This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.
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# CHINA RAILWAYS.
**CONFIDENTIAL.**
(24130)
No. 1.
(July 1
ME 4 AUG 08
SECTION
Sir J. Jordon to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received July 13.)
Peking, May 27, 1908.
(No. 232.) Sir,
I HAVE the honour to transmit to you herewith copy of a despatch from the Acting British Consul-General at Mukden, inclosing copy of an Agreement made between the Kirin Bureau of Railway Affairs and the Eastern Chinese Railway Company for the felling of timber in the Province of Kirin.
I have, &c. (Signed) J. N. JORDAN.
Inclosure in No. 1.
## Agreement between the Kirin Bureau of Relations with the Railway Authorities and the Chinese Eastern Railway Company for the Felling of Timber.
### ARTICLE 1
The Eastern Chinese Railway Company is hereby granted the privilege of felling different kinds of timber in three fixed areas in the Province of Kirin: (1) the adjacent region of Shih-tou-ho-tzu; (2) the adjacent region of Kao-ling-tzu, a chart of the regions are attached hereto (the above regions are divisions of Fu Lang Ko area of 35 Chinese li, originally granted to the said Company); and (3) the adjacent region of Yi-mien-po, the length and width of which shall not exceed 25 li, that is, 625 square Chinese li, the chart of which shall be attached to this Agreement for reference when ready.
### Art. 2.
The said Railway Company shall, before the commencement of any operations of felling any timber, notify the chief Bureau of Railway Relations of the region and of the quantity and kinds of timber the Company intends to fell, and request the authority of the said Bureau that a licence be issued in which are enumerated the desired quantity and the kinds of timber. The said licence shall be issued after one-third of the fee required for the enumerated quantity and kinds of timber has been received, the other two-thirds shall be paid after the quantity as enumerated in the licence has been felled.
### Art. 3.
A timber licence shall be issued annually on the 1st August (Russian calendar) in favour of the said Railway Company, which licence is to last one year. If at the end of the All fees of the previous year shall be fully paid at the above date. year the quantity felled is not equal to one-third of that issued in the licence, the fee already paid shall, according to Chinese Treasury rules, not be refunded. If, on the contrary, the quantity of timber felled exceeds one-third, a proportionate fee shall be paid according to the rate fixed in this Agreement. In case the licence fee due at the end of the stated period is not paid, or if the said Company fails to comply with any of the Articles of this Agreement, the licence already issued, shall be nullified and the privilege of felling timber withdrawn. If the said Company duly pays the licence fee and acts in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Chinese authority shall, in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement, renew the licence annually on the dates mentioned above.
### Art. 4.
The area granted to the said Company on which to procure timber shall be marked out clearly in the locality at the Company's expense. The said Company shall not procure timber beyond the limits thus marked out. The Chinese authority shall not grant the privilege of felling timber within the said areas to any other party. The Chinese authority will make every effort to stop the unauthorized felling of timber within the said areas by any other party.
### Art. 5.
Sufficient space must be reserved in the said timber areas near the railway for public roads, spacious enough for the passage of vehicles, horses, &c.
### Art. 6.
The said Railway Company may make arrangements within the said areas for the felling of timber, the storage of the same, the establishment of saw-mills, the erection of dwelling-houses, the repair of branch lines for the transportation of wood. Chinese police must be permitted to enter the said areas for the arrest of criminals
[1841 -]]