COMMERCIAL TREATY BETWEEN FRANCE AND ANNAM.
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Nevertheless, if a French ship-of-war be charged with a pressing mission for the Government of Hué or for the French resident it may cross the bar after having asked and obtained the express authorisation of the Annamese Government.
Art. XXVII.-Annamese trading vessels may enter any of the ports of France or of the six French provinces of lower Cochin China to trade there and shall in every respect be treated as the most favoured nation.
Art. XXVIII.-The French Government renews its promise made to the Anna- mese Government in Art. II. of the treaty of 15th March to use every effort for the destruction of the land and sea pirates, particularly in the neighbourhood of the towns and ports open to European trade, in order to render the operations of com- merce as secure as possible.
Art. XXIX.-The present convention shall have the same force as the treaty of the 15th March, 1874, to which it shall remain attached; it shall have force imme- diately after the exchange of the ratifications, which shall be made at the same time as those of the treaty of the 15th March, 1874, if possible, and in any case before the 15th March, 1875.
In witness whereof the plenipotentiaries have signed it and affixed their seals. Made at Saigon, in two copies in each language, compared and agreeing, the 31st August, 1874.
(Signed) (Signed) (Signed)
CONTRE-AMIRAL KRANTZ. NGUYEN-VAN-TUONG. NGUYEN-TANG-DOAN.
In order to avoid difficulties in the interpretation of some passages of the new treaties the plenipotentiaries of the two High Contracting Parties have agreed to add to the present treaty an additional Article which shall be considered as forming an integral part of it.
ADDITIONAL ARTICLE.
It is understood that the town of Hanoi itself is opened to foreign trade, and that there shall be in this town a Consul with his escort, a Custom-house, and that Europeans may have warehouses and dwelling-houses there as well as at Ninh-hai and at Thi-nai.
If it is found that the Custom-house of Hanoi is useless and that that of Ninh- hai is sufficient, the Custom-house at Hanoi may be closed, but there shall always be in this town a Consul and his escort, and Europeans may continue to have ware- houses and dwelling-houses there.
The lands necessary for building the houses for the Consuls and their escorts shall be ceded gratuitously to the French Government by the Annamese Government. The extent of these lands shall be in each of the open towns or ports five maus, Annamese measure (about two hectares and a half). The lands necessary for Europeans to build their dwelling-houses or warehouses upon shall be purchased by them from the proprietors; the Consuls and the Anamese authorities shall intervene in these purchases to see that they are transacted with equity. The warehouses and dwellings of the merchants shall be as near as possible to the dwelling of the Consul.
At Ninh-hai the Consul and his escort shall continue to occupy the fort as long as it may be judged necessary to assure the police and the security of commerce. Later he shall reside on the five maus of ground which shall have been conceded to bim.
Pagodas and tombs shall be respected, and Europeans shall buy lands on which habitations exist only with the consent of the proprietors and on paying a just price.
European merchants shall pay the land tax according to the tariffs in use in the locality they inhabit, but they shall pay no other tax.