[Inclosure 1.]

MR. BAX-IRONSIDE TO THE TSUNG-LI-YAMÊN.

MM. LES MINISTRES,

PEKING, May 6, 1899.

On the 29th April I called at the Yamên and referred to the Agreement made on the 26th June last year with the Belgian Syndicate for the Peking-Hankow Railway. I mentioned that in the prospectus issued by the Belgian Syndicate it was stated that China had promised that if the American Agreement for the Hankow-Canton line fell through, the Belgian Syndicate would be intrusted with the construction of that line.

Your Excellencies informed me that there was no such stipulation in the Agreement of twenty-nine Articles, or the Supplementary Agreement of ten Articles made with the Belgian Syndicate for the PekingHankow line.

I have heard, however, that the promise referred to was given subsequently to the settlement of the aforesaid Agreements, and I have the honour to request your Highness and your Excellencies to inform me whether such an Agreement has been made.

(Signed)

[Inclosure 2.]

H. O. BAX-IRONSIDE.

SIR,

THE TSUNG-LI YAMEN TO MR. BAX-IRONSIDE.

[Translation.]

PEKING, May 10, 1899. On the 6th instant we received your letter to the effect that in the prospectus issued by the Belgian Syndicate it is stated that China has promised that in the event of the abandonment of the American Contract for the Hankow-Canton Railway the Belgian Syndicate will be intrusted with the construction of that line. You added that you had heard that this promise was given subsequently to the settlement of the Belgian Agreement, and you inquired whether such an arrangement had been made.

We have the honour to inform you that neither the Belgian Agreement in twenty-nine clauses nor the Supplementary Agreement in ten clauses contains any such stipulation, and that there has been no subsequent arrangement of any kind.

We have, &c.

(Cards of their Excellencies the Ministers inclosed.)

No. 35.

CHINA.

IMPERIAL EDICT ESTABLISHING BUREAU OF CONTROL OF RAILWAYS AND MINES.

APRIL 2, 1898.

[Translation.]

Railways and mines are nowadays the most important enterprises in this Empire. We have already had the Tientsin-Shanhaikuan and the Tientsin-Peking railways built and in regular working order for some time past, while steps are now being taken for raising funds to build the Shanhaikuan extension to the Taling River (Niuchwang and vicinity). As for the Canton-Hankow and Hankow-Peking lines, full control had been granted the Head Commercial Company to find ways. and means for the construction of these railways, and matters appear to be now taking definite shape in this connection.

Then as to mines, we have the Kaiping Colliery and the Muhô (Amur) gold mines as the most successful, so far, among the many mining enterprises embarked upon, and we have already further commanded those in control to seize every opportunity to extend the works of the two mines above noted.

We are, however, apprehensive, in view of the number of provinces in the Empire and the various conditions of men who will attempt to open mines of all sorts in the future, that a diversity of methods and ensuing confusion will be the result, which would, of course, be detrimental to the principal object we have, of getting the fullest advantages obtainable out of each and every undertaking in this direction. It is therefore highly important that there should be a central bureau to direct, under a single system, the working and exploitation of mines and railways in the Empire, and we hereby command that a Bureau of Control for Railways and Mines be established in Peking, to the chief commissionerships of which We now specially appoint two ministers of the Tsungli Yamên, namely, Wang Wên-shao and Chang Yin-huan.

The said Chief Commissioners shall from henceforth have special control over the opening of mines and construction of railways throughout the Empire, and companies formed for the above purposes will in future be required to apply to the said Commissioners for permission and guidance in their operations.

No. 36.

FRANCE.

CONCESSION OF RIGHT TO BUILD RAILWAY FROM TONGKING TO YÜN-NAN-LEASE OF KUANG-CHOU-WAN-CHINESE

STAFF.a

POST-OFFICE

M. DUBAIL, CHARGÉ D'AFFAIRES OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC TO THE

TSUNG-LI YAMÊN.

[Translation.]

PEKING, 9th April, 1898.

