Directory_and_Chronicle_1939 — Page 36

10

THE BRITISH COMMERCIAL TREATY WITH CHINA

Chinese subjects and not injuring in any way the sovereign rights of China, shall offer no impediment to the attraction of foreign capital, or place foreign capitalists at a greater disadvantage than they would be under generally accepted foreign regulations. Any mining concession granted after the publication of these new Rules shall be subject to their provisions.

Art. X. Whereas in the year 1898 the Inland Waters of China were opened to all such steam vessels, native or foreign, as might be especially registered for that trade at the Treaty Ports, and whereas the Regulations dated 28th July, 1898, and Supple- mentary Rules dated September, 1898, have been found in some respects inconvenient in working, it is now mutually agreed to amend them and to annex such new Rules to this Treaty. These Rules shall remain in force until altered by mutual consent.

It is further agreed that Kongmoon shall be opened as a Treaty Port, and that, in addition to the places named in the special Article of the Burmah Convention of 4th February, 1897, British steamers shall be allowed to land or ship cargo. and passengers, under the same regulations as apply to the "Ports of Call" on the Yangtze River, at the following "Ports of Call": Pak Tau Hau (Pai-t'u k'ou), Lo Ting Hau (Lo-ting kou), and Do Sing (Tou-ch'êng); and to land or discharge passengers at the following ten passenger landing stages on the West River:-Yung Ki (Jung-chi), Mah Ning (Ma-. ning), Kau Kong (Chiu-chiang), Kulow (Ku-lao), Wing On (Yung-an), How Lik (Houli), Luk Pu (Lu-pu), Yuet Sing (Yüeh-ch'eng), Luk To (Lu-tu) and Fung Chuen (Feng-ch'uan).

Art. XI. His Britannic Majesty's Government agree to the prohibition of the general importation of morphia into China, on condition, however, that the Chinese Government will allow of its importation, on payment of the Tariff import duty and under special permit, by duly qualified British medical practitioners and for the use of hospitals, or by British chemists and druggists who shall only be permitted to sell it in small quantities and on receipt of a requisition signed by a duly qualified foreign medical practitioner.

The special permits above referred to will be granted to an intending importer on his signing a bond before a British Consul guaranteeing the fulfilment of these conditions. Should an importer be found guilty before a British Consul of a breach of his bond, he will not be entitled to take out another permit. Any British subject importing morphia without a permit shall be liable to have such morphia con- fiscated.

This Article will come into operation on all other Treaty Powers agreeing to its conditions, but any morphia actually shipped before that date will not be affected by this prohibition.

The Chinese Government on their side undertake to adopt measures at once to prevent the manufacture of morphia in China.

Art. XII.--China having expressed a strong desire to reform her judicial system and to bring it into accord with that of Western nations, Great Britain agrees to give every assistance to such reform, and she will also be prepared to relinquish her extra-territorial rights when she is satisfied that the state of the Chinese laws, the arrangement for their administration and other considerations warrant her in so doing.

Art. XIII. The missionary question in China being, in the opinion of the Chinese Government, one requiring careful consideration, so that, if possible, troubles such as have occurred in the past may be averted in the future, Great Britain agrees to join in a Commission to investigate this question, and, if possible, to devise means for securing permanent peace between converts and non-converts, should such a Commission be formed by China and the Treaty Powers interested..

Art. XIV. Whereas under Rule V. appended to the Treaty of Tientsin of 1858. British merchants are permitted to export rice and all other grain from one port of China to another under the same conditions in respect of security as copper

cash, it is now agreed that in cases of expected scarcity or famine from whatsoever cause in any district, the Chinese Government shall, on giving twenty-one days' notice, be at liberty to prohibit the shipment of rice and other grain from such district.