"The Office of Foreign Affairs, formerly created to treat international questions, has been in existence, it is true, for years, but, in view of the Princes and Ministers composing it only discharging for the most part their functions accessorily with others, they could not devote themselves to them exclusively. It is naturally, therefore, proper to create special functions, so that each one may have his particular attributions.

"We command, in consequence, that the Office of Foreign Affairs (Tsung-li ko kuo shih-wu Ya-men) be changed into a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Wai-wu Pu) and take rank before the six Ministries. And we designate Yi-K'uang, Prince Ch'ing of the first rank, as President of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

66

'Wang Wen-shao, Grand Secretary of State of the Ti-jen Ko, is appointed Assistant-President of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ch'ü Hung-chi, President of the Board of Works, is transferred with the same rank to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in which he is appointed Assistant-President. Hsü Shou-p'eng, Director of the Imperial Stud, and Lien-Fang, Expectant Metropolitan Subdirector of the third or fourth rank, are appointed first and second Directors (or Assistant Secretaries).

"As regards the fixing of the personnel, the rules to be followed in its choice, the salaries to be given the Ministers, Directors, and other Agents, We command the Councilors of State to come to an agreement with the Board of Civil Office and to promptly submit to Us their conclusions in a report.

"Respect this."

ANNEX No. 19.

MEMORANDUM ON THE CEREMONIAL TO BE FOLLOWED IN SOLEMN

AUDIENCES.

1o. Solemn audiences to be given by His Majesty the Emperor of China to the Diplomatic Body or to Representives of the Powers separately shall take place in the palace hall called "Ch'ien-ch'ing Kung."

2o. In going to or coming back from these solemn audiences the Representatives of the Powers shall be carried in their sedan chairs as far as outside of the Ching-yun gate. At the Ching-yun gate they will get out of the sedan chair in which they have come and will be carried in a little chair (i chiao) as far as the foot of the steps of the Ch'iench'ing gate.

On arriving at the Ch'ien-ch'ing gate the Representatives of the Powers shall get out of their chairs, and shall proceed on foot into the presence of His Majesty in the Ch'ien-ch'ing Kung hall.

When departing the Representatives of the Powers shall return to their residences in the same manner as that in which they arrived.

3o. When a Representative of a Power shall have occasion to present to His Majesty the Emperor his letters of credence or a communication from the Head of the State by whom he is accredited, the Emperor shall cause to be sent to the residence of said Representative, to bear him to the Palace, a sedan chair with yellow trimmings and tassels, such as are used by the Princes of the Imperial family. The said Representative shall be taken back to his residence in the same manner. An escort of troops shall likewise be sent to the residence of said Representative to accompany him going and returning.

4°. When presenting his letters of credence or communication from the Head of the State by whom he is accredited, the Diplomatic Agent, while bearing said letters or communications, shall pass by the central openings of the Palace doors until he has arrived in the presence of His Majesty. On returning from these audiences he will comply, as regards the doors by which he may have to pass, with the usages already established at the Court of Peking for audiences given to Foreign Representatives.

5o. The Emperor shall receive directly into his hands the letters and communications above mentioned which the Foreign Representatives may have to hand to him.

6o. If His Majesty should decide upon inviting to a banquet the Representatives of the Powers it is well understood that this banquet shall be given in one of the halls of the Imperial Palace and that His Majesty shall be present in person.

7°. In brief, the ceremonial adopted by China as regards Foreign Representatives shall, in no case, be different from that which results from perfect equality between the Countries concerned and China, and without any loss of prestige on one side or the other.

No. 16.

GREAT BRITAIN-JAPAN.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND JAPAN RELATIVE TO CHINA AND KOREA. a

SIGNED AT LONDON, JANUARY 30, 1902.

The Governments of Great Britain and Japan, actuated solely by a desire to maintain the status quo and general peace in the extreme East, being moreover specially interested in maintaining the independence and territorial integrity of the Empire of China and the Empire of Korea, and in securing equal opportunities in those countries for the commerce and industry of all nations, hereby agree as follows:

China and Korea. Right to safeguard interests.

ARTICLE I.

