Gross instructions to use to your Lordship. He trusts that an agreement is not far off. Nr. 10968. With regard to the two points at issue, M. de Nélidoff has reported that the question britannien. of the duration of the appointment of the Valis was one which could be dropped 28.Aug.1895. by the Representatives of the Powers, and the principle that the Gendarmerie should be recruited among the non-Mussulman and Mussulman inhabitants was accepted in the Project presented by the Porte. No further difficulty is, therefore, anticipated with regard to these matters. || Prince Lobanoff added that, although he would have preferred the Surveillance Committee should sit at Constantinople, in a conciliatory spirit and to avoid making difficulties, he had accepted your Lordship's proposal, but the Russian Ambassador at Constantinople had pointed out to him that a claim to be represented on the Committee might be put in by the other Powers who signed the Treaty of Berlin, the Committee being based on that Treaty, and, supposing this were to happen, your Lordship's proposed Committee of four Turks and three Europeans would no longer be possible. Prince Lobanoff does not like the idea of a Committee composed of a larger number of persons. Nr. 10969. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Gross Der Botschafter in Konstantinopel an den Minister des Auswärtigen. Der Sultan will eine türkische Kontrollkommission zugestehen. Constantinople, September 1, 1895, 10.40 a. m. (Received September 1.) Telegraphic. The following is the tenour of a verbal communication Nr. 10969. which Turkhan Pasha came yesterday evening to make to the three Em- britannien. bassies: The Turkish Commission of Control as proposed by the three 1. Sept. 1895. Ambassadors would be accepted by the Sultan on the understanding that the Dragomans would restrict their communications with the Commission to the reforms adopted by the Porte. || The nomination or election of Mudirs from the local Notables, the institution of rural guards, and the appointment of Christians, in proportion to their numbers, to the Administration and Gendarmerie would also be accepted. I said that a Commission with European members had now been demanded by the Powers. || The Minister for Foreign Affairs replied that a Commission with European members was quite out of the question, and he urged that his proposals should be telegraphed to your Lordship. I declined to do so unless the Foreign Minister put them in writing. This, without further instructions, he did not venture to do. Nr. 10970. RUSSLAND. Der Minister des Auswärtigen an den Geschäftsträger in London. Russland will das Zugeständnis der Pforte annehmen. Le 4 September 1895. Russland. La Porte consent, pour éviter la Commission de Surveillance proposée Nr. 10970. par Lord Salisbury, à admettre les communications directes des Drogmans 4. Sept. 1895. Staatsarchiv LVIII. 10 4. Sept. 1895. Nr. 10970. avec la Commission de Contrôle recommandée dans le projet des Ambassadeurs Russland. et cède sur la presque totalité de nos demandes avec des modifications relativement peu importantes. Nous croyons qu'on pourrait être satisfait de ce résultat pour terminer l'affaire Arménienne, mais aimerions préalablement connaître l'opinion du Cabinet Britannique. Nr. 10971. Nr. 10971. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Minister des Auswär- Foreign Office, September 7, 1895. Extract. The Russian Chargé d'Affaires called here on the 4th instant britannien. and communicated the substance of a telegram from Prince Lobanoff on the 7. Sept. 1895. last proposal made by the Porte respecting Armenian reforms. || I inclose a copy of this communication, in which you will perceive that the Prince expresses his opinion that the proposal concedes most of our demands, with only unimportant modifications. He thinks therefore that it might be accepted as a satisfactory settlement of the question, but he invites the opinion of Her Majesty's Government on the subject. || The French Ambassador called on the following day, and stated that M. Hanotaux was equally of opinion that, if possible, advantage should be taken of this offer to settle the question. In reply to these communications, the French Ambassador on the Russian Chargé d'Affaires have been informed that, in my opinion, if the Porte offers in writing. to accept the reforms proposed by the Ambassadors, with only unimportant omissions, the three Governments should accept the offer, though I have little confidence in any Commission composed exclusively of Turkish subjects. || I have laid stress on the importance of the offer being made in writing, and containing a substantial acceptance of the demands made by the Ambassadors, if it is to be taken in lieu of the Mixed