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File No. 711.673/66.

Ambassador Morgenthau to the Secretary of State.

No. 488.]
American Embassy,
Constantinople, September 22, 1915.

Sir: Referring to my previous despatches relative to the abrogation of the Capitulations by the Ottoman Government, and particularly to my despatch No. 325 of June 7, 1915, I now have the honor to transmit herewith a copy, Avith translation, of a note verbale from the Sublime Porte, dated September 4, 1915, in which this Embassy is informed that henceforth all communications to the Sublime Porte in which the Capitulations are considered as still in force will be disregarded.

I have [etc.]

H. Morgenthau.
[Inclosure—Translation.]

[Untitled]

No. 79748/183.]
Sublime Porte,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Constantinople, September 4, 1915.

note verbale.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has from time to time had the honor to receive communications in which it is alleged that the Capitulations are to [Page 1305] remain in force, as also notes verbales in which claims are based upon these international documents, or in which are invoked articles of old treaties and principles of a régime now abolished.

The Imperial Ministry in its note of September 9, 1914, No. 53699/89,3 has already informed the Embassy of the United States of America of the decision of the Sublime Porte to abrogate the Capitulations and has at the same time made known its reasons for it.

It has affirmed and insisted upon this point of view in many subsequent communications, among others in the one of December 5, 1914, No. 58181/137.4

As it thinks that it has sufficiently enlarged upon it, it considers all discussion of this point as exhausted, that the above decision of the Imperial Government is irrevocable and that since October 1, 1914, the European international public law must govern the relations of the states and foreign subjects with the Imperial authorities and Ottoman subjects.

Therefore it has the honor to notify the Embassy of the United States that if it receives any communication of the nature above indicated it will, to its regret, find itself in the painful necessity not to give it any effect and to pay no attention to the matter to which it refers.

  1. For. Rel. 1914, p. 1092.↩
  2. Ante, inclosure with Mr. Morgenthau’s No. 325 of June 7, 1915.↩