Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 2, 1878

No. 505.
Mr. Maynard to Mr. Evarls.

Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, February 28, 1878. (Received April 1.)

No. 228.]

Sir: This month has witnessed the close of the Turko-Russian war, at least between the two belligerent parties hitherto engaged. Should hostilities continue, it will be because other powers are drawn into the controversy.

I mentioned in my dispatch of the 11th instant, No. 222, that an armistice had been concluded at Adrianople the 31st of January. In my dispatch, No. 219, of that date I inclosed what had been published as the terms likely to be agreed upon. The full text of the articles I have not seen, if indeed it has ever been published. A summary of them was read in the British House of Commons, during the debate of the 8th instant upon the six million bill, by the chancellor of the exchequer, on the authority of Her Britannic Majesty’s ambassador in Constantinople. The same has been published in this city and is herewith inclosed.

It will be found entirely different from the terms previously reported as the basis of the negotiations, so different indeed as to suggest a purpose in the previous publication. As agreed upon, the armistice might have been terminated and hostilities renewed by either party after three days’ notice. To do so neither party has shown the slightest inclination. On the contrary, the lines of demarkation limiting the neutral territory were promptly established, the blockade of the Black Sea was raised, and the other conditions observed.

Arrangements were at once made to negotiate a treaty of peace. On the part of Russia, General Ignatiew, for many years ambassador near the government of the Sultan and personally very acceptable, was designated as plenipotentiary; on the part of Turkey, his excellency Safort Pasha, imperial minister of foreign affairs, and his excellency Sadonllah Bey, the Ottoman ambassador at Berlin.

The latter named of the two arrived here five days ago by the way of Trieste.

The place selected for the meeting of the plenipotentiaries was San Stefano, a small town on the Sea of Marmora, half way to Tchekmedjé, the line of the neutral ground, associated with the history of this legation by having been for many years the official residence of Commodore Porter, the first United States minister near the Sublime Porte. Of late years it has become principally a summer resort for wealthy persons, who have built large houses, which, at this season unoccupied by the owners, furnish commodious lodgings for the extraordinary visitors.

The Grand Duke Nicholas lends his presence, with some fifteen thousand of his soldiers.

Last Monday, during my usual weekly call on the minister of foreign affairs, his excellency Assym Pasha, who, in the absence of his excellency Safvet Pasha, has charge of the foreign office, informed me that it was expected the treaty would be signed that day. It appears not to have been, and though we have had similar reports every day since, I have reason to believe the instrument is still unsigned and incomplete. Inclosed is what appeared in the press last evening as the chief conditions.

In my dispatch No. 219, of January 31, 1878, I mentioned that Sulieman Pasha had been criticised for failing to concentrate the troops under his command against the Russian approach south of the Balkans. In a subsequent dispatch, No. 226, of February 21, 1878, was inclosed a paragraph from the press, bringing him into the same condemnation with Server Pasha, late minister of foreign affairs. Undoubtedly he has been guilty of what in Turkish estimation is a grave military offense—want of success. * * * * Between him and the minister of war there is understood to have long existed an unfriendly rivalry, of which he will very likely experience the ill consequences. Now, I learn, he is under arrest and in prison. Mehemet Ali Pasha, who was twice superseded by him, has been restored to favor.

On the 15th instant [dispatch No. 224] I reported the arrival of the British fleet and its anchorage at the Princes’ Islands; also the consequent anxiety and public excitement. The next day, at the personal request of the Sultan, Her Britannic Majesty’s ambassador instructed Admiral Hornby, in command of the fleet, to take it to the gulf of Ishmeed (Niconudia). The fleet accordingly left the Princes’ Islands for the remoter locality and anchored at Touzla Point, near the entrance of the gulf, distant possibly twenty miles and out of sight of the city, where it remains. This movement of Her Majesty’s fleet is assigned by both Turk and Russian as the reason for selecting San Stefano instead of Adrianople as the place for the negotiations, it being just opposite the Princes’ Islands and in full view.

It is beyond my province, no doubt, to take note of affairs outside the limits of the Ottoman Empire, except to report their influence upon Turkey. Those will be observed and communicated more accurately and intelligently by my colleagues near at hand. And although the other European powers have shown a profound interest in the so-called Eastern question, they do not seem just now to be important factors in its solution. The recent speech of Prince Bismarck in the German Parliament; the language of Prince Auersperg, the Austrian prime minister in the Austrian Chamber of Deputies; the debates in the British Parliament; the unopposed vote of the six millions; the mobilization of the British army and the activity of the navy, all full of meaning, if not of menace, have not swerved the Sublime Porte from its resolution to have peace on the best attainable terms. How far they may affect the conditions of the treaty, by modifying demands on the one hand and limiting concessions on the other, is yet to be seen.