Commission. Nr. 10972. Nr. 10972. TÜRKEI. Erlass an den Botschafter in London (dem Englischen Auswärtigen Amt am 9. September mitgeteilt). Weitere türkische Zugeständnisse. Constantinople, le 6 Septembre, 1895. Votre Excellence sait qu'à la suite du Mémorandum et du projet de réTürkei. formes qui nous avaient été présentés par les trois Ambassadeurs, nous leur 6. Sept. 1895. avions remis, de notre côté, un contre-projet élaboré par la Commission Ministérielle et sanctionné par Iradé Impérial. Copie de ce contre-projet a été envoyé à votre Excellence en son temps. || Il nous est revenu depuis que, trouvant les points acceptés par nous insuffisants, on allait nous faire certaines demandes concernant six autres points qui, exclus et discutés en Conseil des Ministres, ont été avec la sanction Impériale acceptés dans la forme sui Türkei. 6. Sept. 1895. vante: - || 1. Les avis et communications que les Drogmans auront à faire à Nr. 10972. la Commission devront se borner aux réformes dont l'application à été décidée par le Gouvernement Impérial pour les six vilayets et ne point s'en écarter; || 2. A l'exception des Valis et des Mutessarifs, qui devront être Musulmans, des fonctionnaires Chrétiens seront nommés proportionnellement au chiffre des populations; || 3. Il y aura dans chaque nahié des gardes champêtres. Le nombre en sera fixé par les Gouverneurs-Généraux sans pouvoir excéder le chiffre de cinq pour chaque nahié. Il va sans dire que dans les nahiés habités par des populations différentes, ils seront mixtes. Ces gardes champêtres seront choisis par le Conseil de Nahié. Leur uniforme et leur armement seront arrêtés par le Département de la Guerre; || 4. Les Règlements existant sur les prisons seront strictement observés et appliqués; || 5. Il y aura des officiers Chrétiens dans la police et la Gendarmerie; et || 6. Les Moudirs des nahiés seront, conformément aux Règlements, élus parmi les membres des Conseils des Nahiés. || Je prie votre Excellence de voir immédiatement son Excellence le Ministre des Affaires Étrangères et de lui faire part de ce qui précède. | Votre Excellence aura soin de déclarer en même temps que le Gouvernement Impérial ayant pris acte des assurances données tant ici par les trois Ambassadeurs au nom de leurs Gouvernements que par ceux-ci à nos Ambassadeurs accrédités auprès d'eux "comme quoi il ne pouvait même leur passer par l'idée de faire des propositions pouvant porter atteinte aux droits souverains de notre auguste Maître et à l'indépendance de l'Empire", il est évident que les six vilayets en question ne pourront acquérir dans l'avenir aucun caractère privilégié; et si, par impossible, une idée pareille venait un jour à surgir, le Gouvernement profitera des assurances précitées. Nr. 10973. TÜRKEI. Erlass an den Botschafter in London (dem englischen Auswärtigen Amt am 9. September mitgeteilt). Bestimmung über die christlichen Gendarmen. Constantinople, le 6 Septembre, 1895. Türkei. 6. Sept. 1895. Dans le cas où il se trouverait parmi les officiers de gendarmerie, les Nr. 10973. agents de police, et les gardes champêtres Chrétiens des individus qui, se laissant circonvenir par les manoeuvres et les intrigues des Comités Arméniens, manqueraient à leurs devoirs de fidélité, et, abusant de leur qualité, se porteraient, contrairement aux sentiments d'humanité, à des insultes et à des vexations à l'égard des Musulmans, ou qui prêteraient une aide matérielle ou morale aux agitateurs, le Gouvernement Impérial, sans préjudice de son droit d'avoir recours à l'action publique, se réserve, en cas de récidive et s'il le juge nécessaire, d'en aviser les trois Puissances et de se concerter à cet égard officieusemeut avec leurs Ambassadeurs. Nr. 10974. Nr. 10974. GROSSBRITANNIEN. - Der Botschafter in Petersburg an den Minister des Auswärtigen *). Unterredungen mit Fürst Lobanoff seit dem 30. August. St. Petersburgh, September 10, 1895. (Received September 16.) My Lord, By my telegram of the 31st ultimo, I had the honour to britannien, report to your Lordship the substance of a conversation which I had with 10.Sept.1895. Prince Lobanoff on the previous evening on the subject of Armenian reforms. His Excellency told me that he had heard from Constantinople that the Committee of Control suggested in the Ambassadors' scheme of reforms was still being discussed, although he had understood that that Committee had been superseded by the Committee of Surveillance proposed by your Lordship, and it was in the belief that such was the case that he had accepted your Lordship's proposal. He was now anxious to know whether the view he had taken was correct. I replied that I had formed exactly the same opinion as his Excellency, but in order that there might be no doubt on the subject, I would