Treaty. When the Organic Law is completed the election of the Prince of Bulgaria shall be proceeded with immediately. As soon as the Prince shall have been installed, the new organisation shall be put into force, and the Principality shall enter into the full enjoyment of its autonomy. Art. 8. The treaties of commerce and navigation as well as all conventions and arrangements concluded between Foreign Powers and the Porte, and now in force are maintained in the Principality of Bulgaria, and no change shall be made in them with regard to any Power without its previous consent. No transit duties shall be levied in Bulgaria on goods passing through that principality. The subjects and citizens of commerce of all the powers shall be treated in the principality on a footing of strict equality. The immunities and privileges of foreigners, as well as the rights of consular jurisdiction and protection as established by the capitulations and usages, shall remain in full force so long as they shall not have been modified with the consent of the parties concerned. Art. 9. Tribute to be paid by Bulgaria to suzerain court, etc. Art. 11. Evacuation and demolition of Bulgarian fortresses. Art. 12. Land rights of non-resident Moslems and others. Commission to settle questions of state property. Bulgarians travelling in Turkey subject to Ottoman laws. Art. 13. A province is formed south of the Balkans which will take the name of "Eastern Rumelia," and will remain under the direct political and military authority of His Imperial Majesty, the Sultan, under conditions of administrative autonomy. It shall have a Christian Governor-General. Art. 14. Boundaries of Eastern Rumelia. Art. 15. His Majesty, the Sultan, shall have the right of providing for the defence of the land and sea frontiers of the province by erecting fortifications on those frontiers and maintaining troops there. Internal order is maintained in Eastern Rumelia by a native gendarmerie assisted by a local militia. In forming these corps, the officers of which are nominated by the Sultan, regard shall be paid in the different localities to the religion of the inhabitants. His Imperial Majesty, the Sultan, undertakes not to employ irregular troops, such as Bashi-Bazouks and Circassians, in the garrisons of the frontiers. The regular troops detailed for this service must not in any case be billeted on the inhabitants. When they pass through the province they shall not make a stay there. Art. 16. The governor-general shall have the right of summoning the Ottoman troops in the event of the internal or external security of the province being threatened. In such an eventuality the Sublime Porte shall inform the representatives of the Powers at Constantinople of such a decision, as well as of the exigencies which justify it. Art. 17. The governor-general of Eastern Rumelia shall be nominated by the Sublime Porte, with the assent of the Powers for a term of five years. Arts. 18 and 19. Creating a European commission for the organisation of Eastern Rumelia. Arts. 20 and 21. Concerning foreign relations, religious liberty and railway administration of Eastern Rumelia. Art. 22. Regulations concerning Russian occupation of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia. Evacuation of Rumania. Art. 23. The Sublime Porte undertakes scrupulously to apply, in the Island of Crete the Organic Law of 1868 with such modifications as may be considered equitable. Similar laws adapted to local requirements, ex cepting as regards the exemption from taxation granted to Crete shall also be introduced into the other parts of Turkey in Europe, for which no such organisation has been provided by the present Treaty. The Sublime Porte shall depute special Commissions, in which the native element shall be largely represented, to settle the details of the new laws in each province. schemes of organisation resulting from these labours shall be submitted for examination to the Sublime Porte, which, before promulgating the Acts for putting them into force, shall consult the European Commission instituted for Eastern Rumelia. The Art. 24. In the event of the Sublime Porte and Greece being unable to agree upon the rectification of frontiers suggested in the 13th protocol of the Congress of Berlin, Germany, Austria-Hungary, France, Great Britain, Italy, and Russia reserve to themselves to offer their mediation to the two parties to facilitate negotiations. Art. 25. The provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina shall be occupied and administered by Austria-Hungary. The government of AustriaHungary, not desiring to undertake the administration of the Sandjak of Novibazar, which extends between Servia and Montenegro in a south-easterly direction to the other side of Mitrovitz, the Ottoman administration shall continue to exercise its functions there. Nevertheless, in order to assure the maintenance of the new political state of affairs, as well as the freedom and security of communications, Austria-Hungary reserves the right of keeping garrisons and having military and commercial roads in the whole of this part of the ancient Vilayet of Bosnia. Arts. 26-33. Recognition of