No. 316.
Aristarchi
Bey to Mr. Cadwalader
.
Washington , June 1, 1876. (Received June 1.)
Sir: By my note of September 29, 1875, (No. 1661,) I had the honor to inform the Department of State of the decision of the Sublime Porte to raise the duties on important articles to 20 per cent.
I now beg leave to inform you that the imperial government intends to enforce this new measure in three months from May 1, 1876, at the latest. It reserves, in its confident hope of an understanding on this subject with foreign powers, the adoption, by common consent, of a method of apportioning these import duties.
The treaties of commerce, as they have been concluded with foreign countries, so far from improving the financial condition of the Ottoman [Page 593] Empire, have unfortunately been a serious obstacle to the introduction of a fiscal system in harmony with the indispensable principle of the regulation of commerce, which regulation is intimately connected with that of the finances proper, as well as with the ever-increasing needs of the various services. In its efforts to improve the finances of the empire and to establish the public prosperity on a solid basis, the Sublime Porte thinks it has reason to hope that friendly governments will share its view, and that it may rely upon their kind co-operation.
It considers public prosperity inseparably connected with private prosperity; and, entertaining this view, it appeals to the well-known equity and wisdom of the Washington Cabinet.
Please to accept, &c.,