Chinese and English. Such Indenture shall not be considered as definitive or irrevocable until after the embarkation of the emigrant. ARTICLE IX.-In every British Colony or Protectorate to which indentured Chinese emigrants proceed, an officer or officers shall be appointed, whose duty it shall be to insure that the emigrant shall have free access to the Courts of Justice to obtain the redress for injuries to his person and property which is secured to all persons, irrespective of race, by the local law. Article X.-During the sojourn of the emigrant in the Colony or Protectorate in which he is employed, all possible postal facilities shall be afforded to him for communicating with his native country, and for making remittances to his family. ARTICLE XI. With regard to the repatriation of the emigrant and his family, whether on the expiration of the Indenture or from any legal cause, or in the event of his having been invalided from sickness or disablement, it is understood that this shall always be to the port of shipment in China, and that in no case shall it take place by any other means than actual conveyance by ship, and payment of money to the returning emigrant in lieu of passage shall not be admissible. ARTICLE XII.-Nothing in any Indenture framed under these Articles shall constitute on the part of the employer a right to transfer the emigrant to another employer of labour without the emigrant's free consent and the approval of his Consul or Vice-Consul; and should any such transfer or assignment take place, it shall not in any way invalidate any of the rights or privileges of the emigrant under the Indenture. ARTICLE XIII.—It is agreed that a fee on each indentured emigrant shipped under the terms of this Convention shall be paid to the Chinese Government for expenses of inspection, but no payment of any kind shall be made to the Chinese Inspector or any other official of the Chinese Government at the port of embarkation. The above fee shall be paid into the Customs bank previous to the clearance of the ship, and shall be calculated at the following rate:— 3 Mexican dollars per head for any number of emigrants not exceeding 10,000, and two dollars per head for any number in excess thereof, provided they are shipped at the same Treaty port, and that not more than twelve months have elapsed since the date of the last shipment. Should the port of embarkation have been changed, or a space of more than twelve months have elapsed since the date of the last shipment, inspection charges shall be paid as in the first instance. ARTICLE XIV.-The English and Chinese text of the present Convention have been carefully compared, but in the event of there being any difference of meaning between them, the sense as expressed in the English text shall be held to be the correct sense. ARTICLE XV.—The present Convention shall come into force on the date of its signature and remain in force for four years from that date, and after such period of four years it shall be terminable by either of the High Contracting Parties on giving one year's notice. In witness whereof the Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Convention, and have affixed thereto their seals. Done at London in four copies, two in English and two in Chinese, this thirteenth day of May of the year 1904. SHIPS employed in the transport of indentured emigrants from China under this Convention must be seaworthy, clean, and properly ventilated, and, with regard to the following matters, shall comply with conditions as far as possible equivalent to those in force in British India with reference to the emigration of natives from India : Accommodation required on board (vide section 57 of "The Indian Emigration Act, 1883 "). Sleeping accommodation, consisting of wooden sheathing to the decks or sleeping platforms (vide rule regarding "iron decks," as amended the 16th August, 1902, in Schedule "A" to the rules under "The Indian Emigration Act, 1883"). Rules as to space on board (vide section 58 of "The Indian Emigration Act, 1883"). Carriage of qualified surgeon, with necessary medical stores. Storage of drinking water (vide rule 113, as amended the 24th February, 1903, under "The Indian Emigration Act, 1883"). Provision of adequate distilling apparatus (vide Schedule "C" to the rules under "The Indian Emigration Act, 1883"). The dietary for each indentured emigrant on board ship shall be as follows per day : Rice, not less than 13 lb., or flour or bread stuffs.... Fresh vegetables of suitable kinds.... Salt ..... Not less than 11⁄2 lb. 02 Sugar Chinese tea.... Chinese condiments in sufficient qualities [quantities?] Water, for drinking and cooking.. or such other articles of food as may be substituted for any of the articles enumerated in the foregoing scale as being in the opinion of the doctor on board equivalent thereto. Exchange of Notes between the Marquess of Lansdowne and Chang Ta-jên, May 13, 1904. Sir, Foreign Office, May 13, 1904. By Article VI of the Convention about to be concluded between Great Britain and China with regard to Chinese subjects leaving the Treaty ports of China under Indenture for service in British Colonies or Protectorates it is provided that: "For the better protection of the emigrant and of any other Chinese subject who may happen to be residing in the Colony or Protectorate to which the emigration is to take place, it shall be competent to the Emperor of China to appoint a Consul or Vice-Consul to