TREATY (ARRANGEMENT) OF CONSTANTINOPLE
(21 July 1832)
ARRANGEMENT between Great Britain, France, Russia, and Turkey, for the
Definitive Settlement of the Continental Limits of Greece. Signed at
Constantinople, 21st July, 1832.
ART.
TABLE.
Preamble.
1.
New Boundary.
2.
Indemnity to Turkey.
3.
Appointment of Boundary Commissioners.
4.
Payment of Indemnity.
5.
Turkish Evacuation of Greek Territories.
6.
Passage of Greek Vessels through the Gulf of Arta.
7.
Permission to Individuals to quit Ceded Territories and to sell their Estates. Similar Privileges to
Inhabitants of Eubea and Attica and Proprietors of Thebes.
8.
Appointment of Commercial Agents. Definitive Settlement of Greek Question. Confirmation of
Arrangement to have same Force as a Ratification.
Representatives of the 3 Powers, parties to the Treaty of London, of the 6th of July, 1827,
namely, the Right Honourable Sir Stratford Canning, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
His Britannic Majesty, on a special mission to the Ottoman Sublime Porte; the Sieur Appolinaire
Bouteneff, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of His Majesty the Emperor of All the
Russias; and the Sieur Jacques Edouard, Baron Burignot de Varenne, Chargé d’ Affaires of His
Majesty the King of the French, - having made known to the Sublime Ottoman Porte the changes
which it was necessary to make in the Frontier of Greece, and having communicated to it the object of
the instructions, and of the powers with which they were furnished, to propose to it a Definitive
Boundary line, upon condition of compensating, by an equitable indemnity, the losses which might
result therefrom: -the Sublime Porte, animated with the desire of consolidating the arrangements to
which, out of consideration of the 3 Allied Courts, and relying on their sincere intentions, it had
previously agreed, has consented to enter upon a negotiation for this purpose, and has charged
therewith two of its Ministers, namely, His Excellency Mustapha Behdjet Effendi, Ex-Cazesker of
Roumelia, at the present time First Physician of His Highness, and His Excellency Elhadj Mehemed
Akif Effendi, present Reis Effendi.
The above-mentioned Plenipotentiaries, filled with the sentiments of their respective
Governments, and having no other object in view than that of terminating the Greek Affair in a way
that shall be durable, and calculated to prevent all further discussion on this question, have met several
times for this salutary purpose; and the complete result of their conferences has been recorded in the
present document, exchanged between the Parties as the instrument of their final transaction.
THE
New Boundary.
It was agreed that:
ART.I. With respect to Boundary: On the eastern side, the extreme point of separation of the two
States shall be fixed at the mouth of the little River which flows near the Village of Gradiza. The
Frontier line shall ascend this River to its source, shall thence reach the chain of Mount Othryx, leaving
to Greece the Passage of the Klomo, provided the crest of that chain be not passed: thence it shall
follow, in a westerly direction, the crest of the same chain along the whole extent thereof, and
especially the Peak of Varibovo, in order to attain the height which, under the denomination of Veluchi,
forms the point of connection of the three great chains of mountains of the country. From this height the
line shall continue, adapting itself as much as possible to the salient features of the country, across the
Valley of the Aspropotamos to the Gulf of Arta, terminating at that Gulf between Coprina and Menidi,
in such manner as that in any case the Bridge of Tartarina, the Defile and the Tower of Macrinoros
shall be comprised within the Limits of Greece, and that the Bridge of Coracos and the Salt Springs of
Coprina shall be left to the Ottoman Porte. Thus, the shore of the Gulf of Arta to the north and west of
the point where the Boundary line meets its waters, will be retained by the Ottoman Empire; and the
shore of this Gulf to the south and west of the line is assigned to the State of Greece, with the exception
of the Fort of Punta, which will continue to belong to the Porte, with a radius of Territory which shall
not be less than half-an-hour, nor more than an hour.
Nevertheless, as the Representatives, full of deference for the wish which has been expressed in
the name of His Highness, relative to the portion of the district of Zeitoun, situate to the left of the
Sperchius, have agreed that reference should be made on the subject to the Conference of London,
upon the express condition that the decision and execution of the measures consequent thereupon
should not be retarded thereby; it has become necessary to provide for the contingency of that portion
of the Territory of Zeitoun remaining to the Ottoman Empire.
The Boundary line to the east will in that case commence at the mouth of the River Sperchius,
and will run up its left Bank to the point of contact of the districts of Zeitoun and of Patradjik; thence it
will reach the summit of the chain of the Othryx, following the common Boundary of those two
districts, and the most direct line, in the event of that common Boundary not attaining the summit of the
chain of the Othryx.
It will continue in the manner before mentioned, in order to terminate at the Gulf of Arta.
Indemnity to Turkey.
With respect to the Indemnity, it remains fixed at the sum of 40,000,000 of Turkish
piastres, provided the portions of the district of Zeitoun, situate to the left of the River Sperchius shall
have been, in consequence of the decision of the Conference of London, definitively assigned to the
Greek State.
If, on the other hand, in consequence of the decision of the Conference of London, those
portions of the district of Zeitoun are to continue to belong to the Ottoman Empire, the indemnity
which the Porte will receive remains fixed at the sum of 30,000,000 of Turkish piastres.
