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THE BALKAN PENINSULA, ETC.: TEXTS.

zation of Eastern Roumelia^[1]. This Commission will have to determine, within three months^[2], the powers and functions of the Governor-General, as well as the administrative, judicial, and financial system of the province, taking as its basis the various laws for the vilayets and the proposals made in the eighth sitting of the Conference of Constantinople.

The whole of the arrangements determined on for Eastern Roumelia shall form the subject of an Imperial Firman, which will be issued by the Sublime Porte, and which it will communicate to the Powers^[3].

Provincial administration. Art. XIX. The European Commission shall be charged to administer, in concert with the Sublime Porte, the finances of the province until the completion of the new organization^[4].

Treaties, and privileges of foreigners. Art. XX. The Treaties, Conventions, and international arrangements of any kind whatsoever, concluded or to be concluded between the Porte and foreign Powers, shall apply in Eastern Roumelia as in the whole Ottoman Empire. The immunities and privileges acquired by foreigners, whatever their status, shall be respected in this province. The Sublime Porte undertakes to enforce there the general laws of the Empire on religious liberty in favour of all forms of worship^[5].

Railways. Art. XXI. The rights and obligations of the Sublime Porte with regard to the railways of Eastern Roumelia are maintained in their integrity.

Evacuation. Art. XXII. The strength of the Russian corps of occupation in Bulgaria and Eastern Roumelia, which shall be composed of

↑ Sir H. D. Wolff and Lord Donoughmore were appointed as the British members of the Commission in August, 1878.
↑ The work actually took nine months.
↑ The Organic Statute was signed by the representatives of all the Powers on 26th April, 1879, and was confirmed by a Firman of 17th May. Parl. Papers, 1879, Turkey, No. 9; N. R. G. v, 250. By this Statute the revenue of the Province is estimated at £T.800,000, of which $\mathrm {\tfrac {3}{10}}$ , or £T.240,000 was assigned as Tribute to the Porte, and by it assigned to the bondholders on 20th December, 1881. The whole revenue however amounting annually only to £T.6oo,ooo, the Assembly, on 20th December, 1882, passed a law valuing the revenue accordingly for five years, and reducing the tribute during that period to £T.180,000. The Porte in 1883 and 1884 refused to sanction budgets framed on these reduced estimates, but early in 1885 seemed inclined to agree to them.
↑ This was done by a financial sub-committee.
↑ » Cf. infra, Art. 62.

[1] Sir H. D. Wolff and Lord Donoughmore were appointed as the British members of the Commission in August, 1878.

[2] The work actually took nine months.

[3] The Organic Statute was signed by the representatives of all the Powers on 26th April, 1879, and was confirmed by a Firman of 17th May. Parl. Papers, 1879, Turkey, No. 9; N. R. G. v, 250. By this Statute the revenue of the Province is estimated at £T.800,000, of which $\mathrm {\tfrac {3}{10}}$ , or £T.240,000 was assigned as Tribute to the Porte, and by it assigned to the bondholders on 20th December, 1881. The whole revenue however amounting annually only to £T.6oo,ooo, the Assembly, on 20th December, 1882, passed a law valuing the revenue accordingly for five years, and reducing the tribute during that period to £T.180,000. The Porte in 1883 and 1884 refused to sanction budgets framed on these reduced estimates, but early in 1885 seemed inclined to agree to them.

[4] This was done by a financial sub-committee.

[5] » Cf. infra, Art. 62.

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