I have, & c.,

HORACE MAYNARD.

[Inclosure 1 in No. 228.]

Summary of the articles of the armistice.

[From London Times, February 9, 1878.]

Further correspondence respecting the affairs of Turkey was issued from the Foreign Office last night. In the first dispatch, Acting-Consul Freeman telegraphs to Lord Derby from Serajevo, February 7: “Vice-Consul Cooper reports from Novi-Bazar that in spite of the armistice the Servians continue to advance in the neighborhood of Sjenica.” The only other dispatch published is that from Mr. Layard to Lord Derby (received Febuary 8), telegraphed from Constantinople February 7. The armistice contains ten articles. It is concluded between Russia, Servia, Roumania, and Turkey:

• “1. A notice of three days must be given before a resumption of hostilities takes place. The armistice is to be communicated to Montenegro by Russia.
• “2. Restoration of the guns and territory taken after the signature.
• “3. Gives the details of line of damarkation and neutral zone for Turkey, Russia, and Servia, placing in Russian hands almost all Bulgaria, Roumelia, and Thrace up to the lines of Constantinople and Gallipoli. Fortifications are not to be retained on the neutral territory, and no new ones are to be raised there. A joint commission will determine the line of demarkation for Servia and Montenegro. The Russians to occupy Bourgas and Midia on the Black Sea in order to obtain supplies, but no war material.
• “4. Armies beyond line of demarkation to be withdrawn within three days of signature of armistice.
• “5. The Turks may remove arms, & c., to places and by routes defined, on evacuating the fortifications mentioned in article 3. If they cannot be removed, an inventory of them is to be taken. The evacuation is to be complete within seven days after the receipt of orders by the commanders.
• “6. Sulina is to be evacuated within three days by the Turkish troops and ships of war, unless prevented by ice. The Russians will remove the obstacles in the Danube, and will superintend the navigation of the river.
• “7. The railways to continue to work under certain conditions.
• “8. Turkish authorities to remain in certain places.
• “9. Black Sea blockade to be raised.
• “10. Wounded Turkish soldiers to remain under the care of Russia.

“The armistice commenced at 7 p.m. on the 31st of January.

“The Turks have commenced the withdrawal of guns from the Constantinople lines.

“The Russian and Turkish commanders on the spot are to settle matters relating to the armistice in Armenia.”

[From Daily Levant Herald, February 20, 1878.]

Acting-Consul Freeman telegraphs to Lord Derby from Serajevo, February 7: “Vice-Consul Cooper reports from Novi-Bazar that in spite of the armistice the Servians continue to advance in the neighborhood of Sjenica.” The only other dispatch published is that from Mr. Layard to Lord Derby (received February 8), telegraphed from Constantinople February 7. The armistice contains ten articles. It is concluded between Russia, Servia, Roumania, and Turkey:

1. A notice of three days must be given before a resumption of hostilities takes place. The armistice is to be communicated to Montenegro by Russia.

2. Restoration of the guns and territory taken after the signature.

3. Gives the details of line of demarkation and neutral zone for Turkey, Russia, and Servia, placing in Russian hands almost all Bulgaria, Roumelia, and Thrace, up to the lines of Constantinople and Gallipoli. Fortifications are not to be retained on the neutral territory, and no new ones are to be raised there. A joint commission will determine the line of demarkation for Servia and Montenegro, The Russians to occupy Bourgas and Midia on the Black Sea, in order to obtain supplies, but no war material.

4. Armies beyond line of demarkation to be withdrawn within three days of signature of armistice.

5. The Turks may remove arms, & c., to places and by routes defined, on evacuating the fortifications mentioned in article 3. If they cannot be removed, an inventory of them is to be taken. The evacuation is to be complete within seven days after the receipt of orders by the commanders.

6. Sulina is to be evacuated within three days by the Turkish troops, and ships of war, unless prevented by ice. The Russians will remove the obstacles in the Danube, and will superintend the navigation of the river.

7. The railways to continue to work under certain conditions.

8. Turkish authorities to remain in certain places.

9. Black Sea blockade to be raised.

10. Wounded Turkish soldiers to remain under the care of Russia.

The armistice commenced at 7 p.m. on the 31st of January.

The Turks have commenced the withdrawal of guns from the Constantinople lines.

The Russian and Turkish commanders on the spot are to settle matters relating to the armistice in Armenia.

[Inclosure 2 in No. 228.]

Rumored conditions of the treaty of peace.

[From the Daily Levant Herald, February 27, 1878.]

the peace negotiations—the chief conditions—russian requirements.

