THE CHUNGKING COMMERCIAL CONVENTION. [Concluded in February, 1890].
TRANSLATED FROM THE CHINESE TEXT.
Whereas in the first clause of the 3rd section of the Chefoo Convention of 1876, it was stipulated that "the British Government shall be free to send officers to reside at Chungking, to watch the conditions of British trade in Szechuan; British merchants shall not be allowed to reside at Chungking or to open establishments or warehouses there, so long as no steamers have access to the port. When steamers have succeeded in ascending the river so far, further arrangements can be taken into consideration."
And whereas, owing to divergencies of views, it has not yet been found possible to make satisfactory arrangements, now therefore the Chinese and British Govern- ments, being desirous of taking measures to settle this question in a spirit of mutual friendliness, have framed the following supplementary regulations.
I.-Chungking is opened as a Treaty Port on the same footing as other Treaty Ports. British merchants conveying merchandise from Ichang to Chungking or back, shall either hire Chinese-built boats for that purpose, or employ boats provided by themselves and built in Chinese style, as they may prefer.
II.-Cargo conveyed in such boats from Ichang to Chungking, or vice versa, is on the same footing as cargo conveyed in steamers between Shanghai and Ichang, and will be dealt with according to Treaty, Customs regulations, and general regulations for trade on the Yangtsze River.
III. With regard to the flags, distinctive marks, and manifests of such vessels, and to the transhipment of cargo intended for destinations higher up the river than Ichang as well as with regard to the general rules to be observed by traders between Ichang and Chungking; the Superintendent of Customs at Ichang, the British Consul at Ichang, the present Chen-tung Taotai resident at Chungking, and the Commissioners of Customs will consult together and frame regulations most con- ducive to the security and benefit of all, subject to such modifications similarly agreed upon, in the future, as experience shall prove to be desirable.
IV.-All Chinese or Chinese-built craft hired under this Convention shall, in accordance with the general regulations for trade on the Yangtsze, pay ch'wan-liao at Ichang and Chungking. Boats entitled to fly the British flag shall, according to Treaty, pay tonnage dues. All boats, whether Chinese craft hired by British subjects, or boats of Chinese pattern provided by them for their own use, conveying cargo to and fro between Ichang and Chungking, must receive a Customs certificate and flag. Chinese-built boats, even if entitled to fly the British flag, must conform to this rule, failing which no boat of either class may participate in the benefits of this Convention. Boats of either class provided with the proper Customs flag and papers may trade at Chungking and Ichang, all such vessels and cargoes being governed by Treaty and general Yangtsze regulations.
All other vessels will be controlled by the Native Customs exclusively.
Customs certificates and flags are not to be transferred to other vessels from those to which they are originally issued, and Chinese-owned boats are forbidden to make improper use of the British flag. For breaches of these Customs Regulations,