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At all events, whatever may be the merits of the proposal, it would be a perfectly legitimate one to lay before the Chinese Government, and now that the French negotia- tions are over, I will seek a favourable opportunity of submitting to them the sug- gestion contained in the Earl of Iddesleigh's instruction No. 324, Confidential, of the 22nd December last,
Such an opportunity may present itself during the discussion on the subject of opening the port of Chungking, to trade under the conditions set forth in the Chefoo Agreement.
From a conversation I recently had with the Ministers of the Yamên, I am in hopes that they will not object to an attempt being made to reach Chungking by steamer.
If the Additional Convention, and, consequently, the previous Convention of the 25th April are ratified, France will be entitled to name Consuls at the places opened to French trade in the frontier provinces, and also, so soon as China is permitted to appoint similar officers at Hanoi and Haiphong, in Tonquin, at the capitals of Yunnan and Kwang-si.
The question of whether or not Her Majesty's Government would be in a position to claim like privileges under the most-favoured-nation clanse of our Treaties with China, formed the subject of your Lordship's despatch to Mr. O'Conor of the 31st July, 1885.
The VIIth Article of the Tien-tsin Treaty of the 26th June, 1858, enables Great Britain to appoint Consuls at the ports and cities of China open to foreign trade, and unless it can be satisfactorily shown that the most-favoured-nation clause would apply to privileges conceded to a third Power, irrespectively of the Treaties which, like our own, that Power might have with China in respect of the open ports, it might, perhaps, be difficult to claim similar privileges under the clause. Had France, for instance, obtained under one of her old Treaties the right to appoint Consuls in the interior of China, we could certainly have claimed an equal right to do so. But, in the present case, the appointment of Consuls by France in the provinces bordering on Touquin bas special reference to a border trade Treaty, and not to the open port Treaties.
Under our recent Convention with China on the Burmah and Thibet questions, I do not for a moment suppose that, when it comes to be formally executed, China would contest our right to appoint Consuls in Chinese provinces adjoining our possessions.
Although nothing is said in the Additional Convention of the intention of the French to retire from the Paklung territory in return for the further concessions now made by China to France, they will do so on the exchange of ratifications. The Boundary Commissions have all been withdrawn, as the frontier is now considered as having been finally traced. I presume that the line between Tonquin and the Province of Kwangtung must have been settled in accordance with the wishes of the Chinese Government, as explained in the notes to the sketch I have inclosed.
I have, &c. (Signed)
JOHN WALSHAM,
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Sketch.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Additional Convention between France and China. Signed at Peking, June 26, 1887.
LE Président de la République Française et Sa Majesté l'Empereur de Chine, désireux de favoriser le développement des relations commerciales entre les deux pays, et d'assurer la bonne exécution du Traité de Commerce signé à Tien-tsin le 25 Avril, 1886, ont décidé à conclure une Convention Additionnelle modifiant quelques-unes des dispositions contenues dans le dit Acte.
A cet effet, les deux Hautes Parties Contractantes ont nommé pour leurs Pléni- potentiaires respectifs, savoir :--
Le Président de la République Française, M. Ernest Constans, Député, Ancien Ministre de l'Intérieur et des Cultes, Envoyé Extraordinaire de la République Française en Chine, Commissaire du Gouvernement; et
Sa Majesté l'Empereur de Chine, Son Altesse le Prince King, Prince du Second
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