Page:The European Concert in the Eastern Question.djvu/10

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PREFACE.

a specific portion of the Ottoman empire, which has been, with the concurrence of the Great Powers, wholly or partially emancipated from its sway, and consists of an Introduction, followed by a series of Texts. The Introduction is a slight sketch, embodying some mention, or even a citation in full, of such relevant diplomatic acts as, though historically interesting, are not now legally operative. The series of Texts is intended to contain the documents which may be regarded as the title-deeds, or Constitutional Charters, of the States, or partially emancipated provinces, in question. These documents are fully annotated, and such portions of them as are no longer in force are distinguished by italic type.

The Appendix contains some public Acts which, though not of European authority, are important for the better understanding of the body of the work.

I have printed, as a rule, from the English Parliamentary Papers; but sometimes from the 'Recueil des principaux traités,' &c. of G. F. de Martens and his continuators, Ch. de Martens, E. Saalfeld, F. Murhard, Ch. Samwer, and J. Hopf. The 'Recueil,' 'Nouveau Recueil,' 'Nouveau Recueil Général,' and 'Nouveau Recueil Général, deuxième Série,' are respectively referred to in the notes by the abbreviations; R., N.R., N.R.G., and N.R.G. 2me Série.

T. E. H.
Oxford :

30 April, 1885.