[Pacification of the Levant.] power to those subjects of the Sultan who may manifest their fidelity and allegiance to their Sovereign. Defence of Constantinople by Allied Powers against Mehemet Ali. ART. III. If Mehemet Ali, after having refused to submit to the conditions of the arrangements above mentioned, should direct his land or sea forces against Constantinople, the High Contracting Parties, upon the express demand of the Sultan, addressed to their Representatives at Constantinople, agree, in such case, to comply with the request of that Sovereign, and to provide for the defence of his Throne by means of a co-operation agreed upon by mutual consent, for the purpose of placing the two Straits of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles, as well as the capital of the Ottoman Empire, in security against all aggression. Allied Forces to withdraw at request of Sultan. It is further agreed that the forces which, in virtue of such concert may be sent as aforesaid, shall there remain so employed as long as their presence shall be required by the Sultan; and when His Highness shall deem their presence no longer necessary, the said forces shall simultaneously withdraw, and shall return to the Black Sea and to the Mediterranean respectively. Entrance of Straits of Dardanelles and Bosphorus for Defence of Constantinople exceptional. Rule prohibiting Foreign Ships of War to enter Dardanelles and Bosphorus to be maintained.* ART. IV. It is, however, expressly understood that the cooperation mentioned in the preceding Article, and destined to place the Straits of the Dardanelles and of the Bosphorus, and the Ottoman capital, under the temporary safeguard of the High Contracting Parties against all aggression of Mehemet Ali, shall be considered only as a measure of exception adopted at the express demand of the Sultan, and solely for his defence in the single case above mentioned; but it is agreed, that such measure shall not derogate in any degree from the ancient rule of the Ottoman Empire, in virtue of which it has in all times been prohibited for Ships of War of Foreign Powers to enter the Straits of the Dardanelles and of the Bosphorus. And the Sultan, on the one hand, hereby declares that excepting the contingency above mentioned, it is his firm resolution to maintain in future this principle inva*See General Treaties of 30th March, 1856; and 13th March, 1871. [Pacification of the Levant.] riably established as the ancient rule of his Empire, and as long as the Porte is at Peace, to admit no Foreign Ship of War into the Straits of the Bosphorus and of the Dardanelles; on the other hand, their Majesties the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, the King of Prussia, and the Emperor of All the Russias, engage to respect this determination of the Sultan, and to conform to the above-mentioned principle. Ratifications. The present Convention shall be ratified, and the Ratifications thereof shall be exchanged at London at the expiration of two months, or sooner if possible. In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the Seals of their Arms. Done at London, the 15th day of July, in the year of Our Lord, 1840. (L.S.) PALMERSTON. (L.S.) NEUMANN. (L.S.) BULOW. (L.S.) BRUNNOW. (L.S.) CHEKIB. (ANNEX.)-Separate Act to the Convention of 15th July, 1840. His Highness the Sultan intends to grant, and to cause to be notified to Mehemet Ali, the conditions of the Arrangement hereinafter detailed:* Grant of Pashalic of Egypt to Mehemet Ali and his descendants. Administration of Southern Syria by Mehemet Ali during his life. Title of Pasha of Acre. § 1. His Highness promises to grant to Mehemet Ali, for himself and for his descendants in the direct line, the administration of the Pashalic of Egypt; and His Highness promises, moreover, to grant to Mehemet Ali, for his life, with the title of Pasha of Acre, and with the command of the Fortress of St. John of Acre, the administration of the southern part of Syria, the limits of which shall be determined by the following line of demarcation: *See Reserved Protocol, p. 1018. [Pacification of the Levant.] Limits of Southern Syria to be administered by Mehemet Ali. This line, beginning at Cape Ras-el-Nakhora, on the coast of the Mediterranean, shall extend direct from thence as far as the mouth of the River Seizaban, at the northern extremity of the Lake of Tiberias; it shall pass along the western shore of that Lake; it shall follow the right bank of the River Jordan, and the western shore of the Dead Sea; from thence it shall extend straight to the Red Sea, which it shall strike at the northern point of the Gulf of Akaba; and from thence it shall follow the western shore of the Gulf of Akaba, and the eastern shore of the Gulf of Suez, as far as Suez. Conditions imposed on Mehemet Ali. Withdrawal of Egyptian Troops from Arabia, Candia, &c. The Sultan, however, in making these