In pursuance of our interviews, and in execution of the formal instructions of the Government of the Republic, which has furnished me with special powers, I have the honour to ask your Highnesses and your Excellencies to acquiesce in the following terms designed to draw closer the bonds of friendship and neighbourliness which unite the Chinese Empire to the French Republic:-

1st. The Chinese Government grant to the French Government, or to the French Company, which the latter may designate, the right to make a railway from the frontier of Tonking to Yün-nan-fu; the Chinese Government having no other responsibility (charge) but to furnish land for the road and its dependencies. The route (tracé) of this line is actually surveyed (étudié), and will be fixed later on in agreement with the two Governments. Regulations will be jointly made.

2nd. The Chinese Government, in consideration of its friendship for France, leases the bay of Kuang-chou-wan, for 99 years, to the French Government, which may establish a naval station and coal depôt there. The boundaries of the Concession will be fixed hereafter by agreement between the two Governments, after examination on the spot. The question of rental will be arranged later on.

3rd. When the Chinese Government organizes a definite Postal Service and places a high functionary at its head, it proposes to call for the help of foreign officers, and declares itself willing to take account of the recommendations of the French Government in respect to the selection of the staff.

I beg your Highnesses and your Excellencies to be good enough to acknowledge receipt of this despatch by an identical letter which will constitute the agreement of our two Governments. The two documents will serve as a Convention.

a Documents Diplomatiques, Chine, 1894–1898, p. 50-51. wan was concluded by the Convention of May 27, 1898.

G. DUBAIL.

The lease of Kuang-chouSee supra, p. 55, No. 11.

THE TSUNG-LI YAMÊN TO M. DUBAIL, &c.

(PEKING,) 10th April, 1898.

On the 9th April, 1898, we received from Your Excellency the following despatch:

(Despatch quoted as above.)

As it is said in the dispatch which you addressed to our Yamên that these three requests are destined to draw closer the bonds of friendship which unite us, we are able to acquiesce in them. China and France ought to strengthen the good relations which exist between them, and avert forever any cause of conflict.

It is our duty to address this answer to Your Excellency, in order that you may transmit it to your Government.

(Signatures of the President and Members of the Tsung-li Yamên.)

No. 37.

UNITED STATES.

CANTON-HANKOW RAILWAY (YÜEH-HAN) CONTRACTS.

CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND AMERICAN CHINA DEVELOPMENT COMPANY.

APRIL 14TH, 1898.
JULY 13TH, 1900.

Whereas, by Edict, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China has designated and deputed His Excellency Sheng Tajen, in his capacity as Director-General of Imperial Chinese Railways, South, to construct, or cause to be constructed, certain lines of railway, and particularly the railway from the City of Hankow, in the Province of Hupeh, to the City of Canton, in the Province of Kwang Tung, and Whereas, a Chinese Company has been formed for the construction of railways in China, under Imperial sanction, hereinafter called the Chinese Railway Company, of which company His Excellency Sheng Tajen is the Director-General, and

Whereas, His Excellency Sheng Tajen, in the above named capacity, has designated and deputed His Excellency Wu Ting-fang, Chinese Minister at Washington, United States of America, to enter into a contract for the purposes set forth hereunder, with the American corporation known as the American China Development Company;

Now, therefore, it is hereby mutually agreed as follows:

1st: The American China Development Company hereby agrees to provide as a loan for the construction of the railway line from the City of Hankow to the City of Canton, the sum £4,000,000 Sterling, or its equivalent in American dollars, gold, or more, if necessary, for the building and equipment of the said railway; and said £4,000,000 Sterling, or so much thereof, as may be necessary, shall be paid in instalments as the work shall advance; the first instalment shall be paid as soon as the report of the Engineer in Chief of the American China Development Company shall be accepted by said company, with the approval of the Director-General, as below provided.

2nd. To secure the amount of the loan as herein below provided, and when its exact total shall have been fixed as herein below provided, (the same to be, however, in any event not less than sufficient to net