Directory_and_Chronicle_1896 — Page 48

TIENTSIN TREATY, 1838

Art. XVIII.-The Chinese authorities shall at all times afford the fullest protection to the persons and property of British subjects, whenever these shall have been subjected to insult or violence. In all cases of incendiarism or robbery, the local authorities shall at once take the necessary steps for the recovery of the stolen property, the suppression of disorder, and the arrest of the guilty parties, whom they will punish according to law.

Art. XIX.-If any British inerchant-vessel, while within Chinese waters, be plundered by robbers or pirates, it shall be the duty of the Chinese authorities to use every endeavour to capture and punish the said robbers or pirates and to recover the stolen property, that it may be handed over to the Consul for restoration to the

owner.

Art. XX.-If any British vessel be at any time wrecked or stranded on the coast of China, or be compelled to take refuge in any port within the dominions of the Emperor of China, the Chinese authorities, on being apprised of the fact, shall immediately adopt measures for its relief and security; the persons on board shall receive friendly treatment and shall be furnished, if necessary, with the means of conveyance to the nearest Consular station.

Art. XXI.--If criminals, subjects of China, shall take refuge in Hongkong or on board the British ships there, they shall, upon due requisition by the Chinese authorities, be searched for, and, on proof of their guilt, be delivered up.

In like manner, if Chinese offenders take refuge in the houses or on board the vessels of British subjects at the open ports, they shall not be harboured or concealed, but shall be delivered up, on due requisition by the Chinese authorities, addressed to the British Consul.

Art. XXII. Should any Chiese subject fail to discharge debts incurred to a British subject, or should he fraudulently abscond, the Chinese authorities will do their utmost to effect his arrest and enforce recovery of the debts. The British authorities will likewise do their utmost to bring to justice any British subject fraudulently absconding or failing to discharge debts incurred by him to a Chinese subject.

Art. XXIII.-Should natives of China who may repair to Hongkong to trade incur debts there, the recovery of such debts must be arranged for by the English Court of Justice on the spot; but should the Chinese debtor abscond, and be known to have property real or personal within the Chinese territory, it shall be the duty of the Chinese authorities, on application by, and in concert with, the British Consul, to do their utmost to see justice done between the parties.

Art. XXIV. It is agreed that British subjects shall pay, on all merchandise imported or exported by them, the duties prescribed by the tariff; but in no case shall they be called upon to pay other or higher duties than are required of the subjects of any other foreign nation.

Art. XXV.-Import duties shall be considered payable on the landing of the goods, and duties of export on the shipment of the same.

Art. XXVI. Whereas the tariff fixed by Article X. of the Treaty of Nanking, and which was estimated so as to impose on imports and exports a duty of about the rate of five per cent. ad valorem, has been found, by reason of the fall in value of various articles of merchandise therein enumerated, to impose a duty upon these considerably in excess of the rate originally assumed, as above, to be a fair rate, it is agreed that the said tariff shall be revised, and that as soon as the Treaty shall have been signed, application shall be made to the Emperor of China to depute a high officer of the Board of Revenue to meet, at Shanghai, officers to be deputed on behalf of the British Government, to consider its revision together, so that the tariff, as revised, may come into operation immediately after the ratification of this Treaty.

Art. XXVII.--It is agreed that either of the high contracting parties to this Treaty may demand a further revision of the tariff, and of the Commercial Articles of this Treaty, at the end of ten years; but if no demand be made on either side within six months after the end of the first ten years, then the tariff shall remain in force for ten years more, reckoned from the end of the preceding ten years, and so it shall be at the end of each successive ten years.