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No. 169.-FIRMAN of the Sultan (Mahmoud II), addressed to the Prince of Servia. December, 1833.*

TABLE.

Preamble.

§ 1. Districts to pass under Administration of Servia. Commissioners to define

Boundaries of Districts.

2. Period of 5 Years for Turks to sell their Property and quit Servia.

3. Servians to supply Victuals to Turks and Garrisons.

4. Turkish Authorities not to interfere in Affairs of Servians.

5. Turks to leave at expiration of 5 Years. Turks in neighbourhood of Fortresses to reside within them at expiration of 5 Years.

6. Servians to pay for Lands or Properties of Turks at expiration of 5 Years.

7. Turks and Servians to reside within the City of Belgrade.

8. Liberty of Commerce to Turks and Servians in Belgrade.

9. No one to carry Arms in Belgrade except the Military.

10. Turks not to erect Houses or Buildings out of the City of Belgrade.

11. Police Regulations.

12. Submission to Turkey.

13. Administration and Police of Belgrade.

14. Commercial Liberty to Subjects of Foreign Powers according to Treaties. 15. Foreigners may sell their Properties to Servians or Turks.

16. Aliens not to possess Landed Estates.

17. Turks or Servians may sell their respective Estates or Properties to each other.

18. Tribute to be paid to the Porte. Servians to manage their own Reve

nues.

19. Fortresses to be Demolished.

20. Execution of Firman.

(Translation as laid before Parliament.)

To the ornament of the Princes of the Christian nation, and the chief of the Grandees of the followers of Jesus, the head Kniez (leader) of the Servian nation, Milosch Obrenovitz Bey; may his end terminate in peace.

On the receipt of this noble and Imperial mandate, it may be known to you that, being desirous of rewarding the Servian nation, subject to my Empire, for the proofs of fidelity which they cease not giving to my Sublime Porte, and in accordance with my declared mercy and Imperial clemency towards them, I have promulgated, in the year 1246, an Imperial Firman (Nos. 146, 150), by which I was pleased to grant them several Privileges, such as

*See also Firmans of 24th December, 1838; General Treaty of 30th March, 1856, Arts. XXVIII, XXIX; and Protocol of 4th September, 1862.

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its interior administration; the reunion of such districts which had formerly been detached from Servia; the payment of all taxes consolidated into one sum only; the administration of all the wealth of the Turks, who, with the exception of the garrisons of the Fortresses, are on the point of quitting Servia in the space of twelve months, &c. But as the accomplishment of several of these points was necessarily deferred till some circumstances, connected with both the advantage of the Turks and that of the Servians, could be brought to light, and which it was necessary to know beforehand; and as now every doubt on these points has been removed, and all difficulties overcome by an understanding of the means of execution; and as it is my supreme will that the Privileges which I have granted to the said nation should be put into execution, and exercised according to the above-mentioned first Firman, granted to them out of my Imperial mercy, and be now consolidated with your own knowledge, I order and decree as follows:

Districts to pass under Administration of Servia. Commissioners to Define Boundaries of Districts.

That the Districts detached from Servia, which were formerly in litigation, will pass, as well as the rest of the Districts of Servia, under your administration, and their Boundary will be determined according to the information given by the Commissioners sent on the spot for that purpose, and in accordance with the topographical Maps made expressly for those Districts, which are the following:-Kraina, including Klioute; Tzerna-Jeka, with Gourgouchevatz; Barvia and Sverlic; Alexinitza, with Rosnia and Paroquina; Kruchevatz, known as Allaja-Ilissar; a part of the Stari-Vla (Old Wallachia), with part of the district of NoviPavar, known by the name of Berveme; and the Districts of Drina, formed of Jadra and Radgevena. In order, therefore, that the said Districts may regularly pass under the Servian administration, the requisite Firmans have been issued and sent to our Viziers, Hossein Pasha of Vidin, and to Veli Pasha of Belgrade ; and it was ordered by these Firmans that Commissioners shall be appointed by you, as well as by Hossein Pasha, to go on the spot to make a correct survey; and in order that this affair may be brought to a suitable conclusion, the Officers and Authorities of those places have been directed to join the said Commissioners, and to assist and help them as much as may be necessary for the

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purpose of finally determining the Boundary limits of those Districts; and that a copy of those topographical Maps, which have been already sent to our said Viziers, may be delivered into the hands of the said Commissioners and Surveyors.

Period of 5 Years for Turks to Sell their Property and quit Servia.

