CO129-330 - Public Offices - 1905 — Page 277

with the company to make up the difference; only when

the

it has been fully redeemed will the railway revert to

China. As to the method of reckoning capital,

company's accounts and the total of the yearly state-

ments issued by the company for the information of the

shareholders shall be evidence.

XXIII. If the company becomes bankrupt or its

accounts get into confusion, the governments of the

two countries will not interfere or pay compensation.

In addition to the police and watchmen

XXIV.

the

employed by the company to guard the railway,

Chinese Government must give it full protection, and

extend the same to any buildings required for the

railway or other establishments which the local offi-

cials may authorise the company to set up, in order

to prevent their destruction or robbery by evildoers.

The company is at liberty to set up any

necessary telegraph and telephone lines along the line

XXV.

of the railway, but they must be solely for the use

of the railway, and telegrams must not be received

or despatched for outside persons.

XXVI.

If in the event of war, rebellion, or

270

famine the Chinese Government wish to use the railway

for the transport of soldiers, war material, accou-

trements, provisions or relief stores, the railway

must in the first place provide the passenger and

goods waggons required at half the usual rates. At

ordinary times there will be no reduction. In the

event of war no assistance must be given to the ene-

mies of China.

XXVII. The railway will carry free of charge

all official despatches and the mails of the Imperial

Chinese Post Office, and will conform with the here-

inafter laid down regulations:-

(a)

The railway only consents to carry the

mails of the Imperial Chinese Post Office; it is not

permitted to carry the mails of private or foreign

post offices. With regard to the articles which ac-

cording to the agreement must be carried for the

military forces of foreign countries, the Chinese

Post Office will convey them by train along with the

daily mails.

(b)

The Post Office does not wish to in-

famine

terfere