watch over their interests and well-being, and such Consul or Vice-Consul shall have all the rights and privileges accorded to the Consuls of other nations." His Majesty's Government consider it specially important that the persons appointed to occupy, for the purpose named, the position of Consul or ViceConsul should be experienced officers of Chinese nationality, that they should be exclusively in the service of the Emperor of China, and that in each case the name of the person selected should be communicated to His Majesty's Government, and their agreement to the appointment obtained. I have the honour to inquire whether the Chinese Government are prepared to meet the wishes of His Majesty's Government in the matter. If so, and if you will inform me accordingly, this note and your reply might be attached to the Convention in order to place on formal record the arrangement concluded. I have, &c. In reply to your Lordship's note of this date, I have the honour to state that the Chinese Government are in entire accord with His Britannic Majesty's Government as to the great importance they attach to the Consuls and ViceConsuls to be appointed under Article VI of the Convention about to be concluded between the two Governments being men of great experience, and will consider it a duty which they owe to the emigrant to confine the selection of these officers to such as in all respects conform to the requirements specified in the note above referred to, which, together with the present one, it has been mutually agreed shall, in proof of this understanding, be appended to the said Convention. NUMBER 1904/3. CHINA. West River regulations, 1904.*—July 30, 1904. ARTICLE I.-Former REGULATIONS RESCINDED.—The Regulations of Trade on the West River hitherto in force are hereby abrogated. ARTICLE II.-PORTS, STAGES, OR PORTS OF CALL, AND PASSENGER STATIONS. The merchant vessels of the Treaty Powers are authorised to trade on the West River at the following four Treaty Ports: Canton (directly connected with the West River), Kongmoon, Samshui, and Wuchow. Steamers are authorised to land and ship goods in accordance with Regulations hereinafter set forth at the following six Stages or Ports of Call:— Kumchuk, Paktauhau, Shiuhing, Lotinghau, Takhing, and Dosing; and to land and ship passengers and their luggage at any of the following 10 regular Passenger Stations: Yungki (in Tailung Channel), Mahning (in Junction Channel), Kaukong, Kulow, Wingon, Howlik, Lukpu, Yuetsing, Lukto, and Fungchuen (in West River). Passengers luggage must not contain articles subject to Duty, and the presence of dutiable articles will render the whole liable to confiscation. ARTICLE III.-ARMS CERTIFICATE.-Vessels proposing to trade on the West River must provide themselves with an Arms Certificate. This Certificate, which is to be made out on a form supplied by the Customs and signed by the captain, must state the number of muskets, guns, swords, etc., and the quantity of ammunition carried for self defence, and be produced for inspection and verification when required. ARTICLE IV.-CLASSES OF VESSELS.-Merchant vessels trading on the West River are to be divided into the following classes: A. Steamers.-1. Inland-waters steamers trading to permitted inland places. 2. Local river steamers running from Canton, Kongmoon, or Samshui to Ports up River without leaving Liang Kwang waters. 3. Foreign-going steamers from and to Hongkong, Macao, etc., trading for the voyage up and down River. B. Small Craft (lorchas, papicos, junks, etc.) ARTICLE V.-A. STEAMERS.-1. Inland-waters steamers are to comply with the Inland Waters Steam Navigation Regulations. 2. Local river steamers, which do not leave Liang Kwang waters, but which, running from Canton, Kongmoon, or Samshui, are to trade only at Treaty Ports and Ports of Call, and take passengers to and from the authorised Passenger Stations, are to deposit their Registers with their Consul, or, if consularly unrepre *Text_as published in the Inspector-General's Circular No. 1235 (Imperial Maritime Customs; II-Special Series, No. 28; published in 1905). See British Commercial Treaty of 1902 (No. 1902/7, ante). sented, with the Customs at Canton, Kongmoon, or Samshui, where the Customs, on receipt of a Consular Application or on deposit of her papers, will issue a Certificate to the steamer, to be called the "River Pass," on which shall be entered the steamer's name, flag, and registered tonnage, the said River Pass to be valid for the year during which issued, on expiry of which it must be either surrendered or renewed at the Port of issue. 3. Foreign-going steamers from and to Hongkong, Macao, etc., proceeding to the West River must enter either by (a) Motomoon ("Broadway "), (b) Wangmoon, or (c) viâ Canton. (a) If entering by Motomoon they must report at the Malowchow Station (b.) If entering by Wangmoon, steamers must report at the Wangmoon Pass will then be issued, upon receipt of which the vessel will proceed by the authorised route, direct and without anchoring, landing or shipping cargo or passengers, to the Port indicated on the Pass, where the latter will be surrendered. If proceeding elsewhere on the West River, steamers will deposit their Registers with their Consul, or, if consularly unrepresented, with the Customs. Upon receipt of the Consular Report, or on deposit of her papers, the Customs will issue a Certificate to the steamer, to be called the "Special River Pass," on which shall |