2
Your Lordship will, no doubt, be in possession of the French official text of the Treaty long before this reaches you, and, though the Chinese text from which the accompanying translation was made was not furnished by the Ministers of the Yamên, I have no reason to doubt its accuracy, at any rate, in all the main stipulations.
I have, &c.
(Signed) N. R. O'CONOR.
Inclosure in No. 1.
Translation of Chinese Text of Franco-Chinese Treaty of June 1885.
HIS Majesty the Emperor of China and the President of the French Republic, being desirous to terminate the misunderstanding which arose from the fact of the two countries being simultaneously engaged [in military operations] with Annam, and wishing to re-establish the former conditions of amity and commerce by the conclusion of a new Treaty to the advantage of both Powers, on the basis of the Preliminary Convention of Tien-tsin of the 17th May, 1884, approved by Imperial Edict on the 13th April, 1885, have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:
His Majesty the Emperor of China, Li, Imperial Commissioner with Plenipotentiary powers, Grand Secretary of the Wên-bua Throne Hall, Grand Tutor of the Ileir- Apparent. Minister Superintendent of Trade for the Northern Sea-board, Governor- General of Chilili, and a member of the first rank of the third grade of hereditary nobility, with the laudatory appellation "Su-i ;" and Hsi, Imperial Commissioner, Minister of the Tsung-li Yamen, President of the Board of Punishments, Superintendent of the Three Treasuries of the Board of Revenue, Director of the Studies of the hereditary officials of the left wing of the Banner forces, and Lieutenant-General of the Bordered Yellow; Hau-chun, Banner Corps; and Têng, Imperial Commissioner, Minister of the Tsung-li Yamên, and Director of the Court of State Ceremonial; and the President of the French Republic, M. Patenôtre, Officer of the Legion of Honour, bearer of the First Class of the Swedish Order of the Star of the North, Minister Plenipotentiary residing in Peking for the conduct of French affairs;
Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, and found them to be in due form, have concluded the following Treaty *******
ARTICLE I.
The Government of France engages to repress disturbance, and to maintain order throughout those parts of Annam which are conterminous with the Chinese frontier. With respect to the banditti who maltreat the people, and persons of bad character who follow no occupation, it rests wholly with the French Government to take due measures to disperse them, or to expel them from the country, and to keep watch against their reassembling for purposes of disorder. But under no circumstances shall French troops ever cross the frontier of Tonquin into Chinese territory. The French Government, moreover, while distinctly engaging, on its own part, not to encroach upon the frontier in question, also guarantees it against violation from other quarters. In all cases of banditti escaping across the frontier into the border provinces of China it will rest with the Chinese Government to take measures to disperse them, or to expel them from the country. If banditti consort together in Chinese territory, and conspire to attack people under the protection of France, it will also rest with the Chinese Government to disperse them. The French Government having assumed the responsibility of securing the peace of the frontier, the Government of China, on its part, engages not to send troops into Tonquin. With reference to the mutual rendition by China and Annam of absconding criminals, a separate and special Article will be drawn up by the Governments of France and China. All residents of Chinese nationality, including disbanded troops, peaceably pursuing their avocations in Annam, whether as agriculturists, artisans, or traders, against whom no charge lies, will be entitled to the same security of person and property as those who are under the protection of France.
* The Chinese text hefore me reads for "basis of cancelling of." Probably the Chinese copyist has made an error.-E. C. B.
356