A further conference took place yesterday (Tuesday) at San Stefano between General Ignatieff and Safvet Pasha, the two first plenipotentiaries, on the subject of the conditions of the preliminaries of peace. The instrument embodying these conditions is on the eve of signature, and we believe that the following will” be found to be the essential parts of the clauses containing the principal demands and requirements of Russia:

• Bulgaria.—Bulgaria will form an autonomous (self-governing) tributary principality, with a national Christian government. The tribute it will pay to Turkey will be equal to the revenue of the same territory previously encashed by the Ottoman treasury. The prince of the new state of Bulgaria (who must not be a member of any of the reigning families of the great powers) will be elected by an assembly of Bulgarian notabilities. The principality of Bulgaria will comprise all the country [now generally known as Bulgaria proper] lying between the Danube and the Balkans, and up to the frontier of Servia (with the exception of the Dobrudja). South of the Balkans [in Roumelia and Thrace], Bulgaria will extend to and embrace Midia on the Black Sea, whence the frontier, tending westward, will pass north of Adrianople, and between that city and the station of Mustapha Pasha [thus leaving Adrianople to Turkey], and, following up to the river Maritza, will include within the territory of Bulgaria the whole of the right bank of that river as far as its mouth, and will comprise Cavalla, Mount Athos, and Salonica. [The new principality of Bulgaria will thus have the port of Midia on the Black Sea, and the ports of Cavalla and Salonica on the Archipelago].
• Roumania—Cession of the Dobrudja—Bessarabia.—The Dobrudja [which is not included in Bulgaria] will be ceded by Turkey to Russia, and Russia reserves to herself to make an exchange of the Dobrudja with Roumania, in lieu of Bessarabia, to be retroceded by Roumania to Russia.
• Servia.—The territorial additions to Servia will comprise certain districts in the direction of Nish and of Bosnia, heretofore in possession of Turkey.
• Montenegro.—The delimitation of the frontier of Montenegro will be arranged on the principle of the uti possidetis [what was held by the belligerent at the conclusion of the armistice], and the Principality of Montenegro will thus receive the ports of Spitza, Antivari, and Dulcigno on the Adriatic.
• Bosnia and the Herzegovina.—The provinces of Bosnia and the Herzegovina will receive an autonomous (self-governing) organization, according to the programme of the conference of Constantinople.
• The other provinces of European Turkey.—There shall be applied to the other provinces of European Turkey the reforms proposed by the same conference. [That, of course, embraces the Greek border-provinces of Thessaly and Epirus.]
• The Straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus.—Concerning the question of the Straits of the Dardanelles and the Bosphorus, the existing status quo will be maintained for vessels of war; but there will be complete freedom of passage and transit for vessels of commerce.
• Russian occupation of Bulgaria.—The newly-formed tributary state of Bulgaria will be occupied for the period of a year by a Russian army corps of 50,000 men, in order to see to the proper organization of that principality.
• The war indemnity.—The indemnity of war to be paid by Turkey to Russia will amount to an estimated value of one milliard four hundred thousand roubles (1,000,400,000 roubles). [Calculating the rouble at 4 francs, this amounts to rather more than four milliards of francs, or about £160,000,000 sterling. The war indemnity paid by France to Germany was five milliards of francs, or £200,000,000 sterling.] Of this indemnity of rather more than £160,000,000 sterling, the proportion of £40,000,000 sterling (one milliard of francs) will be paid in bonds, guaranteed upon the tribute of the new Principality of Bulgaria, the Egyptian tribute, and the revenues of Anatolia. In payment of the rest of the indemnity [rather more than £120,000,000 sterling], Turkey will cede to Russia the following fortified places in Armenia, and the territory comprised between them, namely, Batoum, Kars, Ardahan, and Bayazid. This cession will be computed at a money Value, and Turkey will further give up to Russia, also to be computed at a money value, six vessels of her fleet.
• Further special compensation.—In addition to this war indemnity, Turkey will pay a sum of 10,000,000 roubles (or about £1,600,000 sterling) as compensation for the Russian merchants and traders who were expelled from the “Ottoman dominions at the beginning of the war, and will also repay its capital to the Russian hospital in the Ferikeui suburb of Constantinople, which was founded shortly before the war, such capital consisting in Turkish consolidés, and estimated probably at something like 50,000 roubles (or about £8,000 sterling).

We believe that the main point in the above conditions upon which discussion is still maintained between the Russian and Turkish plenipotentiaries, and which delays the final signature of the protocol of peace, is that relating to the giving up of six vessels of the Turkish iron-clad fleet as a part contribution towards the payment of the war indemnity.