I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
T. E. HOLLAND
Oxford, May 22 (1912).
THE CLOSING OF THE DARDANELLES
Sir,—I am reminded by Mr. Lucien Wolf's courteous letter that I ought probably to have mentioned, in alluding to the Treaty of San Stefano, that it is doubtful whether Art. 24 of that Treaty is in force. It was certainly left untouched by the Treaty of Berlin, but the language of the relevant article (3) of the definitive Treaty of Peace of 1879 is somewhat obscure, nor is much light to be gained upon the point from the protocol of the 14th séance of the Congress of Berlin, at which Art. 24 came up for discussion.
The earlier Treaties, however, which were revived beyond [059]question by Art. 10 of the Treaty of 1879, grant to Russian merchant vessels full rights of passage between the Black Sea and the Ægean, exercisable, for all that appears, in time of war as well as of peace, although these Treaties contain no express words to that effect. Such rights, I would again urge, if enjoyed by one Power, should be enjoyed by all; upon terms to be settled, not by any pair of Powers but by the Powers collectively.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
T. E. HOLLAND
Oxford, June 5 (1912).