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-tzu-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 Chinese troops will be withdrawn from Kinchow and replaced by Russian troops.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.

China will give the land, but the expenses of building and working shall be borne by France. Chinese shall have the right to travel and trade on the railway, in accordance with the general tariff in force.

The mandarins must see to the protection of the railway and the stock, but the repairs and maintenance of said road and its stock shall be at the expense of France.

ARTICLE VIII.

France may also, at the end of the line about On-pu, build landing stages, wharves, storehouses and hospitals, put up lights, buoys and signals. The nearest deep water anchorage to this terminus (territorial waters) shall be exclusively reserved for French and Chinese ships of war, those of the latter nationality only when neutral.

The present convention shall come into force at once. It shall be ratified at once by the Emperor of China, and when it shall have been ratified by the President of the French Republic, the exchange of ratifications shall take place at within the briefest delay.

CONVENTION BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND CHINA RESPECTING AN EXTENSION OF HONG KONG TERRITORY.1

Signed at Peking, June 9, 1898; Ratifications exchanged at London, August 6, 1898.

Whereas it has for many years past been recognized that an extension of Hong Kong territory is necessary for the proper defence and protection of the colony,

It has now been agreed between the Governments of Great Britain and China that the limits of British territory shall be enlarged under lease to the extent indicated generally on the annexed map.2 The exact boundaries shall be hereafter fixed when proper surveys have been made by officials appointed by the two governments. The term of this lease shall be ninety-nine years.

1 Rockhill, p. 58.

2 Omitted.

It is at the same time agreed that within the city of Kowloon the Chinese officials now stationed there shall continue to exercise jurisdiction except so far as may be inconsistent with the military requirements for the defence of Hong Kong. Within the remainder of the newlyleased territory Great Britain shall have sole jurisdiction. Chinese officials and people shall be allowed as heretofore to use the road from Kowloon to Hsinan.

It is further agreed that the existing landing-place near Kowloon city shall be reserved for the convenience of Chinese men-of-war, merchant and passenger vessels, which may come and go and lie there at their pleasure; and for the convenience of movement of the officials and people within the city.

When hereafter China constructs a railway to the boundary of the Kowloon territory under British control, arrangements shall be discussed. It is further understood that there will be no expropriation or expulsion of the inhabitants of the district included within the extension, and that if land is required for public offices, fortifications, or the like official purposes, it shall be bought at a fair price.

If cases of extradition of criminals occur, they shall be dealt with in accordance with the existing treaties between Great Britain and China and the Hong Kong Regulations.

The area leased to Great Britain as shown on the annexed map, includes the waters of Mirs Bay and Deep Bay, but it is agreed that Chinese vessels of war, whether neutral or otherwise, shall retain the right to use those waters.

This convention shall come into force on the first day of July, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, being the thirteenth day of the fifth moon of the twenty-fourth year of Kuang Hsü. It shall be ratified by the sovereigns of the two countries, and the ratifications shall be exchanged in London as soon as possible.

In witness whereof the undersigned, duly authorized thereto by their respective governments, have signed the present agreement.

Done at Peking in quadruplicate (four copies in English and four in Chinese) the ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, being the twenty-first day of the fourth moon of the twenty-fourth year of Kuang Hsü.

(L. S.)

(L. S.)

CLAUDE M. MACDONALD.

(Seal of the Chinese Plenipotentiary.)