Directory_and_Chronicle_1914 — Page 341

THE MALAY STATES FEDERATION AGREEMENT

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Tapan to Muong Pase, the basins of the rivers on which those two places are situated, and the basins of the other rivers, the estuaries of which are included in that coast; and including also the territory lying to the north of the basin of the Menam and situated between the Anglo-Siamese frontier, the Mekong River, and the Eastern watershed of the Me Ing. They further engage not to acquire within this region any special privilege or advantage which shall not be enjoyed in common by, or equally open to, Great Britain and France and their nationals and dependents. These stipulations, however, shall not be interpreted as derogating from the special clauses which, in virtue of the Treaty concluded on Oct. 3, 1893, between France and Siam, apply to a zone of 25 kilom. on the right bank of the Mekong and to the navigation of that river.

II.-Nothing in the foregoing clause shall hinder any action on which the two Powers may agree, and which they shall think necessary in order to uphold the independence of the Kingdom of Siam. But they engage not to enter into any separate agreement permitting a third Power to take any action from which they are bound by the present declaration themselves to abstain.

III. From the mouth of the Nam Huok northwards as far as the Chinese frontier the thalney of the Mekong shall form the limit of the possessions or spheres of influence of Great Britain and France. It is agreed that the nationals and dependents of each of the two countries shall not exercise any jurisdiction or authority within the possessions or sphere of influence of the other.

The police of the islands in this part of the river, which are separated from the British shore by a branch of the river, shall, so long as they are thus separated, be entrusted to the French authorities. The fishery shall be open to the inhabitants of both banks.

IV.—The two Governments agree that all commercial and other privileges and advantages conceded in the two Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Szechuen either to Great Britain or France, in virtue of their respective Conventions with China of March 1, 1894, and June 20, 1895, and all privileges and advantages of any nature which may in the future be conceded in these two Chinese provinces, either to Great Britain or France, shall, as far as rests with them, be extended and rendered common to both Powers and to their nationals and dependents, and they engage to use their influence and good offices with the Chinese Government for this purpose.

THE MALAY STATES FEDERATION AGREEMENT, 1896

Agreement between the Governor of the Straits Settlements, acting on behalf of the Government of Her Majesty the Queen, Empress of India, and the Rulers of the following Malay States, that is to say, Perak, Selangor, Pahang, and Negri Sembilan.

Art. I.-In confirmation of various previous Agreements, the Sultan of Perak, the Sultan of Selangor, the Sultan of Pahang, aud the Chiefs of the States which form the territory known as the Negri Sembilan, hereby severally place themselves and their States under the protection of the British Government.

Art. II.-The above-named Rulers and Chiefs of the respective States hereby agree to constitute their countries a Federation, to be known as the Protected Malay States, to be administered under the advice of the British Government.

Art. III. It is to be understood that the arrangement hereby agreed upon does not imply that any one Ruler or Chief shall exercise any power or authority in respect of any State other than that which he now possesses in the State of which he is the recognised Ruler or Chief.