THE HONGKONG WEEKLY, PRESS AND
ever, be required to pay tonnage dues for the subject who fraudulently absconds or fails to during which they are actually under-discharge debts incurred by him to a Chinese going repairs in China.
No tonnage dues shall be payable on small vessels and boats employed by Japanese subjects in the conveyance of passengers, baggage, letters, or duty-free articles between any of the open ports of China. All small vessels and cargo boats, however, conveying merchandise which is, at the time of such conveying, subject to duty shall pay tonnage dues once in 4 months at the rate of 1 mace per ton.
No fee or charges, other than tonnage dues, shall be levied upon Japanese vessels and boats, and it is also understood that such vessels and boats shall not be required to pay other or higher tonnage dues than the vessels and boats of the most favoured nation.
Art. XVI-Any Japanese merchant vessel arriving at an open port of China shall be at liberty to engage the services of a pilor to take her into port. In like manner after she has discharged all legal dues and duties and is ready to take her departure, she shall be allowed to employ a pilot to take her out of port.
Art. XVII.-Japanese merchant vessels com. pelled on account of injury sustained or any other cause to seek a place of refuge, shall be permitted to enter any nearest port of China, without being subject to the payment of tonnage dues or duties upon goods landed in order that repairs to the vessel may be effected, provided the goods so landed remain under the supervi- sion of the Customs Authorities. Should any such vessel be stranded or wrecked on the coast of China, the Chinese Authorities shall immediate- ly adopt measures for rescuing the passengers and crew and for securing the vessel and cargo. The persons thus saved shall receive friendly treatment, and, if necessary, shall be furnished with means of conveyance to the nearest Con- sular Station. Should any Chinese merchant vessel be compelled on account of irjury sus tained or any other cause to seek a place of refuge in the nearest port of Japan, she shall likewise be treated in the same way by the Japanese Authorities.
Art. XVIII.-The Chinese Authorities at the several open ports shall adopt such means as they judge most proper to prevent the revenue suffering from fraud or snuggling.
Art. XIX-If any Japanese vessel be plundered by Chinese robbers or pirates, it shall be the duty of the Chinese Authorities to use every endeavour to capture and punish the said robbers or pirates and to recover and re- store the stolen property.
Art. XX.-Jurisdiction over the persons and property of Japanese subjects in China is re- served exclusively to the duly authorized Japanese Authorities, who shall hear and de- termine all cases brought against Japanese subjects or property by Japanese subjects or by the subjects or citizens of any other Power,
without the intervention of the Chinese Authorities.
Art. XXI.-If the Chinese Authorities or a Chinese subject make any charge or complaint of a civil nature against Japanese subjects or in respect of Japanese property in China, the case shall be heard and decided by the Japanese Authorities. In like manner all charges and complaint of a civil nature brought by Japanese Authorities or subjects, in China against Chi- nese subjects or in respect of Chinese property, shall be heard and determined by the Chinese Authorities.
Art. XXII-Japanese subjects charged with the commission of any crimes or offences in China shall be tried and if found guilty punished by the Japanese Authorities according to the laws of Japan.
.
In like manner Chinese subjects charged with the ocmmission of any crimes or offences against Japanese subjects in China shall be tried and if found guilty punished by the Chinese Authorities according to the laws of
China.
Art. XXIII-Should any Chinese subject fail to discharge debts incurred to a Japanese subject or should be fraudulently abscond, the Chinese Authorities will do their utmost to effect his arrest, and enforce recovery of the debts. The Japanese Authorities will likewise do their utmost to bring to justies any Japanese
subject.
Art. XXIV.-If Japanese subjects in China who have committed offences or have failed to discharge debts and fraudulently abscond, should flee to the interior of China to take refuge in houses occupied by Chinese subjects or on board of Chinese ships, the Chinese An- thorities shall, at the request of the Japanese Consul, deliver them to the Japanese Authorities. In like manner if Chinese subjects in China who have committed offences or have failed to discharge debts and fraudulently abscond, should take refuge in houses occupied by Japan- ese subjects in China or on board of Japanese ships in Chinese waters, they shall be delivered up at the request of the Chinese Authorities made to the Japanese Authorities.
Art. XXV. The Japanese Government and its subjects are hereby confirmed in all privi- leges, immunities, and advantages conferred on them by the Treaty stipulations between Japan and China, which are now in force; and it is hereby expressly stipulated that the Japanese Government and its subjects will be allowed free and equal participation in all privileges, immunities, and advantages that may have been or may be hereafter granted by His Majesty the Emperor of China to the government or subjects of any other nation.
Art. XXVI.-It is agreed that either of the High Contracting Parties may demand a re- vision of the Tariffs and of the Commercial Articles of this Treaty at the end of ten years from the date of the exchange of the ratifications; but if no such demand be made on either side and no such revision be effected within 6 months after the end of the first ten years then the Treaty and Tariffs, in their present form, shall remain in force for 10 years more, reckoned from the end of the preceding 10 years, and so it shall be at the end of each successive period of ten years.
