[Independence of Greece.] No. 149.-PROTOCOL of Conference between Great Britain, France, and Russia, relative to the Independence of Greece. London, 3rd of February, 1830.* [The following clauses of this Protocol were referred to in the Treaty of 7th May, 1832.] (Extract.) (Translation as laid before Parliament.†) PRESENT: The Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, France, and Russia. Independence of Greece. § 1. Greece shall form an Independent State, and shall enjoy all the rights, political, administrative, and commercial, attached to complete Independence. Form of Government. § 3. The Greek Government shall be Monarchical, and hereditary according to the order of primogeniture. It shall be confided to a Prince, who shall not be capable of being chosen from among those of the families reigning in the States that signed the Treaty of the 6th July, 1827 (No. 136), and who shall bear the title of Sovereign Prince of Greece. The choice of that Prince shall form the object of subsequent communications and stipulations. Guarantee of 3 Powers. § 8. Each of the 3 Courts shall retain the power, secured to it by Article VI of the Treaty of the 6th July, 1827 (No. 136), of guaranteeing the whole of the foregoing arrangements and Articles. The Acts of Guarantee, if there be any, shall be drawn up separately; the operation and effects of these different Acts shall become, in conformity with the above-mentioned Article, the object of further stipulations on the part of the High Powers No troops belonging to one of the Contracting Powers shall be allowed to enter the territory of the new Greek State, without the consent of the two other Courts who signed the Treaty. * See 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. 191. Great Britain, France, and Russia. [Servia.] 1 No. 150.—FIRMAN of The Sultan of Turkey, relating to TAALE. Liberty of Worship. Hereditary Succession in Family of Milosch Obrenovitz. Reunion of Detached Districts. Kharatch Tax and other Contributions. Internal Administration. Freedom of Trade in Turkey. Customs Dues. Armed Force. Erection of Hospitals, &c. Prohibition to Mussulmans to remain in Servia. Administration of Justice. Sale of Landed Property of Turks in Servia. Turks not to Inhabit Servia. Maintenance of the Prince. Payment on Investiture of a New Prince. Confirmation of Metropolitan and Bishops by Patriarch of Constantinople. Members of the Councils. Establishment of a Post-office. Servian not to be compelled to serve a Turk. Demolition of Fortresses. Purchase of Cattle by the Porte. Servian Deputation at Constantinople. (Translation as laid before Parliament.) To our intelligent Vizier, &c., Hossein Pasha, Governor of Belgrade, &c.; to the eminent and learned Kadi, the upright and virtuous Judge of Belgrade, &c. On the arrival of this Imperial mandate, it may be known to you that, as the Treaty of Peace concluded at Adrianople (No. 145), between our Sublime Porte and the Court of Russia, refers to the execution of the Articles of the Convention made at Ackermann (No. 131), which enacts that there should be an understanding with the Servian Deputies at Constantinople, to settle their demands and claims; and as by my Imperial Decree, granted to the Servian nation, subject to my Sublime Porte, I have graciously complied with their demands; that is to say, the liberty of Worship; the Internal Administration; the reunion of Detached Districts; the consolidation of Tribute; the administration of Fiefs and Turkish Estates; the permission of travelling for trading through the whole Empire with their own Passports; the liberty of establishing Printing-offices, Hospitals, and Schools; the prohibition to the Turks (with the exception of those employed in the garrison of the fortresses) of inhabiting Servia; and likewise the liberty of seeking similar redress hereafter, so far as will not be contrary to the duties of a subject. And as the said nation, which has given to my Sublime Porte proofs of fidelity, is the * See also Firman of December, 1833, and 24th December, 1838; the General Treaty of 30th March, 1856, Art. XXVIII; and Protocol of 4th September, 1862. [Servia.] object of my solicitude and my Imperial mercy, I have resolved to give her another proof of my Imperial bounty and favour, and to regulate the said privileges in a manner becoming the duty of a subject and his welfare, which will insure to the Servian nation the inviolability and stability of these privileges. In consequence, therefore, after having consulted with the Servian Deputies at Constantinople, I order and decree as follows: Liberty of Worship. That the said nation shall exercise divine Worship in their churches with full liberty. Hereditary Succession in Family of Milosch Obrenovitz. That their present Prince, Milosch Obrenovitz, in recompense of his fidelity towards my Sublime Porte, and in accordance with the Berat which he possesses, will continue to be the Prince of the Servian nation, and this dignity will be hereditary in his family; he will continue, in the name of my Sublime Porte, to administer the internal affairs of the country, and to settle them in concert with the Council and assembly of the chiefs and elders of the nation. Reunion of Detached Districts. As for the 6 Districts* which the Servians claim as having been detached from their country, it has been agreed that Commissioners, appointed for that purpose, by my Sublime Porte and by the Russian Government, shall inquire into that question, in order to settle it hereafter as the case will require. Kharatch Tax and other Contributions. The Kharatch and all the other contributions will be definitively determined; the amount of the revenues of the Military Fiefs, of the Zaijms, and of the Timariotes, of the Sandjackat of Semendria (that of Nissa excepted, the administration of which will be given to the Servian Government), will be also valued, and added to the revenues of the Districts about to be united to Servia. Internal Administration. The authorities of my Sublime Porte will not interfere in any manner whatever, either in the Internal Administration or in the affairs of the country; and they shall not be allowed to exact a single para beyond the usual Tribute, as above stated, and which will be hereafter permanently fixed. See note, page 834. [Servia.] Freedom of Trade in Turkey. As it is my wish that the said nation should, under the protection of my Imperial power, participate in the benefit of Commerce, all the Servians who may be desirous to devote themselves to Commerce, shall receive from the authorities of my Sublime Porte, on showing the Passports of their Prince, the necessary teskérés to travel in my Empire, and to carry on Commerce as all the other subjects of my Sublime Porte; nobody shall dare to vex them, nor to require a single para as fee for the teskérés; but, on the contrary, every one shall grant them protection and help in case of need; and, with the exception of the duties of the Customhouse, no one shall ask from them either Avaid or Jevad, or any other Tax, contrary to the laws of the Empire; and great care must be taken that no one shall commit any vexation to subject him to punishment. Customs Dues. As with regard to the goods and merchandise which will pass through the Custom-house at Belgrade to be sent to Constantinople, they will continue, as formerly, to be sent there, provided with Servian teskérés, and will pay there the Custom-house duty. Every 7 years, according to the prices of merchandises, the dues to be paid at the Custom-house, will be determined, and will be increased or diminished accordingly. The revenue of the Custom-house duties which will be received on goods destined for any other place besides Constantinople, and which will pass through the Custom-house of Belgrade, will be added in one sum to the other contributions of the Servian nation, and deposited in our Imperial Treasury, through the medium of Prince Milosch. Armed Force. For the repression of any disorder which might arise in Servia, and for the security of the public peace in the interior of the country, as well as for the punishment of the offenders, Prince Milosch shall keep the necessary standing Armed Force. Erection of Hospitals, &c. The Servians shall have the right of establishing in their |