Enclosure 2.
The Daily Press.
HosuKong, May 27th, 1884.
As we imagined would prove to be the case, the French version of the Convention of Tientsin, signed on the 11th inst., varies considerably from the translation given from the Chinese text. There are more or less unportant differences in each article, but the versions of Article IV, show the widest dis- crepancy, as will be seen from the comparison hereunder :
FROM CHINESE TEXT. France agrees that in future, in making or alter- ing way treaty with An- nam, she will in no case insert expressions deroge tory to the prestige or dig nity of China, and she will annul all her existing trea- ties with Annam which in juriously affect Tonquin,
FROM FRENCH TEXT.
The French Gaverument undertakes not to employ. any expression which might impugn the prestige of the Celestial Empire in drawing up the definitive treaty which it is about to contract with Annam, which will abrogate the previous treaties relative to Tonquin.
As the French text is to be considered the correct one, it thus appears that France has undertaken to make a new treaty with An- nam which is to abrogate all existing treaties relative to Tonquin, and as a concession to Chinese self-love, she will refrain from using any expressions derogatory to the ancient suzerain of Annam, which means, probably, that no reference at all to China will be made in the new Annamite Treaty. There is not the slightest reference
to China 10 the two. treaties concluded in 1874 by France with Annam; but the Chinese Government are
amare of the fact that in the treaty with Annam con- cluded at Hué on the 25th August last the French required a distinct renunciation of all allegiance to China by the King of that country, and this was secured in the follow- ing terms
T
ART L-Aunam recognises and accepts the protecto- rate of France with the consequences which accord. i ing to European international law attend this relu tionship, that is to say, France shall control the rela- tions of all powers, including China, with the An- namite Government, which may communicate with the said powers only through the intermediation of France. China probably regarded this special mention of her name as derogatory, and the French have had consideration to her feelings on this point, but the effect of the Hué treaty will remain unimpaired in fact by the alter- ation, as China will be included in the term "all foreign powers." The great i point in Article IV. of the Tientsin Con- vention is, in our opinion, the clause which states that France is about to draw up a definitive treaty with Aunam which will ab. rogate part of the Treaty of the 15th March, 1874, the Treaty of the 31st August, 1874 (which is a treaty of commerce relating chiefly to Tonquin), and the unratified Hué Treaty. M. PATENOTRE is now on his way to Hué in order to negotiate this definitive treaty, and it will be interesting to noto its provisions and see whether it will provide for the ces- sion of the whole or part of Tonquin or for the establishment of a French Protectorate merely. In either case, the administration of the country will be directed by the French, and the Customs controlled by them. Pos- aibly some other ports may be opened to
foreign
foreign trade. The French will not be likely to loosen their hold upon the country, however much they may be inclined to make it appear that they only intend to restore order and show the Annamite mandarins how to govern. In the Hué treaty the scheme provided for was the government of the country by native mandarins, under the supervision of French Residents, the system being pretty much the same as that adopted with regard to the native states in the Malayan Peninsula under English protection.
The Residents were to abstain from interference with the interior administration of the pro- vinces, but were to exercise control over the native functionaries, whose removal they might in certain events demand, to adminis- ter justice as between Europeans and natives, to control the police and to supervise the collection of the impost service, while the! Customs were to be entirely confided to French administration.
It is worthy of remark that Article V. of the new Convention fixes the time when the Plenipotentiaries of France and China are to meet for the purpose of elaborating a defini- tive treaty, which is within three months, from which it will be seen the French do not intend to allow the grass to grow under their feet before the difficulty is finally settled. The delay in coming to
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any agreement at all was prolonged enough, and the parties to the settlement are now as eager to see the matter brought to a termina- tion as they were at one time willing to let it drift. Having swallowed the unpleasant draught, China is now only anxious to have the difficulty satisfactorily arranged. She has tried very hard to secure
peace with honour," how far she has succeeded isi sufficiently problematical. One thing, how- ever, is certain: she has got off very cheaply from the payment of a heavy indemnity that would have crippled her resources for some years. The corcessions she has made with regard to French trade over the Ton- quin frontier with the provinces of Yunnan, Kwangsi, and Kwangtung will cost her nothing, and at the same time they are likely to lead to an important development of cou - Inerce which will not fail to cause increment to the revenue. It has ever been thus with China. The concessions to foreign countries which have, from time to time, been un- willingly wrung from her, bave all conduced greatly to her ultimate advantage. A great deal of pity has been very needlessly wasted upon China by the humanitarian party in England. China is very weak, and never has she shown her impotence more than during this dispute re Tonquin; but her Government have a valuable fund upon which they can draw in making agreements with Western States in the shape of com- mercial concessions, and the jealousies of the Powers will serve to prevent any single one among them from demanding any con- cession that is either unreasonable or beyond the ability of China to grant.
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