The following is a translation of a document published by the Shun-pao, purporting to be the Chinese text of the Chefoo Convention. We need hardly caus tion our readers not to accept it as authentic. At the same time it bears an impress of genuineness which leads us to think it fairly represents the document of which it professes to be a transcript.
Convention entered into between Li Hung-chang, Chinese Imperial Commissioner and Plenipotentiary, Grand Seoretary of the Wen-hwa-tien, Governor-General of the province of Chihli, and Earl of the First degree, and Sir Thomas Wade, K.C.B., the British Imperial Commissioner and Plenipotentiary.
Whereas in the spring of the present year Sir Thomas Wade had the honour to despatch from the Earl of Derby, Secretary of State for Foreign Affai date of the Ist January last, ig him that in any comprehensive ters in dispute, the following stipulations were to be upon @.—Satisfaction for the Yunnan affair.
—The terms agreed upon last year with reference to intercourse between the high officials of China and Foreign Powers to be given full effect to, to show China's intention to fulfil her promises,.—Steps be taken to ensure that better regulation of commercial relations, which in' September last, it was agreed was necessary.
all'hia discussions with ref future policy Sir T. Wa clauses the basis of any acttlement, It is unnecessary to enter into the repeated consultations held by Sir Thomas Wade with the Tsung-li Yamen; it is sufficient to state in detail the several clauses relative to future action agreed upon by him with HE, Li Hung-chang.
ion I—Satisfaction for the Yunnan general tenor of is to be arranged between him (Sir Thomas Wade) and H.E. Li Hung-chang, whereafter it may be submited to the Throne by either the Tsung-li Yamen or H.E. Li Hung-chang; but before it be so submitted, a draft is to be transmitted to Sir Thomas Wade for his inspection.
When the Imperial Edict, in answer to this memori ued, a copy of it and morial is to be forwarded by the Yamen officially to Wade, The Tsung-li Yamen wi inane instructions to the several to publish proclamations emb: full this memorial and the Edict and when this has been done Wade will then reply notifying the Ya that, within a period of two years, British Minister resident in Peking, wi from time to time send officers to the several provinces to see that the atipulations with regard to the publication of these proclamations have been carried out Peki the Yamen to when, tish Minister this yy of the open ports to inform the local authorities, an officer shall be deputed by igh local authorities to accompany the British officer on his inspection.
in the memorial to the Throne upon the Yunnan case, an Imperial Edict is to be prayed for instructing the Governor-General and Governor of Yunnan, upon
appointed by England for the purpose, the arrival in, Yanan of, the ofter tpeelect a high official of experience and ability, who,' in consultation with the English officer, will draw up a set of rules regulations for commercial intercourse between Yunnan and Burmah 3.—England shall be at liberty for a riod of five years, dating from the Ist january, 1877, to appoint reside at Tali-fy or other suitable place, in the province of Yunnan, to examine into the conditions of trade, to ensure a satis factory basis upon which, when the time comes, regulations of trade can be drawn up. All questions affecting British officials or people also shall, as occasion may require, be arranged by these resident officials and the provincial authorities in concert. It will be for England, after consideration of the various attendant circumstances, to fix a date for the opening of commerce either, as may seem fit, before or on the expiration of this term of five years, Passports having already been issued for the expedition which it was proposed to send last year from India into tin nan, the Indian Government will con-inno to be at liberty to send this expedition at any time it may see fit, 4.—A sum of 200,000 Haikwan Taels, 8 fixed by Sir Thomas Wade, is to be sob aside as indemnity to the families of all those who suffered any damage in Yunnan, for all the expenses incurred in connection with the Yiunan case, and in satisfaction of all claims brought by British merchants previous to the present year rear of Kwangeil) again the Chin jovernment for lors entailed by the wrongful acts of its officers. This sum Sir Thomas Wade will draw against as required.
5.—On the termination of this case an Imperial letter expressing regret for what occurred in Yunnan, shall be at once despatched by a special Imperial Envoy to England. The names and rank of this Imperial Envoy and of his suite are to be previously submitted to Sir Thomas Wade, that he may inform his Government of them, and the draft of his credentials likewise to submitted by the Taung-li Yamen to Sir Thomas Wade for his me spection, Section LI,—Improvement of Official Intercourse This clause the ports and authorities [of corresponding rant] in their official intercourse; to law procedure, and all matters affecting officials—In a memorial to the of the 9th October, 1875, the Taung-l Yamen stated that the cultivation of thorough acquaintance with foreign officials and affairs generally was not undertaken solely with a view to the transaction of international relations but was Peking and the ports betw of Kngland and China, bot! personally and by correspondence, is still in many respects of an unsatisfactory nature, it advisable, in order to avoid future' mise ill understand igs and discussions, that some sort of rules should be agreed upon. It therefore, proposed that the Tsung-li Yamen shall address a despatch to the Fo Ministers resident in Peking, requ them to join in drawing up a Etiquette," such that the behaviour of Chinese officials to the foreign offi ins may be in in intercourse between foreign nations and with the treatment accorded by foreign nations to Chinese officials abroad. The fact that China has now herself commenced appointing Ministers abroad, renders the settlement of such Code essential.
2.—In the 16th Article of the Treaty of 1858 it is stipulated that British subjects who may commit avy crime in China be tried and be punished by England Chinese subjects who may be guilty of any criminal act towards British subjects shall be tried and punished by t] local. authorities; and all cases affecting the two countries shall be adjudicated in an equitable manner by the British and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.