‘The Capitulations. What they are, and what effect their abolition will have upon the status of British subjects in Turkey, upon their interests, their liberties and upon British trade generally.’ [‎5r] (9/28)

/
LIST OF ANNEXES.
No. I. The Abrogation of the Capitulations.
No. 2. Letter to the Near and Middle East Association from
British Chamber of Commerce of Turkey and the Balkan
States (Inc.)
No. 3. Translation of a Memorandum Prepared by the British, French,
and Italian Chambers of Commerce in Constantinople and
sent to their respective High Commissioners.
No. 4. Memorandum issued by the French Chamber of Commerce
of Constantinople.
No 5. Memorandum issued by the Nationalist Government in Angora
with respect to Loans, Treaties, Conventions, etc., made by
the Turkish Government in Constantinople.
No. 6. Present Judicial Systems (Civil) (Criminal).
No. 7. The First Commercial Court—Constantinople.
No. 8. A Proposed Reformation of the Judiciary.
No. 9. Insurance Laws in Turkey.
THE ABROGATION OF THE CAPITULATIONS.
From the Journal of the British Chamber of Commerce of Turkey aad the
Balkan States (Inc.), September, 1914.
Under the date of September 8th the Sublime Porte notified the Embassies
of the Foreign Powers that the “Capitulations” had been abrogated. The
Imperial Edict upon which this notification was based reads as follows :
(Translation.)
“ In view of the submitting foreigners resident in Turkey to the “ dispositions
of International Law, it has been adjudged opportune, by decision of the
Council of Ministers, to suppress for the future all the financial, economic,
judicial and administrative privileges actually existing under the name of
Capitulations as als* the accessory tolerances and privileges of these
Capitulations and arising out of the same.
“ The present Irade will enter into force from the September 18th, 1330
(October 1, 1914 n. s.) (Official Gazette No. 1938.)”
With a view to explaining the origin and general effect of the Capitulations
we venture to quote from a most valuable Memorandum on the subject drawn
up some years ago by Sir Edwin Pears, and which appeared in the “ Law
Quarterly Review “ of October, 1905 :—
“ Very inaccurate notions seem to exist in England in regard to the
Capitulations with Turkey. The word simply means treaties with the con
ditions given under small headings, but has come to be applied only to
the Treaties with the Sublime Porte. The Capitulations have been described,
even in the House of Commons, in the wildest possible manner. They
have been spoken of as due to the enlightened views of successive sultans
who have granted them (for some of the earlier ones take the form of
imperial grants) with the object of furthering commerce. On the other
hand, they have been spoken of as wrung from the sultans by foreign nations.