No. 463.
Mr. Brown to Mr. Fish.
Legation of
the United States,
Constantinople, December 14,
1871. (Received Jan. 18, 1872.)
No. 36.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose copy of my
reply to the minister of foreign affairs on the subject of the new
regulations adopted by the Sublime Porte, regarding the passage of
merchant vessels through the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles.
Fully believing that all such facilities to commerce will be satisfactory
to the Government of the United States, I deemed it a proper occasion to
express it to the minister of foreign affairs.
Since then, at a meeting of chiefs of the diplomatic corps, convoked by
the Russian embassador, (its Doyen,) it was
proposed to request the Porte to direct that a boat belonging to the
Ottoman ship-of-war stationed at Gallipoli should collect the firmans of
merchant-vessels passing through the Dardanelles, and the Porte has
given orders to this effect.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure 1.]
Mr. Brown to
Server Pacha.
Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, November 24, 1871.
Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of the letter which you were so good as to write me the
22d instant, with its inclosures, on the subject of the new
facilities offered by the Ottoman government to the navigation of
the Straits of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles by merchant vessels.
Being convinced that the Government of the United States will learn
these new regulations with satisfaction, I have hastened to bring
them to its knowledge. I have, also, transmitted them to consuls of
the United States for their information.
I beg your excellency to accept the assurance of my perfect
consideration.
His Excellency Server Pacha,
Minister of Foreign Affairs.
[Page 670]
[Inclosure 2.]
The Dardanelles and Bosphorus.
Constantinople, Wednesday, December 13, 1871.
The following notice to shipmasters has been issued by our
Consulate-General, dated December 12:
All vessels may henceforth pass through the Straits of the Bosphorus
and Dardanelles at any hour of the day or night.
To prevent vessels stopping to get their firmans at Constantinople on
their passage down from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean,
shipmasters may provide themselves, on their arrival from the
Mediterranean, with the two necessary finnans, i.
e., the one for the Bosphorus and the one for the
Dardanelles.
These firmans must henceforth be delivered, by vessels sailing for
the Mediterranean, on board a ship-of-war stationed at Galata Point,
opposite Gallipoli.
In order that shipmasters may avail themselves of the privilege of
not being delayed on their passage home, they must take not only
their Bosphorus and Dardanelles firmans at the same time, but must
then pay all necessary dues and fees, and take their receipt at
Constantinople previous to their passing up to the Black Sea.
In this way they will avoid the necessity of stopping at the
Bosphorus on their return from the Black Sea, except at Cavak, or
Buyukdere, to take pratique.