ART.II.
Appointment of Boundary Commissioners.
ART.III. The Commissioners of the 3 Courts shall immediately proceed to the marking out of the
Boundary now settled. A Commissioner shall be appointed by the Sublime Porte to join in the labours
of this Demarcation. It is clearly understood that no delay shall arise in this operation, whether from the
absence of one or two of the Commissioners or from any other cause. A Commissioner appointed by
the Greek Government may co-operate in the same labours, which should be completed in the space of
6 months, dating from this day. In case of difference of opinion between the Commissioners, the
question shall be equitably resolved by a majority of voices.
Payment of Indemnity.
ART.IV. The Indemnity which is due to the Sublime Porte in virtue of the present Arrangement,
shall be paid on the 31st of December of the present year, on which day, in conformity with the
following Article, all the Territories, without exception, which are to constitute Greece shall be
evacuated, if not sooner, by the troops and authorities of the Sublime Porte. This payment shall be
effected at Constantinople on the 1st of December, 1832, at the rate of exchange of the day of the
signing of this instrument, by drafts on London, Paris, Vienna, or Petersburgh; and the Porte shall be
officially informed on this matter on the arrival of the formal confirmation of this transaction.
Turkish Evacuation of Greek Territories.
On the 31st of December of the present year, or sooner if possible, the Territories which
form the object of the present Arrangement shall be entirely evacuated by the Ottoman troops and
Authorities. With respect to the Territories previously assigned to Greece, and which are still occupied
by the Sublime Porte, they also shall be evacuated within the same period, so that on the day specified,
the evacuation of all the Territories, without exception, which are to constitute Greece, shall have been
in every instance completely effected.
ART.V.
Passage of Greek Vessels through the Gulf of Arta.
ART.VI.
The Fort of Punta, as has been said above, being intended to remain to the Porte to
complete the means of defence of Prevesa, and in order the better to secure the safety of its commerce,
there shall only be permitted therein a garrison sufficient for the occupation of that post. It is understood
that the Ottoman Authorities will not oppose any obstacle to the passage of Greek Vessels; and,
excepting Customs dues and other imposts which would be due to the Sublime Porte in cases where
Vessels may put into Punta, Prevesa, or other Turkish ports of the Gulf of Arta, the Authorities shall
demand nothing for the passage.
Permission to Individuals to quit Ceded Territories
and to sell their Estates.
ART.VII. A term of 18 months, dating from the day on which the labours of the Demarcation
shall have been completed, is accorded to such individuals as may desire to quit the Territories which
form the object of the present Arrangement, and to sell their estates. This term of 18 months may, in
special cases, and under unforeseen circumstances, be prolonged some months, and a Commission of
Arbitration shall determine on the validity of these cases for exception, and shall assist in causing the
sales to be effected at a fair price.
Similar Privileges to Inhabitants of Eubea and Attica, and
Proprietors of Thebes.
The same advantages are accorded to the inhabitants of the Island of Eubea, and of Attica, and to
the Proprietors of Thebes, who would at the present day be in the receipt of their rightful revenues if
that district were occupied by the Ottoman troops at the date of the assent of the Porte to the preceding
arrangements of the 3rd of February, 1830.
It is understood that these individuals will alike be allowed to dispose, and within the same
period, of any beneficial interest which they may have, either as tenants, or as hereditary administrators,
in the Vacoufs, the whole of which is transferred to the Greek State.
Appointment of Commercial Agents.
ART.VIII. In conformity with the preceding stipulations, the Government of the new King of
Greece will have the power of entering into negotiation for the purpose of regulating its relations of
commerce and navigation with the Sublime Porte on a principle of reciprocity; and Agents duly
accredited on either side shall be received in the Ports of Turkey and Greece, according to the usual
forms, so that Ottoman subjects shall have an acknowledged right to traffic at their will in the State of
Greece, and that, on their side, the Greeks shall cease to have recourse to foreign protection to frequent
the Ports and Trading Towns of the Ottoman Empire.
Definitive Settlement of Greek Question.
The undersigned Plenipotentiaries of the 3 Courts, and those of the Sublime Porte, having
brought to a close the Conferences which they have held for the purpose of effecting the Definitive
Settlement of the Boundary of Greece, as above described, declare that, considering the arrangements
recorded by common agreement in the present instrument, the object of the Treaty of London of the 6th
July, 1827, and of the Protocols under different dates which relate thereto, is completely attained; that
the prolonged negotiations to which those stipulations have given rise, are terminated in such a manner
as never to be renewed; in fact, that the Greek Question is irrevocably settled.
Confirmation of Arrangement to have same force as a Ratification.
The final Confirmation of the present Final Arrangement by the 3 August Courts shall be
transmitted to the Sublime Porte within the period of 4 months, dating from this day; and that
Confirmation shall have, with respect to this Act, all the force of a Ratification.
Done at Constantinople, the 9th/21st July, 1832 (the 23rd of the month Safer, 1248 of the
Hegira).
(L.S.) STRATFORD CANNING.
(L.S.) A. BOUTENEFF.
(L.S.) E.B. VARENNE.