Directory_and_Chronicle_1933 — Page 249

RENDITION OF WEIHAIWEI

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utilizing it exclusively as a naval base, the interests of the foreign property owners and lease holders will be bought out at a fair compensation to be agreed upon between the Governments of China and the United Kingdom who will appoint a joint commission for determining the amount of this com- pensation in each case.

Article XIV.-The National Government of the Republic of China will maintain the existing public services employing such staff as it may select, including particularly the telephone service on the mainland and connection with the island and the telegraph service. between Weihaiwei mainland and island and Chefoo.

Article XV. All decisions of the British Weihaiwei High Court or magis- trates' courts pronounced before rendition shall be considered after réndition to have the same force and effect as if they were decisions rendered by Chinese Courts of Justice.

Article XVI.-The National Government of the Republic of China will, unless and until they decide to close the port of Weihaiwei and reserve it ex- clusively as a naval base, maintain it as an area for international residence and trade, including within such area all places in which foreign property owners and lease-holders are at present located.

Article XVII.—Pending the enactment and general application of the laws regulating the system of local self-government in China, the Chinese local au- thorities will ascertain the views of the foreign residents at Weihaiwei in such municipal matters as many directly affect their welfare and interests.

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Article XVIII.-The National Government of the Republic of China will, unless and until they decide to close the port of Weihaiwei and reserve it exclusively as a naval base, lease to the Government of the United Kingdom free of charge for a period of 30 years, with option of renewal by the holders, certain land and buildings, in the territory of Weihaiwei, as detailed in Annex II, for the requirements of the British Consulate and the public interests of the residents.

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Article XIX. Existing aids to navigation, e. light-houses, markbuoys, storm signals, etc., shall be transferred to the National Government of the Republic of China free of charge and shall be maintained in the future by the competent Chinese authorities, who shall administer the harbour in the same way as at the open ports of China.

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Article XX. The present Convention shall be ratified, and ratifications thereof shall be exchange at Nanking on or before the first day of October 1930, which is the first day of the tenth month of the nineteenth year of the Republic of China.

It shall come into force from the date of the exchange of ratifications. In faith whereof the above-named Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Convention in duplicate and have affixed thereto their seals.

Done at Nanking this eighteenth day of the fourth month of the nineteenth · year of the Republic of China, corresponding to the eighteenth day of April, nineteen hundred and thirty.

(Signed)

CHENGTING T. WANG.

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(Signed) MILES W. LAMPSON.