offers, attaches thereto the condition, that Mehemet Ali shall accept them within the space of 10 days after communication thereof shall have been made to him at Alexandria, by an agent of His Highness; and that Mehemet Ali shall, at the same time, place in the hands of that agent the necessary instructions to the Commanders of his sea and land forces, to withdraw immediately from Arabia, and from all the Holy Cities which are therein situated; from the Island of Candia; from the district of Adana; and from all other parts of the Ottoman Empire which are not comprised within the limits of Egypt, and within those of the Pashalic of Acre, as above defined. Time within which Mehemet Ali is to accept Arrangement. § 2. If within the space of 10 days, fixed as above, Mehemet Ali should not accept the above-mentioned arrangement, the Sultan will then withdraw the offer of the life administration of the Pashalic of Acre; but His Highness will still consent to grant to Mehemet Ali, for himself and for his descendants in the direct line, the administration of the Pashalic of Egypt, provided such. offer be accepted within the space of the 10 days next following, that is to say, within a period of 20 days, to be reckoned from the day on which the communication shall have been made to > him; and provided that in this case also, he places in the hands of the agent of the Sultan, the necessary instructions to his military and naval commanders to withdraw immediately within the limits, and into the ports of the Pashalic of Egypt. [Pacification of the Levant.] Tribute to be paid to the Sultan. § 3. The annual Tribute to be paid to the Sultan by Mehemet Ali, shall be proportioned to the greater or less amount of territory of which the latter may obtain the administration, according as he accepts the first or the second alternative. Mehemet Ali to deliver up Turkish Fleet. § 4. It is, moreover, expressly understood that, in the first as in the second alternative, Mehemet Ali (before the expiration of the specified period of 10 or of 20 days), shall be bound to deliver up the Turkish fleet, with the whole of its crews and equipments, into the hands of the Turkish agent who shall be charged to receive the same. The Commanders of the allied squadrons shall be present at such delivery. Maintenance of Ottoman Fleet by Mehemet Ali. It is understood, that in no case can Mehemet Ali carry to account, or deduct from the Tribute to be paid to the Sultan, the expenses which he has incurred in the maintenance of the Ottoman fleet, during any part of the time it shall have remained in the ports of Egypt. Treaties and Laws of Ottoman Empire applicable to Egypt and Syria. Taxes and Imposts to be collected by Pasha of Egypt. Civil and Military Expenses to be defrayed by the Pasha. § 5. All the Treaties, and all the Laws of the Ottoman Empire, shall be applicable to Egypt, and to the Pashalic of Acre, such as it has been above defined, in the same manner as to every other part of the Ottoman Empire. But the Sultan consents, that on condition of the regular payment of the Tribute above mentioned, Mehemet Ali and his descendants shall collect, in the name of the Sultan, and as the delegate of His Highness, within the provinces the administration of which shall be confided to them, the taxes and imposts legally established. It is moreover understood that, in consideration of the receipt of the aforesaid taxes and imposts, Mehemet Ali and his descendants shall defray all the expenses of the civil and military administration of the said provinces. Military and Naval Forces to be maintained for Service of the State. § 6. The Military and Naval Forces which may be maintained [Pacification of the Levant.] by the Pasha of Egypt and Acre, forming part of the forces of the Ottoman Empire, shall always be considered as maintained for the service of the State. Offers to be withdrawn if not accepted within 20 Days. § 7. If, at the expiration of the period of 20 days after the communication shall have been made to him (according to the stipulation of § 2), Mehemet Ali shall not accede to the proposed arrangement, and shall not accept the hereditary Pashalic of Egypt, the Sultan will consider himself at liberty to withdraw that offer, and to follow, in consequence, such ulterior course as his own interests and the counsels of his Allies may suggest to him. Separate Act to form part of Convention of 15th July, 1840. § 8. The present Separate Act shall have the same force and validity as if it were inserted, word for word, in the Convention of this date. It shall be ratified, and the Ratifications thereof shall be exchanged at London at the same time as those of the said Convention. In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the Seals of their Arms. Done at London, the 15th day of July, in the year of Our Lord, 1840. (L.S.) PALMERSTON. (L.S.) NEUMANN. (L.S.) BRUNNOW. (L.S.) CHEKIB. |