the independence of Montenegro and regulations as to its boundaries, freedom of worship, debt, commerce and defence. Art. 34. The High Contracting Parties recognise the independence of Servia, subject to the conditions set forth in the following Article. Art. 35. Differences of religious creed to be no bar to officeholding in Servia; freedom of worship assured. Art. 36. Boundaries of Servia. Arts. 37-42. Concerning commercial relations and consular jurisdiction in Servia; railway administration and property rights. Art. 43. The High Contracting Parties recognise the independence of Rumania, subject to the conditions set forth in the two following Articles. Art. 44. Differences in religious creed to be no bar to officeholding in Rumania: freedom of worship assured. Arts. 45-46. Concerning the cession of Bessarabian territory by Rumania to Russia and the addition of the Danubian Delta, etc., to Rumania. Arts. 47-49. Concerning fisheries, transit dues and rights of foreign consuls in Rumania. Art. 50. Reciprocity of consular rights between Turkey and Rumania. Transfer of public works in ceded territory. Art. 52. In order to increase the guarantees which assure the freedom of navigation on the Danube, which is recognised as of European interest, the High Contracting Parties determine that all the fortresses and fortifications existing on the course of the river from the Iron Gates to its mouths shall be rased, and no new ones erected. No vessel of war shall navigate the Danube, below the Iron Gates, with the exception of vessels of light tonnage in the service of the river police and customs. The "stationnaires" of the Powers at the mouths of the Danube may, however, ascend the river as far as Galatz. Arts. 53-56. Concerning the rights and duties of the European Commission of the Danube. Art. 57. Rights of Austria-Hungary on the Danube. Art. 58. The Sublime Porte cedes to the Russian Empire in Asia, the territories of Ardahan, Kars, and Batum, together with the latter port, as well as all the territories comprised between the former Russo-Turkish frontier and the following line: [Here follows new boundary line between Russia and Turkey.] Art. 59. His Majesty the Emperor of Russia declares that it is his intention to constitute Batum a free port, essentially commercial. Art. 60. Restoration of Alaschkerd to Turkey: cession of Khotour to Persia. Art. 61. The Sublime Porte undertakes to carry out, without further delay, the improvements and reforms demanded by local requirements in the provinces inhabited by the Armenians, and to guarantee their security against the Circassians and Kurds. Art. 62. Pledge of Turkey to maintain the principle of religious liberty. Art. 63. The Treaty of Paris, of March 30th, 1856, as well as the Treaty of London, of March 13th, 1871, are maintained in all such of their provisions as are not abrogated or modified by the preceding stipulations. Art. 64. The present treaty shall be ratified, and the ratifications exchanged at Berlin, within three weeks, or sooner if possible. In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed it, and affixed to it the seal of their arms. Done at Berlin, the thirteenth day of the month of July, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight. [Signatures.] III THE HAGUE PEACE CONFERENCE [An international conference of representatives of the principal powers of the world assembled at The Hague, May 18th, 1899, in response to a call issued by the Czar of Russia with a view to concerted action in regard to an amelioration of the hardships of war, the furtherance of the principle of the arbitration of international dis. putes, the maintenance of a general peace and the possible reduction of the world's military and naval armaments. The states represented were Germany, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, China. Japan, France, Mexico, the United States, Great Britain, Sweden and Norway, Denmark, Russia, Spain, Italy, Servia, Siam, the Netherlands, Rumania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Persia and Portugal. Sessions continued until July 29th, when the delegates embodied the conclusions reached in a final act for submission to the several states represented. This final act consisted of three conventions, three formal declarations and a series of six resolutions. The resolutions embodied an expression of the desire that certain unsettled points in regard to neutrals, contraband and so forth might be passed upon by an international tribunal at an early date. The conventions were (1) For the pacific settlement of international conflicts; (2) Regarding the laws and customs of war by land; (3) For the adaptation to maritime warfare of the principles of the Geneva Convention, August 22nd, 1864. The declarations had to do with (1) The prohibition of launching explosives and projectiles from balloons; (2) The prohibition of the use of projectiles diffusing poisonous gases; (8) The prohibition of the use of expanding or flattening bullets. The Conventions were signed at once by 18 powers, Germany, Great Britain, Austria-Hungary, Japan, Italy, and several minor powers, withholding their assent temporarily but