TURKEY. No. 1.-Firman. (Commerce.) Constantinople, April 1823.* Firman de la Sublime Porte, accordant des Priviléges à la Marine Marchande Ottomane. Avril, 1823. (Traduction.) LA Sublime Porte, voulant encourager le commerce et la navigation de ses propres sujets, en leur fournissant des fonds proportionnés à chaque bâtiment marchand, a décidé que les marchandises et productions que ces bâtimens auront chargées avec les fonds susmentionnés, et qu'ils transporteront des Etats Ottomans dans la Chrétienté, et réciproquement, comme aussi celles qu'ils transporteront d'un lieu dans un autre, paieront des droits de douane à raison de 3 pour cent; et celles appartenantes à des Négocians Turcs ou à des Rayas, chargées moyennant un nolis, paieront des droits de douane nécessaires d'après leurs anciens Tarifs, avec la défalcation d'un quart. La douane sera payée une seule fois, soit dans l'endroit de l'achat, soit dans l'endroit de la vente, et les Teskérés délivrées, faisant foi que la douane a été payée une fois, seront valables partout. Les douaniers des lieux où ces bâtimens passeront, ne demanderont, pas une seconde ni plus forte douane, et n'exigeront ni frais de douane ni Mastarie, ni droit de sortie, ni d'autres droits arbitraires, pas même pour la valeur d'une obole; et s'il constate qu'il aient perçu la moindre chose au-delà des droits établis, on la fera restituer. Dans quelques Echelles de l'Empire Ottoman où ces bâtimens puissent aller, les Autorités Locales prendront soin de donner l'assistance et la protection nécessaires, afin de les faire décharger avant les autres, * State Papers. Vol. 10. Page 1042. et de leur faire prendre leur chargement, lorsqu'ils doivent en prendre un, avant tous ceux des autres Nations, dont aucun ne doit commencer à charger, que ceux-là n'aient pris toute leur cargaison, et leur procurer le nolis. Lorsque ces bâtimens seront arrivés au Port de Constantinople et aux Echelles de la Mer Blanche et de la Mer Noire, et lors de leur passage des embouchures de ces deux mers, après que leurs cargaisons auront une fois payé les droits de douane suivant l'usage, les préposés de la douane et les autres officiers ne leur demanderont aucun autre droit, soit à titre de revenant bon, ni à titre de bien-venue, ni à aucun autre titre. Le Capitaine qui donnera un Manifeste et un Mémoire exactes et authentiques, renfermant la totalité de la cargaison et le nom du lieu de sa destination, ne sera assujetti à aucune question. On ne fera aucune perquisition à son égard; on ne le détiendra pas; on ne lui fera éprouver aucun préjudice. A l'exception des munitions de guerre, des armes et des autres articles prohibés, il est permis à ces bâtimens d'acheter et de transporter toute espèce de productions et de marchandises. On ne demandera point de droits de douane sur les marchandises étrangères qui sont de transit, c'est-à-dire, sur les marchandises et productions qu'ils transporteront de la Russie dans les autres Pays de l'Europe, et réciproquement. On ne forcera pas le Capitaine de les débarquer, et on ne le retiendra pas pour cela. Lorsque ces bâtimens nolisés par des négocians Francs, se trouvent chargés de marchandises appartenantes à des Francs, les officiers du Bureau de la Marine permettront sans difficulté aux bâtimens Turcs de les transborder sur des bâtimens Francs, sans faire la moindre opposition. Mais de la même manière qu'il est sévèrement défendu aux bâtimens Francs de transborder des denrées et des marchandises sur d'autres bâtimens Francs, de même il ne sera non plus permis en aucune manière à un bâtiment Turc de transborder des marchandises sur un autre bâtiment Turc, la permission se bornant à une opération de cette nature, d'un bâtiment Turc à un bâtiment Franc, et d'un bâtiment Franc à un bâtiment de la Sublime Porte. Il est permis à ces bâtimens de vendre les denrées qu'ils apporteront à Constantinople des échelles de la Russie, comme Tangarog et Odessa, et de les transborder sur des bâtimens Francs, et cette permission leur sera accordée par un Firman. La Sublime Porte accorde à ces bâtimens la faveur de pouvoir se rendre librement à la Mer Blanche, avec les grains, les vivres et les denrées qu'ils auront achetés et embarqués en Russie. Quoique les Capitaines de ces bâtimens soient des hommes qui méritent de la confiance, ils ne sont pas moins compris dans la mesure que les circonstances actuelles ont nécessité, de visiter généralement tous les bâtimens : et l'on ne doit pas faire une distinction à cet égard en leur faveur. No. 2.-Firman. (Servia.) Constantinople, December, 1833. Firman from Sultan Mahmoud II, addressed to Prince Milosch Obrenovitz of Servia, dated 1st of Rejib, 1249, A.H. (About the end of December, 1833, A.D.) (Translation.) To the ornament of the Princes of the Christian Nation, and the Chief of the Grandees of the followers of Jesus, the head Kniez (leader) of the Servian Nation, Milosch Obrenovitz Bey; (may his end terminate in good!) On the receipt of this noble and Imperial mandate, it may be known to you that, being desirous of rewarding the Servian nation, subject to my empire, for the proofs of fidelity which they cease not giving to my Sublime Porte, and in accordance with my declared mercy and Imperial clemency towards them, I have promulgated, in the year 1246, an Imperial Firman, by which I was pleased to grant them several privileges; such as its interior administration; the reunion of such districts which had formerly been detached from Servia; the payment of all taxes consolidated into one sum only; the administration of all the wealth of the Turks who, with the exception of the garrisons of the fortresses, are on the point of quitting Servia in the space of twelve months, &c., &c. But as the accomplishment of several of these points was necessarily deferred till some circumstances connected with both the advantage of the Turks and that of the Servians, could be brought to light, and