In the above-mentioned my last Imperial Firman, a Period of 12 months was granted to the Turks living in the small Towns about the Fortresses (the City of Belgrade excepted), to sell with advantage their Estates and to quit Servia; but as that term appears now insufficient for this purpose, and with the view of altering it and of enforcing it into a law, we have authorised the said Turks to stay 5 years longer in Servia, dating the term from the day of the issuing and promulgating the present Firman. During this Period of 5 years they will be under the domination of the respective Viziers of those places, and they shall be governed by the Turkish Authorities elected among themselves.

Servians to Supply Victuals to Turks and Garrisons.

The Victuals and Provisions necessary for the Turks, to whom the term of 5 years has been granted, and for those in the garrisons, which are to continue remaining for ever, shall be furnished by the Servians, and be paid for (by the Turks) in ready money, without any violence or vexation.

Turkish Authorities not to Interfere in Affairs of Servians.

The said Turkish Authorities shall not interfere in any way whatever with the affairs of the Servians, and they are to live with them on the best friendly terms.

Turks to Leave at expiration of 5 Years. Turks in neighbourhood of Fortresses to reside within them at expiration of 5 Years.

The Turks who may be desirous of leaving the Country before the said term of 5 years, shall receive every kind of assistance to sell their Property to the best advantage, and every facility for the conveyance of their families. But at the expiration of the said term, the Turks who inhabit small towns shall be obliged to quit them, and settle themselves elsewhere; those who live in the suburbs at the Fortresses (Belgrade excepted), shall be obliged to

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enter and reside in those Fortresses with their families, or to go elsewhere; so that no Turk for the future, on no account whatever, shall be allowed to settle in Servia.

Servians to Pay for Lands or Properties of Turks at expiration of 5 Years.

The Servians, however, shall be obliged to pay, punctually, and at a reasonable price, for the Lands or Properties bought of the Turks before their departure from the country.

Turks and Servians to Reside within the City of Belgrade.

As the Turks living in the City of Belgrade are not only destined to the Garrison of the Fortresses, but also carry on, besides, an advantageous commerce with the Servians; and as both these nations are equally subject to my Empire, I have decreed that, in order to enable these Turks to live in a suitable and comfortable manner, they should continue to inhabit the City of Belgrade, and to be under the control of its Governor, my Vizier Veli Pasha; and that for the security of general tranquillity, the Servians also shall be allowed to live and dwell in the said City of Belgrade as usual; and that you, Prince, and other Servian Officers, shall be at liberty to enter it and go out of it without being hindered or prevented by anybody whomsoever.

Liberty of Commerce to Turks and Servians in Belgrade.

The Turks, as well as the Servians, by paying the established duties of the Custom-house, will enjoy at Belgrade the Liberty of Commerce; the administration of the Custom-house will be intrusted to the Servians.

No one to carry Arms in Belgrade except the Military.

No one shall be allowed to carry Arms in the City of Belgrade except the Soldiers under the command of the said Pasha, the Garrison, the Servian Officers, and the Police Officers.

Turks not to erect Houses or Buildings out of the City of

Belgrade.

The Turks will not be permitted to erect Houses or any other kind of Buildings out of the City of Belgrade.

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Police Regulations.

The Turks shall be obliged to submit to the Regulations of Police, which the Turkish Governor of Belgrade and you, Prince, shall think proper to establish.

Submission to Turkey.

Neither you, nor the Servian nation, shall ever act in any manner whatever contrary to the duties of faithful subjects, nor contrary to the Submission which you owe to my Sublime Porte.

Administration and Police of Belgrade.

The aforesaid Governor of Belgrade and yourself will always consult together for all that concerns the Administration and Police of the City.

Commercial Liberty to Subjects of Foreign Powers according to

Treaties.

The permission granted to the subjects of Foreign Powers to carry on Commerce and to dwell in the City of Belgrade, is also one of the points upon which the Governor of Belgrade and yourself must understand each other, and act together, so that the said strangers may enjoy the requisite protection and assistance which they are entitled to, according to the Treaties concluded between my Sublime Porte and those friendly Powers.

Foreigners may sell their Properties to Servians or Turks.

Those who wish, of their own accord, to sell to the Servians or to other Turks, the Properties which they possess in the City of Belgrade, may do so without being prevented or opposed.

Aliens not to possess Landed Estates.

But the Alien Subjects shall not possess Landed Estates either in the City of Belgrade or in any other part of the country.

Turks or Servians may sell their respective Estates or Properties to

each other.

There shall be no prohibition to the Turks or the Servians from selling to each other, willingly, their respective Estates or Properties.