhabitants of Wallachia and Moldavia, to excite all sorts of discussions against the Sublime Porte. Would any one wish to convince himself that her true object was not to protect them, but to pick a quarrel with us, let him consider the evils which have been inflicted upon them by the invasion of Ypsilanti, and by the unjust inroad of the Russian Army in contempt of Treaties. Such are the inhabitants whom Russia pretends to protect! It is to Russia to whom they owe their ruin. It was very easy for the Sublime Porte to cause her victorious troops to enter the two Principalities after she knew that Russia was making preparations to invade them; but never having at any time permitted, contrary to the Divine law, the least vexation towards her subjects, and being anxious to insure the welfare and tranquillity of

[War. Russia and Turkey.]

the two Provinces under the shade of the Imperial Throne, she abstained in order to spare the misfortunes of the inhabitants.

In a word, the Sublime Porte makes the present Declaration that none may have anything to say against her; that it may be weighed in the balance of equity and truth, how much injustice there was on the part of Russia in resisting the important demands and the grave complaints of the Sublime Porte, which are as clear as the sun, in inventing all kinds of objections, in interpreting in a thousand different ways the system followed by the Ottoman Government, and in declaring War without motive or necessity; in fine, that exempt from every kind of regret respecting the means of resistance which the Mussulman nation will employ, relying upon the Divine assistance, and acting in conformity with the holy law, she may be able to clear her conscience of an event which will occasion now and henceforward trouble to so many beings, and perhaps may shake the tranquillity of the whole world.

June, 1828.

[Conference of Poros.]

No. 141. PROTOCOL of Conference between the Representatives of Great Britain, France, and Russia, relative to the Insular and Continental Boundaries of Greece, &c. Poros, 12th December, 1828.*

TABLE.

Preamble. Reference to Treaty of 6th July, 1827.

§ 1. Portions of Greece freed from presence of the Turks.

5. Thessaly and Epirus not to be included in Continental Boundary.

6. Continental Boundary should include Guif of Arta to the Pass of Macrinoros, and the chain of Mount Othryx.

7. Steps necessary to be taken to secure proposed Frontier.

8. Insular Boundary.

9. Tribute.

(Translation as laid before Parliament.†)

Reference to Treaty of 6th July, 1827.

AFTER mature consideration of the information furnished by the Greek Government, and after frequent communications with Count Capodistrias, the Representatives, conforming themselves carefully to the instructions with which they have been collectively furnished, agree to record in this Protocol their definitive opinion upon the several points of the Treaty of London (6th July, 1827) (No. 136), upon which the Courts are called upon in their benevolence to decide.

Acknowledging, on the one hand, the impossibility of obtain

See also Protocols of 22nd March, 1829, and 3rd February, 1830; Arrangement of 21st July, 1832; and Treaties of 7th May, 1832; 30th April, 1833; 13th July and 14th November, 1863; and 29th March, 1864. + For French version, see State Papers," vol. xvii, p. 405.

[Conference of Poros.]

ing perfectly accurate details respecting the statistics of Greece, where ruin, the result of the war, has succeeded to the arbitrary dominion of the Pashas,-and admitting on the other, that the information which has been acquired, is, notwithstanding these difficulties, sufficient to furnish useful data and approximate estimates; religiously adhering to the principles and object of the Treaty of London, the aim of which is the pacification of the Levant by means of a Mediation-if that be still possible; and, in the last place, confining themselves to seeking for Greece, guarantees for tranquillity, and facilities for defence, the Representatives have come to the following conclusions relative to the four questions specified in their instructions, namely; Boundaries, Tribute, Indemnity, and the relations of Suzerainty to be established between the Ottoman Porte and the Greek Government.

Portions of Greece freed from presence of the Turks.

§ I. The only parts of Greece actually freed from the presence of the Turks, within the Limits specified by the instructions, are, the Morea, the Islands, and some detached portions of Roumelia.

Claims of Greece to Independence.

§ II. Those parts of the Greek Continent which have taken the most active and persevering share in the Insurrection, and in which the Christian population generally, in consequence of its numbers, and of the comparative extent of its possessions, has the best claims to the Independence contemplated by the Treaty, are to be found between the Isthmus of Corinth, and the high mountains which traverse the Continent from the Gulf of Arta to the Gulfs of Zeitoun and Volo.

Maritime Defences necessary to Greece.

§ III. With respect to the means of Maritime Defence, and looking, in the first place, only to the Morea, it would be of great importance for the tranquillity and the security of that Peninsula, that the Greeks should be put in possession of the northern shore of the Gulf of Corinth, and even of that of the Gulf of Patras ; although the latter would be, in this point of view, of less urgent necessity. In examining with a like view the situation of Attica, Boeotia, and Loeris, it is to be feared that these provinces would not enjoy lasting tranquillity if the Island of Negropont should not be annexed to them.