En l'absence et jusqu'à l'arrivée des consuls généraux, consuls, viceconsuls, agents consulaires ou de leurs délégués, les autorités locales devront prendre toutes les mesures nécessaires pour la protection des personnes et la conservation des objets qui auront été sauvé du naufrage.

L'intervention des autorités locales dans ces différents cas ne donnera lieu à la perception de frais d'aucune sorte, sauf toutefois ceux que nécessiteront les opérations du sauvetage ainsi que la conservation des objets sauvés, et ceux auxquels seraient soumis, en pareil cas, les navires nationaux. En cas de doute sur la nationalité des navires naufragés, les dispositions mentionnées dans le présent article seront de la compétence exclusive de l'autorité locale.

Les marchandises et effets sauvés ne seront sujets au payement d'aucun droit de douane, à moins qu'ils n'entrent dans la consommation intérieure.

Art. 25. Il est, en outre, convenu que les consuls généraux, consuls, consuls suppléants, élèves consuls, chanceliers, vice-consuls et agents consulaires des deux pays jouiront, dans l'autre pays, de tous les privilèges, immunités et prérogatives qui sont et qui seront accordés aux agents de la même classe de la nation la plus favorisée.

Il est entendu que, si ces privilèges et immunités sont accordés sous des conditions spéciales, ces conditions devront être remplies par les gouvernements respectifs ou par leurs agents.

Art. 26. La présente convention aura une durée fixe de dix années, à compter du jour de l'échange des ratifications. Si, un an avant l'expiration de ce terme, aucune des deux hautes parties contractantes n'annonce, par une déclaration officielle, son intention d'en faire cesser les effets, le traité demeurera obligatoire encore une année, et ainsi de suite jusqu'à l'expiration d'une année à partir du jour où il aura été dénoncé.

Art. 27. La présente convention sera ratifiée et les ratifications en seront échangées à Paris, après l'accomplissement des formalités prescrites par les lois constitutionnelles des deux pays contractants, dans le délai d'un an, ou plus tôt si faire se peut.

En foi de quoi, les plénipotentiaires respectifs ont signé la présente convention et y ont apposé leurs cachets.

Fait à Sucre, le 5 août 1897.

(L. S.)

Signé: C. de Coutouly.

(L. S.)

Signé: M.-M. Gomez.

6.

ALLEMAGNE, AUTRICHE-HONGRIE, FRANCE, GRANDE-BRETAGNE, ITALIE, RUSSIE, TURQUIE, GRÈCE. Correspondance diplomatique et Documents concernant les Affaires de Crètes, réformes à établir, projets de Constitution et Textes organiques concernant la Constitution de l'île de Crète; du 7 mars 1895 au 30 octobre 1898.

Extraits des Parliamentary Papers: Turkey No. 7, 1896; No. 8, No. 10, No. 12, 1897; No. 3, No. 5, No. 6, No. 7, 1898.

Consul Biliotti to the Earl of Kimberley.-(Received March 23.) Canea, Crete, March 7, 1895.

My Lord,

The unexpected recall of Turkhan Pasha, and the appointment in his room of Alexander Carathéodori Pasha as Vali of Crete has elated the Christians.

The Mussulmans have been the more depressed as they had come to believe the appointment of a Christian Vali in Crete to be out of the question in the future. They had always cherished this hope, which had become for them a certainty, Turkhan Pasha having repeatedly stated that he had expressed to his Government the conviction that if only a Christian and a Mussulman Vali were available for the posts of Iconium and Crete, the Mussulman should be appointed to this island and the Christian to Iconium, although it was the centre of Islamism.

It appears certain that the Cretan Mussulmans sent pressing telegrams to the Sultan in the hope that His Imperial Majesty might at the last moment substitute a Mussulman for the Christian Vali, who has already been appointed.

The Christian population of the Province of Cydonia addressed yesterday to the Sultan the following telegram, which was signed by the Provincial and Communal Ephori, the Elders and Councillors of Canea, and by nine Deputies to the last General Assembly (1889):

"

We beg leave to express to your Imperial Majesty with the deepest respect our profound gratitude for the appointment of his Excellency Alexander Carathéodori Pasha as Governor-General of our island.“

I have, &c.

(Signed) Alfred Biliotti.

Consul Biliotti to the Earl of Kimberley.-(Received April 16.) Canea, Crete, April 1, 1895.

My Lord,

I Have the honour to report the arrival by the Austrian mail-steamer on the 26th ultimo of Carathéodori Pasha, the newly-appointed Christian Governor, and of the Mussulman Mushavir, Ghalib Bey.

On the passage at Candia of his Excellency Carathéodori Pasha, he was welcomed in Crete by the Orthodox Archbishop and a number of Christian politicians, who expressed their gratitude towards the Sultan for His Imperial Majesty having appointed him as Vali, and their full confidence in his ability to fulfil the duties of this post to the entire satisfaction of the Cretans.

A similar reception was awaiting Carathéodori Pasha at Rethymo, but the steamer not having called at that port owing to bad weather, the Christians, as the communities at Canea and Candia had already done, telegraphed their thanks to the Sultan.

At Canea, Carathéodori Pasha was met at the landing-stage by the civil and military authorities, the Orthodox Bishop, the Christian and Mussulman Ephores, the municipal body, and a number of notable Christians.

