Art. II. The boundary of the territory leased in pursuance of the foregoing extends from Talienwan northward in accordance with the requirements (of the situation) on land, and of the protection of the territory, and permission shall be given for its being placed at whatever distance may be necessary.

The exact boundary and the other details of this convention, shall be jointly arranged at St. Petersburgh with Hsü Ta-jên, after the signature of this convention, with all possible expedition, and a separate special article drawn up. After the boundary has been decided, all the territory included in it, and the adjacent waters shall be entirely handed over to Russia to use under lease.

Art. III. The term of lease is fixed as twenty-five years from the date of signature. On expiration an extension of the term may be arranged between the two countries.

Art. IV. Within the term fixed, in the territory leased to Russia, and in the adjacent waters, all movements of forces, whether naval or military, and (the appointment of) high officials to govern the districts, shall be entirely left to Russian officers, one man being made responsible, but he is not to have the title of governor-general or governor.

No Chinese troops of any kind whatever are to be allowed to be stationed within this boundary. Chinese within the boundary may leave or remain at their pleasure, and are not to be driven away.

Should any criminal cases occur, the criminal is to be handed over to the nearest Chinese official to be punished according to law, in accordance with the arrangement laid down by the VIIIth Article of the Russian-Chinese Treaty of the 10th year of Hsien Fêng (1860).

Art. V. To the north of the territory leased there shall be left a piece of territory, the extent of which is to be arranged by Hsü Ta-jên and the Russian Foreign Office. This piece is to be entirely left to Chinese officials, but no Chinese troops are to enter it, except after arrangement with the Russian officials.

Art. VI. The governments of the two countries agree that, as Port Arthur is solely a naval port, only Russian and Chinese vessels are to be allowed to use it, and it is to be considered a closed port as far as the war and merchant-vessels of the other powers are concerned.

As to Talienwan, with the exception of a part within the port which, like Port Arthur, is to be reserved for the use of Russian and Chinese men-of-war, the remainder is to be a trading port, where the merchantvessels of all countries can freely come and go.

Art. VII. Russia definitely recognizes the territory leased, but Port Arthur and Talienwan are of special importance. (As to) provision of funds, she will herself erect what buildings are required for the naval or military forces, for the erection of batteries, or barracks for the garrisons, and generally provide all the funds required.

Art. VIII. The Chinese Government agree that the principle of the permission given in the 22nd year of Kuang Hsü (1896) to the Manchurian Railway Company for the construction of a railway shall now, from the date of signature, be extended to the construction of a branch. line from a certain station on the aforesaid main line to Talienwan, or, if necessity requires, the same principle shall be extended to the construction of a branch line from the main line to a convenient point on the sea-coast in the Liaotung Peninsula, between Ying-tzu (Newchwang) and the Yalu River.

The provisions of the agreement of the 8th September, 1896, between the Chinese Government and the Russo-Chinese Bank shall be strictly observed with regard to the branch line above mentioned. The direction of the line and the places it is to pass shall be arranged by Hsü Ta-jên and the Manchurian Railway Company. But this railway concession is never to be used as a pretext for encroachment on Chinese territory, nor to be allowed to interfere with Chinese authority or interests.

After Im

Art. IX. This convention shall come into force from the date of exchange [sic] by the plenipotentiaries of both countries. perial ratification exchange shall take place at St. Petersburgh.

ADDITIONAL AGREEMENT DEFINING BOUNDARIES OF LEASED AND NEUTRALIZED TERRITORY IN LIAO-TUNG PENINSULA.1

Signed at St. Petersburg, 7th May, 1898.

[TRANSLATION]

The Governments of Russia and China being desirous of adding some stipulations to the treaty concluded at Peking on the 15th March, 1898 (Russian Calendar) the plenipotentiaries of both governments have agreed upon the following:

Article I. In accordance with the IInd Article of the original treaty the northern territory leased and yielded to Russia-Port Arthur, Talien

1 Rockhill, p. 53.

wan, and the Liao-tung Peninsula shall commence from the north side of A-tang Bay on the west coast of Liao-tung and shall pass through the ridge of A-tang Mountain (the mountain ridge being included in the leased ground) to the east coast of Liao-tung near the north side of P'i-tzû-wo Bay. Russia shall be allowed the use of all the waters adjacent to the leased territory and all the islands around it.

Both countries shall appoint special officers to survey the ground and determine the limits of the leased territory.