Art. XXVII.—The High Contracting Parties will agree upon Rules and Regulations necessary to give full effect to this Treaty, Until such Rules and Regulations are brought into so- tual operation, the Arrangements, Rules, and Regulations, subsisting between China and the Western Powers, so far as they are applicable and not inconsistent with the provision of this Treaty, shall be binding between the Contract- ing Parties.
Art. XXVIII.-The present Treaty is signed in the Japanese, Chinese, and English languages. In order, however, to prevent future discussions, the Plenipotentiaries of the High Contract- ing Parties have agreed upon that in case of any divergence in the interpretation between the Japanese and Chinese Texts of the Treaty, the difference shall be settled by reference to the English text.
Art. XXIX-The present Treaty shall be ratified by His Majesty the Emperor of China and His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, and the ratifications thereof shall be exchanged at Peking not later than 3 months from the present date.
Wittces whereof the respective Pleni- potentiaries have signed the same and have
affixed thereto the seal of their arms.
Done at Peking this 21st day of the 7th month of the 29th year of Meiji, corresponding to the 11th day of the 6th month of the 22nd year of Kuang Hsü · (July 21st 1896).
CHANG YIN-HOON. ́ ́(L.S.). HAYASHI TADABU. (L.S.
DAKIN, CRUICKSHANK AND CO., LIMITED.
The fifth ordinary general meeting of Dakin, Cruickshank and Co., Limited, was held in the Hongkong Hotel on Saturday, at noon. Mr. John Andrew presided, and there were also present Messrs. Alex. Bain (Director), W. Hughes (Manager), R. A. Gubbay, F. Maitland, A. Coutts, W. Hay, G. A. Watkins, G. T. Rivers, and Fung A Chat.
[November 11, 1896.
We have met to consider
to pass the acco ate of They have been in you and with your permissi read. In former years the been held in June and July, year has been unavoidable. Amoy manager, Mr Hunter May, and his place was temporarily Mr. Goodwin, one of the Hongkong assistants, leaving the store here to be run short handed- indeed, for some time Mr. Hughes, our manager, worked it entirely alone. After securing an other assistant from home and the services of Mr. Hay, from Shanghai, the accounts were prepared with all speed, but my absence up- country caused another delay. After my re- turn some irregularities were discovered in
which the bookkeeping
necessitated a thorough investigation and considerable time had again to be spent. I trust this explana- tion will be considered sufficient. In re
+
gard to the unsatisfactory - state profit and loss account to which attentio called in the report, I should like to make slight explanation. You will observe that the gross profits for the year are only $18,000 odd against $42,000 for 1894, and although our working expenses are reduced by $8.600 there is an ap- parent loss of about $14,000 on the year's work- ing. This is made up by assuming the stock to be properly valued in December, 1894, and December, 1895. We have every reason to believe, however, that the stock in December, 1894, has been overvalued and in consequence the accounts must show a loss between the published and real value. Every care has been taken on the present occasion to arrive at the actual value of the goods on hand. amounts written off for bills receivable, sterling drafts, value of stock, and bad debts I shall be glad to explain, and will be pleased to answer any question in regard to them or anything else before proposing the adoption of the accounts. Mr. Bain and myself have gone personally and thoroughly into these accounts with our mana-- ger, Mr. Hughes, in whom we have everycon- fidence, and our published balance sheet is not a balance sheet by name only, but represents the accurate and true position of the Company.
The
The CHAIRMAN-There being no remarks, I beg to propose the adoption of the accounts as they are published.
Mr. BAIN-I beg to second.
Carried.
The CHAIRMAN—We want three directors. Mr. Bain and I retire, but I think Mr. Bain will be agreeable to be re-elected.
Mr. BAIN-No.
Mr. HUGHES-I beg to propose that Mr. John Andrew be elected for the ensuing year. He has done a great deal for the Company, and a better man could not be found.
Mr. WATKINS seconded. Carried.
Mr. WATKINS-I beg to propose that Mr. Alexander Bain be re-elected.
Mr. BAIN-Well, gentlemen, I am very thankful your but the same time felfry rely give the time and atten tion that is required, and I think it would be better to propose some other gentleman.
Mr. ANDREW-I think Mr. Bain will reconsider this. The Company has to be caried on. I have found you always a nice comrade to carry on the business, and I have much pleasure in seconding.
Mr. BAIN-Well, really, gentlemen, I prefer bhat some other one should take the position tut if you are really in difficulties I that I can to help you. Of course, I know great deal about the affairs of the Company, I will do all that I can, but we require ano There is no doubt about it we are short and it is too much for two to do. I find I ca not give the attention that I would like to I know perfectly well it will require now more attention than ever. I think some some other gentleman might be proposed. I will do all
I can in the meantime,
Mr. WATKINS proposed Mr. Gubbay The CHAIRMAN seconded. Carried.
The CHAIRMAN-Before beginning the business of the meeting I wish to put on record the sincere regret we feel, occasioned by the death of our Chairman, Mr. George Fenwick. He has been connected with this Company ever since its formation and always took a keen inter- est in its affairs; he was also a large shareholder, ¦ offers himself for re-electi
The CHAIRMANThere is the question auditor. I would like
was Mr. Gaskell posal. Last
and