finally accepting them.] A. CONVENTION FOR THE PACIFIC SETTLEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES Title I-On the Maintenance of the General Peace Art. 1. Agreement of powers to use best efforts to ensure peaceful settlement of international disputes. Title II-On Good Offices and Mediation Arts. 2-4. Recommendation of the principle of mediation, the exercise of which is never to be considered an unfriendly act. Art. 5. The functions of the mediator are at an end when once it is declared, either by one of the parties to the dispute, or by the mediator himself, that the means of reconciliation proposed by him are not accepted. Art. 6. Good offices and mediation, either at the request of the parties at variance, or on the initiative of powers strangers to the dispute, have exclusively the character of advice, and never have binding force. Art. 7. The acceptance of mediation not to hinder preparations for, or interfere with the prosecution of war. Art. 8. Concerning special mediation. Title III-On International Commissions of Inquiry Arts. 9-13. Appointment and procedure of the Commissions of Inquiry. Art. 14. The report of the International Commission of Inquiry is limited to a statement of facts, and is in no way the character of an arbitral award. Title IV-On International Arbitration CHAPTER I-ON THE SYSTEM OF ARBITRATION Arts. 15-19. Recognition of the efficacy of arbitration conventions, and the implied engagement of loyal submission to the award. CHAPTER II-ON THE PERMANENT COURT OF ARBITRATION Art. 20. Undertaking of the signatory powers to organise a permanent court. Art. 21. The permanent court shall be competent for all arbitration cases, unless the parties agree to institute a special tribunal. Art. 22. An international bureau, established at The Hague, serves as record office for the court, and the channel for communications relative to the meetings of the court. It has the custody of the archives and conducts all the administrative business. Art. 23. Selection of members of the court. Art. 24. Arbitrators are to be chosen from the general list of members of the court. Alternative provisions in case of failure of direct agreement. Art. 25. Seat of the tribunal to be ordinarily at The Hague. Art. 26. The jurisdiction of the permanent court may within the conditions laid down in the regulations, be extended to disputes between non signatory powers, or between signatory powers and non-signatory powers if the parties are agreed on recourse to this tribunal. Art. 27. Reminding powers of the existence of the court not to be considered an unfriendly act. Art. 28. Institution and duties of a permanent administrative council to be composed of the diplomatic representatives of the signatory powers accredited to The Hague and of the Netherland minister for foreign affairs, who will act as president. Art. 29. The expenses of the bureau. CHAPTER III-ON ARBITRAL PROCEDURE Arts. 30-31. Regarding agreement to submit to arbitration. Art. 32. Failing the constitution of the tribunal by direct agreement between the parties, the following course shall be pursued: Each party appoints two arbitrators and these latter together choose an umpire. In case of equal voting the choice of the umpire is entrusted to a third power, selected by the parties by common accord. If no agreement is arrived at on this subject, each party selects a different power, and the choice of the umpire is made in concert by the powers thus selected. Arts. 33-38. Concerning umpires, seat of tribunal, counsel, and language. Art. 39. As a general rule the arbitral procedure comprises two distinct phases; preliminary examination of documents, manuscripts and briefs and oral discussion of the agreements of the parties. Arts. 40-51. Concerning procedure as to documents and arguments. Art. 52. The award, given by a majority of votes, is accompanied by a statement of reasons. It is drawn up in writing and signed by each member of the tribunal. Those members who are in the minority may record their dissent when signing. Art. 53. Publication of the award. Art. 54. The award puts an end to the dispute definitively, and without appeal. Art. 55. Concerning demand for a revision of the award on account of the discovery of new evidence. Art. 56. The award binding only on parties who submitted to arbitration. Right to intervene of other nations parties to a convention interpreted. Art. 57. Parties to arbitration to share expenses equally. GENERAL PROVISIONS Arts. 58-60. Ratification and notification of ratification and the adherence of non-signatory powers. Art. 61. In the event of one of the high contracting parties denouncing the present Convention, this denunciation would not take effect until a year after its notification made in writing to the Netherland government, and by it communicated at once to all the other contracting powers. This denunciation shall only affect the notifying power. B. CONVENTION WITH RESPECT TO THE LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF WAR ON LAND [Here follow the names of the signatory powers and a statement of the reasons for and the necessities which have led to the following convention.] |