Art. II. To the north of the boundary fixed in Art. I, there shall, in accordance with Art. V of the Peking Treaty, be a neutral ground, the northern boundary of which shall commence on the west coast of Liaotung at the mouth of the Kai-chou River, shall pass north of Yuyench'ang to the Ta-yang River, and shall follow the left bank of that river to its mouth, which shall be included in the neutral territory.

Art. III. The Russian Government consents that the terminus of the branch line connecting the Siberian Railway with the Liao-tung Peninsula shall be at Port Arthur and Talienwan, and at no other port in the said peninsula.

It is further agreed in common that railway privileges in districts traversed by this branch line shall not be given to the subjects of other powers. As regards the railway which China shall [may] herself build hereafter from Shan-hai-kuan in extension to a point as near as [lit. nearest to] possible to this branch line, Russia agrees that she has nothing to do with it.

Art. IV. The Russian Government assents to the request of the Chinese Government that the administration and police of the City of Kinchow shall be Chinese. Chinese troops will be withdrawn from Kinchow and replaced by Russian troops. The inhabitants of the city have the power to use the roads from Kinchow to the north boundary of the leased territory, and the waters usually required near the city, but they have no power to use the sea-coast round about.

Art. V. The Chinese Government agrees [lit. agrees to recognize]: 1. That without Russia's consent no concession will be made in the neutral ground for the use of subjects of other powers.

2. That the ports on the sea-coast east and west of the neutral ground shall not be opened to the trade of other powers.

3. And that without Russia's consent no road and mining concessions, industrial and mercantile privileges shall be granted in the neutral territory.

CONVENTION FOR THE LEASE OF KUANG-CHOU WAN.1

Submitted to the Tsung-li Yamen, May 27, 1898; Ratified by China, January 5, 1900.

[TRANSLATION]

ARTICLE I.

The Chinese Government, in consideration of its friendship for France, has given by a lease for 99 years Kuang-chou wan to the French Government to establish there a naval station with coaling depot, but it is understood that this shall not offset the sovereign rights of China over the territory ceded.

ARTICLE II.

The leased territory shall include the waters and ground necessary for the security, the provisioning and the normal development of the naval station and of the coaling depot, that is to say:

(a) The island of Tong-hai;

(b) The island of Nao-chou;

(c) At Lei-chou, a strip of land connecting a point of the coast south of Kiu-man sien (Tiao-man) and situated in 20° 50′ north latitude, with She-men in 21° 25′ north latitude along a strip roughly indicated on the annexed map.2

(d) At Kao-chou, a strip of land comprised between 21° 25′ north latitude and 21° 04′ north latitude, along a strip roughly indicated on the annexed map.

(e) The small islands situated inside of Kuang-chou wan, as well as the interior and exterior waters of the bay, and the exterior waters of Nao-chou and of Tong-hai, within the limits recognized in international law (six marine miles).

The exact limits on the continent of Lei-chou and of Kao-chou shall be fixed, after the signing of the present convention, when special surveys shall have been made by officials designated by the two governments. Said officials shall begin their work without delay, so that all possible misunderstanding between the two countries shall be obviated.

1 Rockhill, p. 55.

2 Omitted.

ARTICLE III.

The territory shall be governed and administered during the 99 years. of the lease by France alone, so that all possible misunderstanding between the two countries shall be obviated.

The inhabitants shall continue to enjoy their property; they may continue to inhabit the leased territory and pursue their labors and occupations, under the protection of France, so long as they respect its laws and regulations. France shall pay an equitable price to the native property owners for the land which it may wish to acquire.

ARTICLE IV.

France may erect fortifications, place garrisons of troops or take any other defensive measure on the leased land. She may erect light-houses, set buoys and signals useful for navigation on the leased territory, along the islands and coasts, and, in a general way, take all measures and adopt all plans to insure the freedom and safety of navigation.

ARTICLE V.

Steamers of China as well as the ships of the powers having diplomatic and commercial relations with her, shall be treated within the leased territory in the same manner as in the opened part of China.

France may issue all regulations she may wish for the administration of the territory and of the ports and particularly levy light-house and tonnage dues destined to cover the expense of erecting and keeping up lights, beacons and signals, but such regulations and dues shall be impartially used for ships of all nationalities.

ARTICLE VI.

If cases of extradition should occur, they shall be dealt with according to the provisions of existing conventions between France and China, particularly those regulating the neighboring relations between China and Tongking.

ARTICLE VII.

The Chinese Government authorizes France to construct a railway connecting a point on the bay of Kuang-chou wan, by Lei chou, with a point to be designated on the west coast of Lei-chou, in the neighborhood of On-pu. This latter point shall be precisely designated later on.