Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress with the Annual Message of the President, December 2, 1872, Part I

No. 468.
Mr. Boker to Mr. Fish.

Legation of the United States,
Constantinople, March 22, 1872. (Received April 19.)

No. 5.]

Sir: I have had the honor to receive your dispatch No. 6, and dated the 25th February, addressed to Mr. John P. Brown, in which you are pleased to direct that two copies of the new regulation on the subject of the rejie, or monopoly of tobacco, be transmitted to the Department.

The legation has just received another communication from the Sublime Porte, on the subject of the rëjie, and inclosing several copies of an official notice, regarding the grant of a concession to certain merchants here, for an exclusive sale of tobacco in the capital and its environs, during a fixed term of years; and I have the honor herewith to transmit to the Department a copy of its note and two copies of its official notice, together with their translations. This concession has been granted to the concessionists for £400,000 a year. So far as I have been able to learn, no other concessions have as yet been granted for the other parts of the empire; but it is believed that these will soon be given, and produce for the government some $10,000,000 per annum. The prices of tobacco, it is said, will now greatly increase, and be followed by a corresponding amount of smuggling, which is to be prevented, if practicable, by the concessionists.

I have, &c.,

GEO. H. BOKER.

[Inclosure No. 1.—Translation.]

Server Pacha to Mr. Brown.

Sublime Porte, Ministers des Affaires Etrangeres,
March 20, 1872.

Sir: As a continuation to my note of the 27th December, 1871, No. 31510, 30, I have the honor to transmit to you herewith some examples of the official notice containing the dispositions adopted by the imperial government in consequence of the rëjie (monopoly) of tobacco which it has established in the capital and its environs.

I beg you, sir, to be so good as to bring these dispositions to the knowledge of the citizens of the United States of America, and to accept assurances of my perfect consideration.

SERVER.

[Inclosure No. 2.—Translation.]

Official notice.

The imperial government has just given to concessionists for a fixed term, and under conditions which have been established, the privilege of the rëjie (monopoly) of tobacco, in Stamboul, Galataa, Seutari, and the villages on the Bosphorus, as well as their environs to the distance, by land, of three hours, (nine miles,) of which the names and limits will be designated later, as well as over the islands, (Prince’s Islands in the sea of Marmora.) The privilege will be put in force six months from the date of the present notice.

Commencing from the day in which the rëjie will begin to be put in execution, the privilege of the sale of tobacco in all of the places comprised within the circle where the rejie is enforced will be exclusively enjoyed by the concessionists. No person will be allowed to sell tobacco, or to introduce it into the aforesaid places. In case of importation the owner of the tobacco introduced will be obliged to sell it to the concessionists; and, in case of his not being able to agree with these on the price, he must transport his tobacco beyond the limits of the concession.

Any tobacco introduced contrary to this prohibition, in contraband, within the limits of the concession, will be immediately seized upon. The smuggler will, moreover, be liable to a fine.

Wholesale or retail dealers in tobacco are obliged to sell all of the tobacco which they may have deposited within the limits of the concession, up to the period wherein the rëjie shall come into force, than is to say, within the term of six months from the date of the present notice. At the expiration of this term merchants must sell the tobacco remaining on their hands to the concessionists, at a price agreed upon. In case that they do not agree upon the price, the said merchants must transport their tobacco beyond the limits of the concession, within which the sale of it is forbidden them.

So as to facilitate the entire sale of the tobacco actually within the limits of the circle of the concession, up to the expiration of the aforementioned term of six months the introduction of tobacco within the circle is forbidden, from this day, to any other persons exclusive of the concessionists. Nevertheless tobacco embarked up to one month from this date may be introduced in the places where the system of the rëjie is to be carried out, and sold up to the expiration of the term of six months, that is to say, to the 1st of next September.

Dealers in tobacco who possess a guidik (special permit from the guild of tobacconists) will have the right of buying tobacco from the concessionists, giving to them, however, necessary guarantees, and to sell at a price agreed upon. These merchants, must be provided, as before, with a tezkerch (permit) from an esnof, (guild.)

Constantinople, March 1—13, 1872.