Page:The European Concert in the Eastern Question.djvu/361

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THE TREATY OF SAN STEFANO.
345

crest of the Alla-Dagh and the summits of the Hori and Tandourek, and, passing south of the Bayazet Valley, will proceed to rejoin the old Turco-Persian frontier to the south of the lake of Kazli-gueul.]

The definitive limits of the territory annexed to Russia, [and indicated on the map hereto appended,] will be fixed by a Commission composed of Russian and Ottoman delegates. This Commission in its labours will take into account the topography of localities, as well as considerations of good administration and other conditions calculated to insure the tranquillity of the country.

Balance of Indemnity(c.) The territories [mentioned in paragraphs (a) and (b)] are ceded to Russia as an equivalent for the sum of one milliard and one hundred million roubles. As for the rest of the indemnity, apart from the 10,000,000 of roubles intended to indemnify Russian interests and establishments in Turkey — namely, 300,000,000 of roubles[1] — the mode of payment and guarantee of that sum shall be settled by an understanding between the Imperial Government of Russia and that of His Majesty the Sultan[2].

(d.) The 10,000,000 roubles claimed as indemnity for the Russian subjects and establishments in Turkey shall be paid as soon as the claims of those interested are examined by the Russian Embassy at Constantinople and handed to the Sublime Porte[3].

Lawsuits.Art. XX. The Sublime Porte will take effective steps to put an amicable end to the lawsuits of Russian subjects pending for several years, to indemnify the latter if need be, and to carry into effect without delay all judgments passed[4].

Ceded districts.Art. XXI. The inhabitants of the districts ceded to Russia who wish to take up their residence out of these territories will be free to retire on selling all their real property. For this purpose an interval of three years is granted them, counting from the date of ratification of the present Act.

On the expiration of that time those of the inhabitants who shall not have sold their real property and left the country shall remain Russian subjects.

Real property belonging to the State, or to religious establishments situated out of the localities aforesaid, shall be sold within the same interval of three years as shall be arranged by a special Russo-Turkish Commission. The same Commission shall be intrusted with determining how the Ottoman Government is to

  1. Cf. the definitive Treaty of Peace of 8th February, 1879, infra, p. 348.
  2. This was done by the Convention of 14th May, 1882, q. v. infra, p. 350.
  3. Cf. ibid. The sum is not to exceed 27,750,000 francs.
  4. Cf. Art. 9 of the definitive Treaty of Peace.