Great Britain and Ireland and His Majesty the Emperor of China, and between their respective subjects, who shall enjoy full security and protection for their persons and property within the dominions of the other.

TREATY OF NANKIN.

Article II.

Canton, Amoy, Foochow, Ningpo, and Shanghai upened to British Sub- jects and their trade.

His Majesty the Emperor of China agrees, that British subjects, with their families and establishments, shall be allowed to reside, for the purpose of carrying on their mercantile pursuits, without molestation or restraint, at the cities and towns of Canton. Amoy, Foochowfoo, Ningpo and Shanghai.

TREATY OF NANKIN.

Article V.

Abolition of Privileges of Hong Merchants at Ports of residence of British Merchants. Payment by China of 3,000,000 dollars for Debts due to British Subjects by certain Hong Merchants.

The Government of China having

British compelled the

merchants trading at Canton to deal exclusively with certain Chinese merchants, called Hong merchants (or ('o-Hong), who had been licensed by the Chinese Government for that

the purpose. Emperor of China agrees to abolish that practice in future at all ports where British merchants may reside, and to permit them to carry on their mercantile transactions with whatever persons they please; and His Imperial Majesty further agrees to pay to the British Government the sum of 3,000,000 dollars, on account of debts due to British subjects by some of the Hong merchants or Co-Hong. who have become insolvent, and who owe very farge sums of money to subjects of Her Britannic Majesty.

(el) Communication between Hong Kong and Shamien is maintained by two river steamers.

*Persons attempting to board those steamers at Canton are frequently fired on by the strike pickets.

† (e) British property at Swatow has been wrecked and pillaged and no redress can be obtained.

$ (f) 1 have described in another despatch a series of outrages perpetrated by strike pirkets on the frontier between this Colony and China,

(a) Shamien, the small island in the Canton River on which most of the British subjects al Canton live, and which was leased from tim Chinese Government ግ። it residence for foreigners, is in some respects like a beleaguered post. Not an ounce of food is allowed in over the bridges from the city of Canton which is just across a narrow creek. If British subjects leave Shamion they are liable at any moment to be ill-treated by strike pickets. No Chinese are allowed by the strike pickets to enter Shamien. (b) Similar conditions prevail at Swatow.

The Strike Committee at Canton does not permit British merchants to carry on mercantile transactions with any persons whatsoever, and they confiscate British goods whenever found.

* Particulars of a case in point ate printed at the end of the despatch. See Note 2.

See also the CADMAN CASE. quoted later in the despatch.

A list of outrages at Swatou is appended at the end of this despatch. See Note 3. See the second despatch printed later in this Paper.

>

TREATY OF TIENTSIN.

Article XI.

.it is agreed that British subjects may frequent the cities of

Swatow and

They are permitted to carry on trade with whomsoever they please, and to proceed to and fro at pleasure with their vessels and merchandise. They shall enjoy the same privileges, advantages und immunities at the said towns and ports, as they enjoy at the ports, already opened to trade?”.

TREATY OF TIENTSIN.

Article XIII.

Employment of Chinese by British Subjects.

The Chinese Government will place no restrictions whatever upon the employment, by British subjects, of Chinese subjects in any lawful capacity.

TREATY OF TIENTSIN,

Article XIV.

Ilire of Boats by British Subjects. No Monopoly. Smuggling. British subjects may hire whatever boats they please for the transport of goods or passengers, and the sum to be paid for such boats shall be settled between the parties themselves, with- out the interference of the Chinese Government. The number of these boats shall not be limited, nor shall a monopoly in respect either of the hoats, or of the porters or coolies engaged in carrying the goods, be granted

to any parties. If any smuggling takes places in them, the offenders will, of

course, be punished according to law.

TREATY OF TIENTSIN.

Article XVIII.

Protection of British Persons and Property.

The Chinese authorities shall at all times afford the fullest protection to the persons and property of British subjects, whenever these shall have

* See Note 8.

* British subjects at Swatow are completely boycotted. They are not allowed any servants. Their food has to come by sea. The British Consul is even unable to carry out his duties as an Emigration Officer under the Chinese Passengers Act. British property has been wrecked and plundered.

The Strike Committees at Canton and Swalow do their utmost to prevent any Chinese from serving any British subject in any capacity and have not stopped, in these efforts, at torture or even death.

The Strike Committees at Canton and Swatow prevent this from being done.

Instances of breaches of this article have been referred to above. A particular case is that of Mr. H. Cadman, of the Asiatic Petroleum Company (South China) Ltd., and two Indian watchmen in the employment of that Company, who were kidnapped by strike pickets on the 18th December, 1925. These three British sub- jects were proceeding in a motor boat to get kerosine for Shamien from the Company's store at Fati, when their boat was stopped by an

413

Share This Page