TREATY BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA.
XXXV
Art. IX.-As compared with former years, trade is now much increased, and, moreover, rew boundaries have been laid down. Thus, the condition of affairs differs much from what is was at the time of making the Treaties of Nipchu and Kiachta, and the supplementary stipulations of succeeding years; and circumstances that gave rise to disputes between the various frontier officers no longer remain the same. Such changes, in existing regulations, as are necessitated [by the altered state of affairs,] are hereby included in newly drawn up stipulations
Heretofore official communications treating of frontier business have only passed between the High Officer at Koo-lun and the Koo-pih-urh-na-to-urh (? Governor) of Kiachta, and between the Governor General of Western Siberia and the Tartar General stationed at Ili. For the future, in addition to the officers just named, frontier business may be transacted by the Koo-pih-urh-na-to-urh of the Amoor and Tung-hae-peen (Eastern Sea shore) provinces, in communication with the Tartar General stationed in Hih-lung-keang and Kee-lin.
Matters in which Kiachta is concerned shall be attended to by the Kome-sa-urh (? Commissioner, or Commissary) stationed on the Kiachta frontier, in communication with the officer of the Board at Kiachta. All [such communications, &c.] shall be in accordance with the provisions of the eighth Article of this convention.
The said Generals, Governors, and other officers shall correspond on terms of equality, in accordance with the second article of the Tien-tsin Treaty. Moreover, if the dispatches written refer to business that ought not to be entered upon, no attention shall be paid to them.
In respect of trontier business of great importance, the Governor General_of Eastern Siberia shall communicate thereon with either the Privy Council or the Fo- reign Office.
Art. X.-All frontier business, whether of importance or otherwise, shall be managed by conjoint action on the part of the frontier officers, as laid down in the eighth article of this convention; and, as provided for by the seventh article of the Tien-tsin Treaty, offenders shall be tried and punished in accordance with the laws of that one of the two countries to which they may belong.
Should cattle stray or be decoyed across the frontier bundaries, the officers of the locality on being informed of the fact by official communication, shall, without delay, despatch people to search for them; they shall likewise give full information to the soldiery at the frontier posts, who shall be bound to recover and send back such cat- tle, whether straying or stolen, in accordance with the numbers reported in the original communication; and who, should they fail to restore the property that is missing, shall be punished, as the laws direct, in a manner proportionate to the value of what is lost. No claim for compensation shall be entertained.
In the event of runaways crossing the frontier, measures shall be taken for their discovery and arrest immediately upon the receipt of an official requisition to that effect; and, on the arrest having been effected, the prisoners, with whatever property may be found in their possession, shall be handed over to the nearest frontier officer, whose duty it shall be to ascertain the place from which such persons may have absconded.
The runaways, while on the return journey under arrest, shall be supplied with food, and, if naked, with clothes; and they shall neither be maltreated nor insulted by the soldiers. Runaways arrested prior to the receipt of any such official requisi- tion, shall also be dealt with in like manner.
Art. XI.-Answers shall be returned to communications transmitted through in- termediate officers by the High officials on the frontiers. The despatches of the Go- vernor General of Eastern Siberia and of the Koo-pih-urh-na-to-urh (? Governor) of Kiachta shall be handed to the Ko-me-sa-urh (? Commissioner or Commissary Gen-
* In Latitude 51 19 N.