Directory_and_Chronicle_1891 — Page 341

TREATY BETWEEN CHINA AND JAPAN.

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municate particulars to the Consul. In either case capital punishment shall be in- flicted at the scene of commission of the offence.

Art. XIV.-Vessels of war of either Power shall be at liberty to frequent the ports of the other for the protection of the subjects of their own country, but they shall in Lo case enter ports not declared open by treaty, nor rivers, lakes, and streams in the interior. Any vessels infringing this rule shall be placed under embargo and fined. This stipulation shall not, however, apply to vessels driven into port by stress of weather.

Art. XV. If either State of the two should be involved in war with any other Power, measures for the defence of the coast being thereby entailed, on notice being given, trade shall be suspended for the time being, together with the entry and departure of ships, lest injury befal them. Japanese subjects ordinarily established in the appointed ports of China, or being in the seas adjoining China, and Chinese subjects ordinarily established at the open ports of Japan or being in the seas adjoining thereunto, shall not be permitted to engage in collis.ons with subjects of a hostile power, or to attack and plunder them.

Art. XVI. No Consul of either Power shall be allowed to trade, or to act as Consul for a Power not in Treaty relations with the other. In the case of any Consul so acting as to render himself generally unacceptable, on substantial proof to this effect being produced, it shall be competent for the Government interested to communicate officially with the Minister Plenipot ntiary, who, when he shall have ascertained the truth, shall remove the Consul, in order that the friendly relations of the two Governments may not suffer detriment through the misconduct of a single individual.

Art. XVII.-The flags carried by the vessels of either country are of a fixed design. If a vessel of either having falsely assumed the colours of the other, shall do that which is contrary to law, the vessel and goods shall be confiscated, and if it appear that the false colours were given by an official, he shall be denounced and removed from his post.

The subjects of either country shall be at liberty to purchase the books of the other, if desirous of studying its literature.

Art. XVIII.-The foregoing articles are agreed to by the two contracting Powers in order to the prevention of misunderstandings, to the end that p rfect confidence and improved relations may subsist between them. In testimony whereof the Ministers Plenipotentiary of the two contracting Powers do now accordingly sign and affix their seals hereto. So soon as the present Treaty shall have been ratified by their respective Sovereigns, and ratified copies of it exchanged, it shall be printed and published, and circulated throughout the dominions of either Power, for the information of the subjects of both countries, to the end that there may be a good understanding between them for evermore.

Dated the 29th day of the 7th moon of the 10th year of Tung Chi, correspond. ing to the 4th year of Mei Ji according to the Japanese reckoning (September 13th, 1871).

[L.B.) (Signed)

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LI HUNG-CHANG. ITA.

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