at once submit the question to your Lordship. || On the receipt on the 2nd instant of your Lordship's telegram of the 1st, I called upon Prince Lobanoff to inform him that his impression was quite correct. His Excellency then communicated to me a telegram which he had received from M. De Nélidoff, and which explained the matter. The Sultan had been so much alarmed at your Lordship's proposal, that he had declared himself willing to accept not only the Committee of Control suggested by the Ambassadors, but also the five points which were under discussion. M. Nélidoff also reported, that this new communication from the Sultan amounted to a practical acceptance of the Ambassadors' demands with insignificant modifications. His Excellency dwelt at some length on the desirability of bringing the question to a speedy conclusion, and expressed the hope, that an opportunity now offered for doing so. || On the afternoon of the 7th instant, I had a further interview with Prince Lobanoff, who showed me a telegram which he had received from the Russian Chargé d'Affaires in London, which, however, did not enable him to gather exactly what your Lordship's views were. His Excellency insisted upon the great desirability of putting an end to a question which had already dragged on too long, and which was inciting agitation not merely in the Armenian provinces, but throughout the whole of the Turkish Empire. He had reason to know that the French Government entirely shared this view, and he sincerely hoped that your Lordship would not allow an opportunity, which seemed a favourable one for settling the matter definitively, to be lost. Last night I had the honour of receiving your Lordship's telegram with regard to the six points which had been accepted in addition to those contained in the Turkish counter-project, and on meeting Prince Lobanoff at dinner to-night I asked him whether he had anything more to tell me with *) Anm. Substance telegraphed. Grossbritannien. regard to this question. His Excellency replied that he was most anxious Nr. 10974. to know what view your Lordship took of this communication from the Porte, and that he was awaiting with the greatest interest a telegram from M. Krou- 10.Sept.1895. pensky on the subject. Frank C. Lascelles. Nr. 10975. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Minister des Auswärtigen an den Botschafter in Petersburg. Zwei Methoden zur Beendigung der armenischen Frage. Foreign Office, September 11, 1895. Gross Telegraphic. I concur in Prince Lobanoff's view that a settlement of Nr. 10975. this Armenian question is highly desirable. It can, however, only be brought britannien. to a conclusion by some sort of security being afforded by the Sultan to the 11.Sept.1895. inhabitants of these provinces for life and property. || There are two ways by which this object may be attained. || One method is that advised by the Ambassadors of the three Powers at Constantinople, which consists in requiring that among the functionaries of all kinds there should be a proportion of Christians, and that where the high officials are Mussulmans they should have a Christian for their Assessor, and vice versa. || The other method consists in allowing a continuance of the present Mussulman administrative organization. under the supervision of a Commission resident in the province, and composed partially of European Commissioners, who should be able to report abuses to the Ambassadors at Constantinople. This was the suggestion of Her Majestys Government. It received the approval of the Governments of France and Russia, and was recommended verbally to the Turkish Government. Her Majesty's Government are willing to negotiate on either the one or the other of these forms of guarantee, but at present no definite offer of either in writing has reached them. Nr. 10976. TÜRKEI. Erlass an den Botschafter in London (dem englischen Auswärtigen Amt am 14. September mitgeteilt). Ueber die zwei Methoden Salisburys. Constantinople, le 14 Septembre, 1895. (Communicated by Rustem Pasha, September 14.) Türkei. Télégraphique. || Nous désirons comme Lord Salisbury que la question Nr. 10976. qui nous occupe soit réglée dans le plus bref délai. Des deux méthodes 14.Sept.1895. qu'elle indique, la seconde, à savoir l'institution sur les lieux d'une Commission d'Inspection composée en partie de Commissaires Européens, ne saurait en aucune façon être acceptée par nous parce qu'elle porterait atteinte aux. droits souverains de Sa Majesté Impériale le Sultan, notre auguste Maître, que les trois Puissances nous ont assuré à maintes reprises vouloir respecter et parce qu'elle coastituerait une ingérence évidente dans nos affaires intétieures. Reste la première, qui consisterait à nommer dans une certaine pro |