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INTRODUCTION. XVll On the 4th June, 1878, a " Convention of Defensive Alliance between Great Britain and Turkey " was signed, which agreed upon the following articles :— ARTICLE I. " If Batoum, Aidahan, Kars, or any of them, shall be retained by Russia, or if any attempt shall be made at any future time by Russia to take possession of any further territories of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan in Asia, as fixed by the definitive treaty of peace, England engages to join His Imperial Majesty the Sultan in defending them by force of Arms. " In return, His Imperial Majesty the Sultan promises to England to introduce necessary reforms, to be agreed upon later between the two Powers, into the government, and for the protection of the Christian and other subjects of the Porte in those territories ; and in order to enable England to make necessary provision for executing her engagement, His Imperial Majesty the Sultan further consents to assign the island of Cyprus to be occupied and administered by England. ARTICLE II. " The present Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications thereof shall be exchanged, within the space of one month, or sooner if possible. " In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the seal of their arms. " Done at Constantinople, the fourth day of June, in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight. "A. H. LAYARD. " SAFVET. " b

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