Directory_and_Chronicle_1886 — Page 952

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TREATY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA.

Art. XIV. The citizens of the United States are permitted to frequent the ports and cities of Canton and Chau-chau, or Swatow, in the province of Kwangtung; Amoy, Foochow, and Tai-wan in Formosa, in the province of Fuhkien; Ningpo in the province of Chekiang; and Shanghai in the province of Kiangsu, and any other port or place hereafter by treaty with other powers or with the United States opened to commerce; and to reside with their families and trade there, and to proceed at pleasure with their vessels and merchandise from any of these ports to any other of them. But said vessels shall not carry on a clandestine and fraudulent trade at other ports of China, not declared to be legal, along the coast thereof; and any vessel under the American flag violating this provision shall, with her cargo, be subject to confiscation to the Chinese Govern- ment; and any citizen of the United Sates who shall trade in any contraband article of merchandise shall be subject to be dealt with by the Chinese Government, without being entitled to any countenance or protection from that of the United States: and the United States will take measures to prevent their flag from being abused by the subjects of other nations as a cover for the violation of the laws of the Empire.

Art. XV.-At each of the ports open to commerce, citizens of the United States shall be permitted to import from abroad, and sell, purchase, and export all merchan- dise, of which the importation is not prohibited by the laws of the Empire. The tariff of duties to be paid by the citizens of the United States, on the export and import of goods from and into China, shall be the same as was agreed upon at the Treaty of Wanghia, except so far as it may be modified by treaties with other nations, it being expressly agreed that citizens of the United States shall never pay higher duties than those paid by the most favoured nation.

Art. XVI.-Tonnage duties shall be paid on every merchant vessel belonging to the United States entering either of the open ports, at the rate of four mace per ton of forty cubic feet, if she be over one hundred and fifty tons burden; and one mace per ton of forty cubic feet if she be of the burden of one hundred and fifty tons or under, according to the tonnage specified in the register; which, with her other papers, shall, on her arrival, be lodged with the Consul, who shall report the same to the Commis- sioner of Customs. And if any vessel, having paid tonnage duty at one port, shall go to any other port to complete the disposal of her cargo, or, being in ballast, to purchase an entire or fill up an incomplete cargo, the Consul shall report the same to the Commissioner of Customs, who shall note on the port-clearance that the tonnage duties have been paid, and report the circumstances to the collectors at the other Custom-houses; in which case, the said vessel shall only pay duty on her cargo, and not be charged with tonnage duty a second time. The collectors of Customs at the open ports shall consult with the Consuls about the erection of beacons or light- houses, and where buoys and light ships should be placed.

Art. XVII.-Citizens of the United States shall be allowed to engage pilots to take their vessels into port, and, when the lawful duties have all been paid, take them out of port. It shall be lawful for them to hire at pleasure servants, compradores, linguists, writers, labourers, seamen, and persons for whatever necessary service, with passage or cargo-boats, for a reasonable compensation, to be agreed upon by the parties or determined by the Consul.

Art. XVIII.-Whenever merchant vessels of the United States shall enter a port, the Collector of Customs shall, if he see fit, appoint Custom-house officers to guard said vessels, who may live on board the ship or their own boats, at their convenience. The local authorities of the Chinese Government shall cause to be apprehended all mutineers or deserters from on board the vessels of the United States in China on being informed by the Consul, and will deliver them up to the Consuls or other officers for punishment. And if criminals, subjects of China, take refuge in the houses, or on board the vessels of citizens of the United States, they shall not be harboured, but shall be delivered up to justice on due requisition by the Chinese local officers, addressed to those of the United States. The merchants, seamen, and other citizens of the United States shall be under the superintendence of the appropriate officers of their government. If individuals of either nation commit acts of violence or disorder, use arms to the injury of others, or create disturbances endangering life, the officers of