Page:The European Concert in the Eastern Question.djvu/311

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THE TREATY OF BERLIN.
295

passing from the coast between the villages of Susana and Zubci, and terminating at the extreme south-east point of the existing frontier of Montenegro on the Vrsuta Planina[1].

Antivari annexed on conditions. Art. XXIX. Antivari and its sea-board are annexed to Montenegro under the following conditions:—

The districts situated to the south of that territory, in accordance with the delimitation above laid down, as far as the Boyana, including Dulcinjo, shall be restored to Turkey[2].

The Commune of Spica, as far as the southernmost part of the territory indicated in the detailed description of the frontiers, shall be incorporated with Dalmatia[3].

Montenegro shall have full and complete freedom of navigation on the Boyana. No fortifications shall be constructed on

  1. The frontier had been agreed upon in principle during the sittings of the Congress by the Austrian and Russian Commissioners (cf. Prot. 12), but details remained to be settled by the Delimitation Commission for Montenegro, on which Capt. Sale was the British representative. It met on 30th April, 1879, but in the face of a protest from the Albanian league, and the practical difficulties of fixing a satisfactory frontier between Gusinje Plava and the plain of Podgoritza, gave up the attempt to carry out the Treaty in this respect, and separated for the winter on 8th September, after having suggested to the Porte an exchange of Kuci Kraina for the Mussulman part of Gusinje Plava. (Parl. Papers, 1880, Turkey, No. 2; N. R. G. 2me Série, v, pp. 351−484). The proposed substitution, known as 'the Corti compromise,' was embodied in a Convention between the Porte and Montenegro, of 12th April, 1880, which was sanctioned by the Powers in a Protocol signed on 18th April. (Parl. Papers, 1880, Turkey, No. 2, 1881, Turkey, No. 1; N. R. G. 2me Série, v, pp. 701, 703). The arrangement failed, in consequence of the Turkish commander not giving due notice of his intention to evacuate the forts on the Podgoritza plain, which thus fell into the hands of the Albanians. The British Consul at Scutari then suggested that Dulcigno should be handed over to Montenegro instead of Kuci Kraina. This proposal, having been accepted by Montenegro, was submitted to the Porte, on 18th August, 1880, and accepted by it, but it was not till 27th November that the place was given up, and then only under the pressure of a naval demonstration of the combined fleets, which took place from 14th September to 5th December. There then remained to be settled only the line of frontier east of the lake of Scutari, but the efforts of the Commissioners of Montenegro and Turkey to accomplish this have been impeded by the resistance of the Albanian tribes. At last, on 29th December, 1884, a Convention was signed at Constantinople, on behalf of Turkey and Montenegro, for delimitation and final settlement to the following effect: The line is drawn from Dulcigno to Planinitza, thence crossing Tomookamen it extends to Mount Golesh, thence to Mokravelika, following the limits of the Christian villages ceded to Montenegro, and afterwards the line traced by Count Corti.
  2. See note to Art. 28.
  3. Spizza, which dominates the port of Antivari, was incorporated into the Austrian Empire by a law of 15th April, 1879.