270 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 15TH DECEMBER, 1860.
The EARL OF ELGIN trusts that by a considerate treatment of the natives with whom they may come into contact, and a faithful observance of their obligations towards the Chinese Government, Her Majesty's subjects in China will do what in them lies, to reconcile the people, and authorities of China, to the changes in their relations with Foreigners which are about to be introduced under the interna- tional compacts herewith promulgated-changes, which, if they be carried into effect in such a manner as to afford greater scope to the commercial activity of the Chinese people, without doing unnecessary violence to their habits and traditions, will, it may be hoped, prove beneficial to them, and to all who have dealings with them.
Due notice will be given, whenever the arrangements for carrying into execution the provisions of this Convention and Treaty, at the Ports thereby opened to British Trade, shall be completed.
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN.
Dated at Tien-tsin, this twentieth day of November, A.D. 1860.
ELGIN AND KINCARDINE.
CONVENTION OF PEACE BETWEEN HER MAJESTY AND
THE EMPEROR OF CHINA.
SIGNED AT PEKING, OCTOBER 24TH, 1860.
HER Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China, being alike desirous to bring to an end the misunderstanding at present existing between their respective Governments, and to secure their relations against further interruption, have for this pur- pose appointed Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:-
Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine; And His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China, His Imperial Highness the Prince of Kung; who, having met, and communicated to each other their full powers, and finding these to be in proper form, have agreed upon the following Convention, in Nine Articles:-
ART. I.-A breach of friendly relations having been occasioned by the act of the Garrison of Taku, which obstructed Her Britannic Majesty's Representative when on his way to Peking, for the purpose of exchanging the ratifications of the Treaty of peace, concluded at Tien-tsin in the inonth of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China, ex- presses his deep regret at the misunderstanding so occasioned.
ART. II.--It is further expressly declared, that the arrangement entered into at Shanghai, in the month of October, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, between Her Britannic Majesty's Am- bassador the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine, and His Imperial Majesty's Commissioners Kweiliang and Hwashana, regarding the residence of Her Britannic Majesty's Representative in China, is hereby can- celled, and that, in accordance with Article III of the Treaty of one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, Her Britannic Majesty's Representative will henceforward reside, permanently, or oc- casionally, at Peking, as Her Britannic Majesty shall be pleased to decide.
ART. III.—It is agreed that the separate Article of the Treaty of one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight is hereby annulled, and that in lieu of the amount of indemnity therein specified, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China shall pay the sum of eight millions of tacls, in the following proportions or instaliments, namely:-At Tien-tsin, on or before the 30th day of November, the sum of five hundred thousand taels; at Canton, on or before the first day of December, one thousand eight hundred and sixty, three hundred and thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three taels, less the sum which shall have been advanced by the Canton authorities, towards the completion of the British Factory site of Shameen; and the remainder at the ports open to foreign trade, in quarterly payments, which shall consist of one-fifth of the gross revenue from Customs there collected; the first of the said payments being due on the thirty-first day of December, one thousand eight hundred and sixty, for the quarter terminating on that day.
It is further agreed that these monies shall be paid into the hands of an officer whom Her Britan- nic Majesty's Representative shall specially appoint to receive them, and that the accuracy of the amounts shall, before payment, be duly ascertained by British and Chinese officers appointed to dis- charge this duty.
In order to prevent future discussion, it is moreover declared that of the eight millions of taels: herein guaranteed, two millions will be appropriated to the indemnification of the British Mercantile Community at Canton, for losses sustained by them; and the remaining six millions to the liquidation of war expenses.
ART. IV. It is agreed that on the day on which this Convention is signed, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China shall open the port of Tien-tsin to trade, and that it shall be thereafter competent to British subjects to reside and trade there, under the same conditions as at any other port of "China by Treaty open to trade.
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