Page:The European Concert in the Eastern Question.djvu/316

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THE BALKAN PENINSULA, ETC.: TEXTS.

so far as it is concerned, of the Sublime Porte in the engagements which the latter has contracted as well towards Austria-Hungary as towards the Company for the working of the railways of Turkey in Europe, in respect to the completion and connection, as well as the working of the railways to be constructed on the territory newly acquired by the Principality[1].

The Conventions necessary for settling these questions shall be concluded, immediately after the signature of the present Treaty, between Austria-Hungary, the Porte, Servia, and, within the limits of its competency, the Principality of Bulgaria[2].

Mussulman property. Art. XXXIX. Mussulmans possessing property in the territories annexed to Servia, who may wish to reside outside the Principality, may retain their real property, either by farming it out or by having it administered by third parties.

Vakoufs. A Turco-Servian Commission shall be appointed to settle, within a period of three years, all questions relative to the mode of alienation, working, or use, on the account of the Sublime Porte, of the property belonging to the State and religious foundations (Vakoufs), as well as of the questions regarding the interests of private persons engaged therein.

Servians in the Ottoman Empire. Art. XL. Until the conclusion of a Treaty between Turkey and Servia, Servian subjects travelling or residing in the Ottoman Empire shall be treated according to the general principles of international law.

Evacuation. Art. XLI. The Servian troops shall be bound to evacuate within fifteen days from the exchange of the ratifications of the present Treaty the territory not comprised within the new limits of the Principality.

The Ottoman troops shall evacuate the territories ceded to Servia within the same period of fifteen days. A supplementary term of an equal number of days shall, however, be granted to them as well for evacuating the fortresses and withdrawing the provisions and material of war as for drawing up the inventory of the implements and objects which cannot be removed at once.
  1. By an interchange of notes between Austria and the Porte in 1875, the latter had undertaken to connect its railways with the Austrian system.
  2. Cf. supra, p. 285.