New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-11-18
FULL TEXT OF PRINCE GORTsCHAKOFFs
NOTE.

A HISTORY OF THE TREATY OF PAR1s-iNfRAC'
TIONs BY OTHER PowERs-wHY 1T SHOULD
BE ADVOCATED BY RUSSIA
IA portion dp,h appeared in edition Of ys'terd
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THB TRIBUSRl
LONDON, Wednesday Nov. Is, 1870
The following is the full text of Gortschakohs
| circular:
Gortschokof to Baron Bpnno,r communicated to Gran
rifle by Brnnnoto Nor. .. ,o-o
"TZARsKoR SELO, Oct 49, 1871;
BARON: Tin successive alterations which the
compromises co idered to be the foundation Oh une
equilibrium of rope have in these last years un.
dergone, have obliged the Imperial Cabinet
to examine tn influence. upon the political
| position of Russ resulting therefrOm. Among these
compromises thai yhich interests ns most dlrec NY
| is the treaty of he 1Sth-30th March, 1896. me
special convention between the two Powers Dorder-
ing on the Black Sea annexed to this treaty contains
an engagement on the part of Russia to limit her
! naval forces to uncomfortable dimensions Ia re-
turn, this treaty offered her the principle OF the neu
In the view Of the signatory Powers this prn,-
| ciple was 10 remove all possibility OF conflict
| Sea OF between them and the Maritime Powers; III
to increase the number OF territories caiied py
! the unanimous agreement of Europe TO ENJOY tne
benefits Of neutrality and SO to protect usSia hcl
| self from all danger of aggressions ,,.
"The experience of fifteen years has proved that
the whole extent of the frontiers of the Russian
Empire in this direction, rests only on theory In
fact, while Russia, disarmed IN the Black sea, mas
II
the conferences legally denied herself the possibility
of taking efficient measures of maritime defense IN
the adjacent seas and ports, Turkey PTeseryed the
| right of keeping up unlimited naval forces IN the
| Archipelago and the Straits, France and England
preserved the power of concentrating their squadrohs
"Moreoyer, by the terms Of the treaty, the en-
trance TO the Black Sea is formally and forever pro-
hbtcd TO the flag of war, whether OF tlle Riparian
| Powers or any other Power. But by virtue OF the
Convention called the Straits CONVENTION, the pas
sage through these Straits is closed to flags OF war
only in time of peace. Ii results from TINS contra
dcfon that the coasts of the Russian Empire remain
eypOsed TO all agUessiOns, even on the part Of less
powerful States az they possess naval forces,
To which Russia would be able to oppose only few
vessels of small dimensions.
The treaty of 18th SOth March, 1856, moreover,
has not escaped the infracons to winch most OF te
| European compromises have been subject, ana In
presence of which it would be difficult to affirm that
written law, founded upon respect Tor treaties AZ
base of public law and rule for the relations between
| States has preserved the same moral sanction which
| il may have had in other times .,,-,,.,
ave have seen the principaities OF Moday,a anu t
Wallachia the fate of which had been flxed by the
| treaty of peace and by the subsequent protocols
under the guarantee of the Great Powers, eject
series Of revolutions as contrary to the spirit az 10
the letter of these compromises and which led them
first TO union. then to the summoning of foreign
prince. These events occurred with the consent OF
HE Porte and the acquiescence of the Great Powers,
| or AT least without the latter having thought IT
necessary TO make their DEGREES respected.
1.-THE representative of Russia was the only one
"a raise his voice to point out the Cabinets that
by this liberation they would put themselves IN con
tradctiOn to the explicit stpuiauons OF the treaty.
Beyond doubt if these concessions; granted 10 one
of the Christian nationalities of the East had re-
shifted from a genial understanding between
the Cabinets and the -, Porte, o by virtue Cht;.
| tian populations of Turkey, the Imperial Cabinet
would have had nothing to do but applaud But
'i %TT Ts'I Imperial Cabinet then could not but
be struck with the fact that It had been posi-
bic to infringe with i%pun dYtor the s 'res ooyc o.
SION in one of its essential clauses, in
the face of the Great Powers assembled in conference
at Paris and representing e. WHOLE whole me me 4g COZ Of
the East. This infraction was not the only
one. At several intervals, and under
has been opened to foreign ships Of war; and that of
the Black Sea to whole sqnadrons, the presence OF
which was violation of the character OF absolute
! neutrality ascribed 10 these waters.
" In proportion the pledges offered by the treaty
grew weak and especially the guarantees OF an
effective neutrality Of the Black sea the n.Iodu &C.
the time of the conclusion of the treaty of 1856 aug
mented for Russia the dangers OF an eventual war
by increasing, in considerable proportions, the al
ready evident inequality OF the respective naval
forces. 49,. ~. =,
was Obliged to ask himself, What the rights and
what the duties which accrue to Russia from these
notifications in the general situation, and from
those infractions of engagements to which he has
not ceased to be scrupuously faithful, although
they were conceived in a spirit of mistrust with
respect To him .,.-..,
Imperial MAJESTY has arrived at the following con-
cusion which You are directed to bring TO the
knowledge OF the Government 10 winch you are
| accredited: g, -, "a
| "Onr august master cannot admit iii law that the
treaties nfringed in several of their essential and
general clauses, remain obligatory in those which
tonch the direct interests OF his empire His Imperial
Majesty cannot admit, in fact, that the security of
Russia should depend a fiction which has not
withsood the test of time. and be put in peril by his
respect for engagements which have not been OBJ
! served i'm their integrity. The Emperor, coniding
i'm the sentiments of equity Of the sgnatory
powers of the treaty of 1885, and III the conscious
declare that his Imperial Majesty can no longer con
slider himself bound 10y the obligations of the treaty
| of lSth-30th March, 1856, 10 far as these limit
his right of sovereignty in the Black Sea that
His Imperial Majesty considers il his right and his
duty TO gye notice Ia His Majesty The Sultan in
spect to the special convention additional 10 the said
treaty, which fixes the number and The dimensions
reserve the right Of maintaining III the Black
Sea that ne Loyalty gives notice OF this Ia
the powers signing ava gnaiantctlnr inc general
INTEGRAL par that he restores Ia His Majesty the
} Sultan The full session OF S nights IN tins re-
| surct rs he equally reclalms his own for himself.
i"Jn dscharging this duty you will be careful 10
state that our august master has in view only
} the security aud dignity Of his Empire IL Is 10y
, no means the purpose OF ms Imperial Majesty to
has no other wish than the preservation and con-
: | sOdaiIOD al peace. :,
"IIo fully maintains his adhesion to the general
nrnciplrs of the treaty Of lSG, which settled the
nositiop Of Turkey in the European system. lie Is
ready 10 come 10 understanding with the Powers
who signed this arrangements either To conhin it'
general spulaiions, In renew them or to substi-
int for tlem any other equitable arrangement
which NAV DE thought suitable To the repose
of The Fast and the European equilibrium. His
Majesty however, il CONVINCED that that peace AMI
,nubrinm will have stronger guarantee" when
! tev sLalj have been placed on more Jnsi and solid
, bases ihan those resulting from position which nc
4 a nal ..s.Il nj