[Montenegrin Boundary. "Corti Compromise."]

Selcit, the frontier line will ascend the hill of Sukotvile and will follow the crest of the Jeznica Mountain. Thence it will cross the Vermos Valley and will run towards the summit of Mount Stociza. As far as this point, the maps of the Italian and Russian Commissioners will, with the exception of the point of Serci, serve as a basis. From that point, which is the extreme point on the Commissioners' map, the tracing will follow the line indicated on the initialled Austrian map, which map will serve as a basis for the delimitation to be made on the spot. Thence, the frontier line will run along the ridge of the mountains, across the summits Lipovica, Zelentin, as far as the summit of Mount Visitor, whence, leaving the village of Velika to Montenegro, it will terminate at Mokra Planina, which shall remain to Turkey.

Evacuation of Montenegrin Territory by Turkish Troops.

The Ottoman forces shail be bound to evacuate within ten days from the signing of the present Act, all the positions which they are now occupying beyond the new boundaries of the Empire.

Twenty-four hours before the evacuation, the commanding officers in the localities occupied by the Imperial Ottoman Army shall give due notice to the commander of the Prince of Montenegro's forces at Podgoritza of the precise hour at which they will retire from the positions occupied by them. They shall await that hour without leaving those places with their troops, and they will only quit them at the hour fixed.

The Governor-General of Scutari will be charged on the part of the Imperial Ottoman Government with the duty of exchanging the Official Act of Cession. His Highness the Prince of Montenegro will name for the same purpose one of his generals.

After the evacuation by the Imperial Ottoman Army of the exchanged territory, the Imperial Government will be free from all obligation respecting the maintenance of public order in that country, and will not be answerable to anyone for such acts as may take place there, and with regard to which it will not be held responsible to any person.

It is understood that this arrangement shall be submitted to the Signatory Powers of the Treaty of Berlin (No. 530).

See Note, page 2954.

[Montenegrin Boundary. "Corti Compromise."]

The Sublime Porte will, in conjunction with the Prince's Government, propose without delay to the Governments signatories of the Treaty of Berlin (No. 530), to authorize their Representatives at Constantinople to meet in Conference in order to proceed to the signing of a Protocol settling the abovementioned conditions.*

Done and signed in duplicate at Constantinople, 12th April, 1880.

(L.S.) SAWAS.
(L.S.) VOUKOVITCH.

Note.-The Turkish Authorities failed to carry out this engagement; and the Governor-General of Scutari compromised the Agreement by allowing a delay of 7 hours only, instead of 24, for the Montenegrin troops to take possession of the ceded localities. A Collective Note upon the subject was, therefore, addressed by the Representatives of the Treaty Powers to the Porte on the 24th April, 1880, to which the Porte replied, in a Note Verbale, on the 29th of the same month. On the 11th June following, an Identic Note was addressed by the Representatives of the Treaty Powers to the Porte (No. 566), demanding the execution of the Agreement which it had entered into with Montenegro on the 12th April preceding (No. 563), and approved by the Powers on the 18th of the same month (No. 564). An account of the events which followed this communication is given in Earl Granville's despatch of 2nd October, 1880 (No. 578).

See Protocol, 18th April, 1880 (No. 564).

[Montenegrin Boundary. "Corti Compromise."]

No. 564.-PROTOCOL OF CONFERENCE between the Representatives of the Powers Parties to the Treaty of Berlin (No. 530), consenting to the Cession of certain Territory by the Sultan to the Prince of Montenegro in lieu of the Districts of Gusinjé and Plava. Constantinople, 18th April, 1880.*

(Translation.)

PRESENT:

The Representatives of Great Britain,

of Austria-Hungary,

of France,

of Germany,

of Italy,

of Russia, and
of Turkey,

being assembled in Conference in order to consider the means of solving the difficulties which the Boundary Commission, charged with the drawing of the frontier line, in conformity with Article XXVIII of the Treaty of Berlin (No. 530), have met with in the execution of their labours, and having taken cognizance of the annexed Memorandum containing the arrangement concluded on the between Turkey and Montenegro (No. 563), respecting the modifications to be made to that end in the line described by the Treaty, and having ascertained that none of the Powers parties to the said Treaty raise any objection to that arrangement, the above-named Representatives, duly authorized, have decided that the frontier in question shall be drawn as follows: :

31st March
12th April'

The frontier line will start from the sea, in conformity with the line proposed by the English Commissioner, from the point V. Kruci, and will follow exactly this sketch as far as the lake. (This part of the frontier having been definitively traced, the Commission will no longer have to concern itself with it, except to cause the works to be executed relating to the placing of the landmarks.) Thence it will cross the lake in a straight line, and passing through the middle of the Gulfs *See Note, page 2781.

[Montenegrin Boundary. "Corti Compromise."]

of Kastrati and Hotti, it will reach by way of the summits of Mounts Kuse and Hotti, the River Zem, above a point designated on the Austrian Staff Map by the name of Serci. From that point the frontier line will follow the thalweg of the River Zem, going up as far as the foot of Mount Golieh, which, as well as the village of Selcit, shall remain to Turkey. Leaving the Zem at Selcit, the frontier line will ascend the hill of Sukotvile, and will follow the crest of the Jeznica mountain. Thence it will cross the Vermos Valley, and run towards the summit of Mount Stociza. As far as this point the maps of the Italian and Russian Commissioners will, with the exception of the point of Serci, serve as a basis. From that point, which is the extreme point on the Commissioners' map, the tracing will follow the line indicated on the initialled Austrian map, which map will serve as a basis for the delimitation to be made on the spot. Thence the frontier line will run along the ridge of the mountains, across the summits Lipovica, Zelentin, as far as the summit of Mount Visitor, whence, leaving the village of Velika to Montenegro, it will terminate at Mokra Planina, which shall remain to Turkey.

The present Protocol shall have the same authority and value as if it had been drawn up in the shape of a Convention; but it is understood that, after the Boundary Commission shall have completed its labours, the High Contracting Parties will sign a Convention sanctioning the frontier line, such as it shall have been established by the Commissioners.*

In witness whereof the above-mentioned Representatives have signed the present Protocol, and have affixed thereto the seal of their arms.

Done at Constantinople, 18th April, 1880.

(L.S.) A. H. LAYARD.

(L.S.) V. DUBSKY.

(L.S.) P. MONTHOLON.

(L.S.) V. HATZFELDT.

(L.S.) L. CORTI.

(L.S.) ONOU.

(L.S.) SAWAS.

*See Note, page 2954.

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