The High Contracting Parties having mutually recognized the indeRecognition of pendence of China and of Korea, declare themselves to independence of be entirely uninfluenced by any aggressive tendencies in either country. Having in view, however, their special interests, of which those of Great Britain relate. principally to China, while Japan, in addition to the interests which she possesses in China, is interested in a peculiar degree politically as well as commercially and industrially in Korea, the High Contracting Parties recognize that it will be admissible for either of them to take such measures as may be indispensable in order to safeguard those interests if threatened either by the aggressive action of any other Power, or by disturbances arising in China or Korea, and necessitating the intervention of either of the High Contracting Parties for the protection of the lives and property of its subjects.

ARTICLE II.

If either Great Britain or Japan, in the defence of their respective interests as above described should become involved Neutrality. in war with another Power, the other High Contracting Party will maintain a strict neutrality, and use its efforts to prevent other Powers from joining in hostilities against its ally.

a British Treaty Series, No. 3, 1902. For the Franco-Russian declaration of March r, see infra, Doc. No. 30.

ARTICLE III.

If, in the above event, any other Power or Powers should join in Armed assist hostilities against that ally, the other High Conance; when to be tracting Party will come to its assistance, and will given. conduct the war in common, and make peace in mutual

agreement with it.

ARTICLE IV.

The High Contracting Parties agree that neither of them will, withNo separate ar- out consulting the other, enter into separate arrangements with another Power to the prejudice of the interests above described.

rangement to be

entered into.

ARTICLE V.

Whenever, in the opinion of either Great Britain or Japan, the To confer when above-mentioned interests are in jeopardy, the two interests in jeop- Governments will communicate with one another fully ardy. and frankly.

ARTICLE VI.

The present Agreement shall come into effect immediately after the date of its signature, and remain in force for five years from that date. In case neither of the High Contracting Parties should have notified twelve months before the expiration of the said five years the intention of terminating it, it shall remain binding until the expiration of one year from the day on which either of the High Contracting Parties shall have denounced it. But if, when the date fixed for its expiration arrives, either ally is actually engaged in war, the alliance shall, ipso facto, continue until peace is concluded.

In faith whereof the Undersigned, duly authorized by their respective Governments, have signed this Agreement and have affixed thereto their seals.

Done in duplicate at London, the 30th day of January, 1902.

(Signed)

LANSDOWNE,

His Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs.

[L. S.]

[L. S.]

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of His
Majesty the Emperor of Japan at the Court of St. James.

No. 17.

RUSSIA.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN RUSSIA AND CHINA WITH REGARD TO MANCHURIA.a

SIGNED AT PEKING, MARCH 26 (8TH APRIL), 1902.

[Translation.]

His Majesty the Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias, and His Majesty the Emperor of China, with the object of re-establishing and confirming the relations of good neighborhood, which were disturbed by the rising in the Celestial Empire of the year 1900, have appointed their Plenipotentiaries to come to an agreement on certain questions relating to Manchuria. These Plenipotentiaries, furnished with full powers which were found to be in order, agreed as follows:ARTICLE 1. His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Russia, desirous of giving fresh proof of his peaceable and friendly ity in Manchuria disposition towards His Majesty the Emperor of reestab- China, and overlooking the fact that attacks were first made from frontier posts in Manchuria on peaceable Russian Settlements, agrees to the re-establishment of the authority of the Chinese Government in that region, which remains an integral part of the Chinese Empire, and restores to the Chinese Government the right to exercise therein governmental and administrative authority, as it existed previous to the occupation by Russian troops of that region.

Chinese author

to be

lished.

China to protect railway and all Russian subjects and their under

ART. 2. In taking possession of the governmental and administrative authority in Manchuria, the Chinese Government confirms, both with regard to the period and with regard to all other Articles, the obligation to observe strictly the stipulations of the Contract concluded with the Russo-Chinese Bank on the 27th August, 1896, and in virtue of paragraph 5 of the above-mentioned Contract, takes upon itself the obligation to use all means to protect the railway and the persons in its employ, and binds itself also to secure within

takings.

a Official text published in Messager Officiel of April 12, 1902. English translation in British Parliamentary Blue Book, China, No. 2 (1904), p. 36.