which it was necessary to know beforehand; and as now every doubt on these points has been removed, and all difficulties overcome by an understanding of the means of execution; and as it is my supreme will that the privileges which I have granted to the said Nation should be put into execution, and exercised according to the above-mentioned first Firman granted to them out of my Imperial mercy, and be now consolidated with your own knowledge, I order and decree as follows: That the districts detached from Servia, which were formerly in litigation, will pass, as well as the rest of the districts of Servia, under your administration, and their boundary will be determined according to the information given by the Commissioners sent on the spot for that purpose, and in accordance with the topographical maps made expressly for those districts, which are the following:- Kraina, including Klioute; Tzerna-Jeka, with Gourgouchevatz; Barvia and Sverlic; Alexinitza, with Rosnia and Paroquina; Kruchevatz, known as Allaja-Hissar; a part of the Stari-Vla (Old Wallachia), with part of the district of Novi-Pavar, known by the name of Berveme; and the districts of Drina, formed of Jadra and Radgevena. In order, therefore, that the said districts may regularly pass under the Servian administration, the requisite Firmans have been issued and sent to our Viziers, Hossein Pasha of Vidin, and to Veli Pasha of Belgrade; and it was ordered by these Firmans that Commissioners shall be appointed by you, as well as by Hossein Pasha, to go on the spot to make a correct survey; and in order that this affair may be brought to a suitable conclusion, the officers and authorities of those places have been directed to join the said Commissioners, and to assist and help them as much as may be necessary for the purpose of finally determining the boundary limits of those districts; and that a copy of those topographical maps, which have been already sent to our said Viziers, may be delivered into the hands of the said Commissioners and Sur veyors. In the above-mentioned my last Imperial Firman, a period of twelve months was granted to the Turks living in the small towns about the fortresses, (the city of Belgrade excepted,) to sell with advantage their estates and to quit Servia; but as that term appears now insufficient for this purpose, and with the view of altering it and of enforcing it into a law, we have authorized the said Turks to stay five years longer in Servia, dating the term from the day of the issuing and promulgating the present Firman. During this period of five years they will be under the domination of the respective Viziers of those places, and they shall be governed by the Turkish Authorities elected among themselves. The victuals and provisions necessary for the Turks, to whom the term of five years has been granted, and for those in the garrisons, which are to continue remaining for ever, shall be furnished by the Servians, and be paid for (by the Turks) in ready money, without any violence or vexation. what The said Turkish Authorities shall not interfere in any way ever with the affairs of the Servians, and they are to live with them on the best friendly terms. The Turks who may be desirous of leaving the country before the said term of five years, shall receive every kind of assistance to sell their property to the best advantage, and every facility for the conveyance of their families. But at the expiration of the said term, the Turks who inhabit small towns shall be obliged to quit them, and settle themselves elsewhere; those who live in the suburbs at the fortresses, (Belgrade excepted,) shall be obliged to enter and reside in those fortresses with their families, or to go elsewhere; so that no Turk for the future, on no account whatever, shall be allowed to settle in Servia. The Servians, however, shall be obliged to pay, punctually, and at a reasonable price, for the lands or properties bought of the Turks before their departure from the country. As the Turks living in the city of Belgrade are not only destined to the garrison of the fortresses, but also carry on, besides, an advantageous commerce with the Servians; and as both these nations are equally subject to my Empire, I have decreed that, in order to enable these Turks to live in a suitable and comfortable manner, they should continue to inhabit the city of Belgrade, and to be under the control of its Governor, my Vizier Veli Pasha; and that for the security of general tranquillity, the Servians also shall be allowed to live and dwell in the said city of Belgrade as usual; and that you, Prince, and other Servian officers, shall be at liberty to enter it and go out of it without being hindered or prevented by any body whom soever. The Turks, as well as the Servians, by paying the established duties of the Custom House, will enjoy at Belgrade the liberty of commerce; the administration of the Custom House will be intrusted to the Servians. No one shall be allowed to carry arms in the city of Belgrade except the soldiers under the command of the said Pasha, the garrison, the Servian officers, and the police officers. The Turks will not be permitted to erect houses or any other kind of buildings out of the city of Belgrade. The Turks shall be obliged to submit to the regulations of police which the Turkish Governor of Belgrade, and you, Prince, shall think proper to establish. Neither you, nor the Servian nation, shall ever act in any manner whatever contrary to the duties of faithful subjects, nor contrary to the submission which you owe to my Sublime Porte. The aforesaid Governor of Belgrade and yourself, will always consult together for all that concerns the administration and police of the city. The permission granted to the subjects of foreign Powers to carry on commerce and to dwell in the city of Belgrade, is also one of the points upon which the Governor of Belgrade and yourself must under |