RUSSIA, TURKEY, AND BULGARIA. 75 



Provisions were not forgotten for securing reforms in Bosnia and 

 Herzegovina, in the Island of Crete and in the Asiatic provinces of 

 the Turkish Empire. Reforms forsooth ! that were a gross incon- 

 sistency when recommended by Russia who denies every measure of 

 poUtical freedom to the Russian people, but on the contrary who 

 hesitates not to inflict summary punishment; even banishment and 

 death in Siberia, on those champions of freedom who dare to lift 

 their pen and voice on behalf of political liberty. 



But of all provisions the most arbitrary in the Treaty of San 

 Stefano, the demand for an enormous indemnity was the most 

 exacting. 



Russia claimed and Turkey bound herself to pay as follows : — 



1. 900,000,000 roubles for war expenses. 



2. 400,000,000 roubles on account of the damage to the com- 

 merce, the industries and railways of Russia. 



3. 100,000,000 roubles for injuries inflicted on the Caucasus. 



4. 10,000,000 roubles for damages to Russian subjects. 

 Total 1,410,000,000. roubles. 



And then follows this remarkable clause : — 



That taking into consideration the financial embarrassments of 

 Turkey, Russia consents to substitute for the payment of the greater 

 part of the indemnity, several important territorial cessions, of which 

 the following may be mentioned : — 



The Asiatic provinces of Ardahan, Kars, Batoum, Bayazid, the 

 Sandjaks of Toultcha, including the Delta Islands, and the Isle 

 of Serpents, and deducting these vast territorial annexations, 

 Russia was willing to receive, and Turkey consented by force 

 majeure to pay, 310,000,000 roubles to the Russian exchequer. 

 Then follows in conclusion thisdeclarationofgenerousmoderation: — 

 This Treaty shall be ratified by their Imperial Majesties, The 

 Emperor of Russia, and the Emperor of the Ottomans, at St, 

 Petersburg, within 15 days. 



Signed at San Stefano 3rd March, 1878. 



For Russia, For Turkey, 



Ignatieff. Neildow. Safvet. Sadoullah. 



Such is a general outline of the Treaty of San Stefano, dictated by 



disinterested Russia, in the secrecy of a Military Camp, at the close of 



a relentless war against Turkey, a Treaty that went into the very teeth 



of all her high professions for ameliorating the condition of the 



oppressed nationalities of the Balkan States, for its practical effect 



would have been to have severed Constantinople from the provinces 