The arrival on the previous Saturday of the detached squadron, under the orders of Rear-Admiral Compton Domvile, had given rise to the comment, which I had to contradict, that Her Majesty's ships had been sent here to support the claims of the Christians.

However, this coincidence has produced the salutary impression which is always consequent on the presence of an imposing naval force, especially when the public has been, as in the present instance, labouring under a feeling of uneasiness.

(Signed)

I have, &c.
Alfred Biliotti.

Consul Biliotti to the Earl of Kimberley. (Received May 16.). Canea, Crete, May 1, 1895.

My Lord,

Carathéodori Pasha's first care in taking possession of his post was to study, together with the Mushavir, the condition of the island. The result arrived at is, in the opinion of both the Vali and the Mushavir, who appear to work very harmoniously together, that the whole machinery is out of gear. His Excellency told me that nothing more deplorable than the state of the finances could be imagined, that the gendarmerie, mostly consisting of unfit elements, was not in a condition to maintain public security; that in recent cases of murder, of which I shall speak in another despatch, he had been under the necessity of performing the duties of Procureur Impérial, Juge d'Instruction &c., and that generally the officials in the different branches of the Administration act as if the

only object of their holding Government offices was to secure salaries for themselves.

On the whole, the elections of the Deputies have taken place with unexpected tranquillity. The Sfakians have abstained from electing Deputies, but there is some hope that they may do so before the meeting of the Assembly.

I have, &c. (Signed) Alfred Biliotti.

Consul Biliotti to the Earl of Kimberley.--(Received May 16.) Canea, Crete, May 6, 1895.

My Lord,

A few days after Carathéodori Pasha's arrival in Crete two Mussulman butchers were murdered by two Christian outlaws in Apokorona. It would seem that these four individuals were in league for cattle-lifting and disposing of it, and that the outlaws having been cheated by the butchers, who had with them at the time 80 or 100 liras, robbery was the incentive of the crime.

Shortly after, Russo Christodulaki was shot dead as he was opening at night the door of his house.

The victim having enemies also among his co-religionists, it would be venturesome to take it for granted that he was assassinated by Mussulmans. However his countrymen, the Sfakiotes, taking this view, are not likely to leave it unavenged.

On Easter Day an aged Christian was murdered by a Mussulman, while, as is customary here, he was lighting a taper on the spot where his son had been assassinated the preceding Easter. The murderer was immediately apprehended by the soldiers of a neighbouring guard-house. He has a stab wound-self-inflicted, say the Christians-received in selfdefence pretend the Mussulmans.

The next victim was a Mussulman gendarme, a native of the village of Valsamonero, who was shot dead while on his way to join his station at Apokorona.

It is said that the authors of the crime are the same outlaws who murdered the two butchers, and who had been pursued and fired at by a detachment of gendarmes, of which the victim formed part.

This murder was followed on the 1st instant by that of a Christian in the vicinity of Valsamonero, in revenge, no doubt, for the assassination of the gendarme.

A great sensation was produced by a Mussulman having been found stabbed to death in his house at the village of Condomari, Cydonia, but it has been proved that he committed suicide.

Some time ago I suggested to the Vali to try and induce the Christian and Mussulman Notables to come to an understanding for the purpose of using their influence on their respective co-religionists for the prevention .of murders. When, at his Excellency's request, I had ascertained from

the leaders of both creeds that they were disposed to do so, he called them into his presence. On that occasion a few of the Christian Notables used unbecoming language towards some of their Mussulman colleagues, but, all the same, a Commission of four Christians and as many Mussulmans was appointed and drew up a Report as to the measures to be taken, which gave satisfaction to the Vali.

it

No immediate effect can be expected from this rapprochement, but may bear fruit in due time if both parties act with sincerity.

With reference to my despatch of the 23rd ultimo, I have the honour to inform your Lordship that Mr. Marinitch has had a further conversation with the Grand Vizier respecting affairs in Crete. His Highness stated that the Sublime Porte had favourably entertained the various proposals submitted by Carathéodori Pasha, and that he himself had instructed the Minister of Finance to consider and report upon the scheme of a loan suggested by the Vali of Crete with a view to obtaining the funds necessary for extricating the island from its financial embarrassments; that at his Highness' request the Russian man-of-war, which was lying in Cretan waters, had been withdrawn, and that in order to strengthen the Vali's hands he had telegraphed to him, informing him that he enjoyed the full confidence of the Sublime Porte.

Carathéodori Pasha, his Highness said, had reported two days ago that the total number of Christians recently murdered in the island amounted to ten persons, and that of the Mussulmans to seven. His Excellency had further telegraphed his thanks for the speedy acceptance of the measures he had proposed, and had not represented the state of affairs in the island as unsatisfactory.

The Grand Vizier said that, under these circumstances, he was at a loss to understand why Carathéodori Pasha was not more successful in coping with the present difficulties in the island.

(Signed)

I have, &c.
Philip Currie.

Proclamation to be published by the Vali of Crete.

Le principal désir de Sa Majesté Impériale le Sultan, notre auguste Maître, est d'assurer le bien-être de tous les Crétois indistinctement et de consolider l'ordre et la sécurité dans l'île tout en y maintenant ses droits souverains.