‘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.’ [‎7v] (14/28)

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The Meeting ventures to express a wish, which its experience of this
country justifies, that whatever modifications be introduced as a result of
any concessions with respect to the Capitulations, these should not be granted
all at once, but progressively, in the inverse order of tb e *f importance, each
new concession depending upon the equitable application of the previous one.
The Meeting earnestly hopes that its views will receive the kind con
sideration of the British, French, and Italian Governments, and would point
out that the very existence of their commerce in Turkey is at stake. It
trusts that its petition, born of experience, will receive attention.
Constantinople,
October 4th, 1922.
MEMORANDUM ISSUED BY THE FRENCH CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE OF CONSTANTINOPLE.
Now that the necessity of negotiating with the Turkish Government will
arise, it is the duty of our Chamber to enlighten the Ministry to which
it is subordinate—and indeed all those in France who are interested in
Near Eastern affairs—regarding a situation which by reason of recent events
has acquired peculiar importance.
As a result of numerous mistakes for a large number of which our Great
Allies are to blame, we find ourselves in an unfavourable position.
In 1918, after our great victory, the Turks were frightened and subdued.
It would have been possible then to organise the country in a practical
manner, favourable to the Allies. To-day these same Turks consider them
selves the greatest military nation in the world because the Greek Army
disbanded in front of them. They are the victims of their immeasurable
conceit, and wish to dictate their conditions. They profess great friendship
for France, but we know the value of “Turkish friendships, which have
no real existence where non-Moslems are concerned. In any case it will
be easy to test this in the near future.
France and Italy have so openly declared that they were quite decided
never to fight the Turks that they have completely lost prestige in the eyes
of this warlike nation, whose esteem they have forfeited by their cajoleries.
This is what we have to fear :
Firstly, as far as our persons and our property are concerned, the abolition
of the Capitulations.
Taking into consideration the character of the Turks, their methods and
the state of their legislature, one can frankly say that it would be impossible
for honorable Europeans to live in Turkey in the absence of the essential
guarantee afforded by the Capitulations. The result would be that those
who stand for our influence and interests and assure our trade, thereby con
stituting one of the best features of our colonies, would be forced to leave
the country. This would be an irreparable loss for France.
It is therefore indispensable that these guarantees should be maintained.
This is the unanimous opinion even of the most ardent pro-Turks. The most
imperative necessity is the maintenance of the Consular Courts and the Mixed
Tribunals and, as corollary, the sanctity of person and domicile.
In order to satisfy the pride of the Turks the Capitulations could be declared
abolished, and the essential guarantees above referred to established in a different
form. The latter step could be justified by pointing to the indisputable
fact that Turkish legislature is absolutely incomplete and needs to be remodelled.