Communications with local officers.

questions.

report of the number of vessels belonging to the United States which have entered and left said ports during the year, and of the amount and value of goods imported or exported in said vessels, for transmission to and inspection of the board of revenue.

562.. ARTICLE XXIV.

If citizens of the United States have special occasion to address any communication to the Chinese local officers of government, they shall submit the same to their Consul, or other officer, to determine if the language be proper and respectful, and the matter just and right; in which event he shall transmit the same to the appropriate authorities for their consideration and action in the premises. In like manner, if subjects of China have special occasion to address the Consul of the United States, they shall submit the communication to the local authorities of their own government, to determine if the language be respectful and proper, and the matter just and right; in which case the said authorities will transmit the same to the Consul or other officer for his consideration and action in the premises. And if controversies arise between citizens of the United States and subjects of China, which cannot be amicably settled otherwise, the same shall be examined and decided conformably to justice and equity by the public officers of the two natious acting in conjunction.

563.. ARTICLE XXV.

Regulations of All questions in regard to rights, whether of property or person, arising between citizens of the United States in China, shall be subject to the jurisdiction and regulated by the authorities of their own government; and all controversies occurring in China between citizens of the United States and the subjects of any other government shall be regulated by the treaties existing between the United States and such governments respectively, without interference on the part of China.

Merchant-vessels at five ports.

564.. ARTICLE XXVI.

Merchant-vessels of the United States, lying in the waters of the five ports of China open to foreign commerce, will be under the jurisdiction of the officers of their own government, who, with the masters and owners thereof, will manage the same without control on the part of China. For injuries done to the citizens

or the commerce of the United States by any foreign power, the Chinese government will not hold itself bound to make reparation. But if the merchant-vessels of the United States, while within the waters over which the Chinese government exercises jurisdiction, be plundered by robbers or pirates, then the Chinese local authorities, civil and military, on receiving information thereof, will arrest the said robbers or pirates, aud punish them according to law, and will cause all the property which can be recovered to be placed in the hands of the nearest Consul, or other officer of the United States, to be by him restored to the true owner. But if, by reason of the extent of territory and numerous population of China, it should, in any case, happen that the robbers cannot be apprehended, or the property only in part recovered, then the law will take its course in regard to the local authorities, but the Chinese government will not make indemnity for the goods lost.

565.. ARTICLE XXVII.

Shipwrecks.

If any vessel of the United States shall be wrecked or stranded on the coast of China, and be subjected to plunder or other damage, the proper officers of Government, on receiving information of the fact, will immediately adopt measures for their relief and security; and the persons on board shall receive friendly treatment, and be enabled at once to repair to the most convenient of the free ports, and shall enjoy all Vessels facilities for obtaining supplies of provisions and water. And if a vessel shall be forced, in whatever way, to ports. take refuge in any port other than one of the free ports, then in like manner the persons on board shall receive friendly treatment, and the means of safety and security.

566.. ARTICLE XXVIII.

Citizens of the United States, their vessels and property, shall not be subject to any embargo; nor shall they be seized or forcibly detained for any pretence of the public service; but they shall be suffered to prosecute their commerce in quiet, and without molestation or embarrassment.

567.. ARTICLE XXIX.

The local authorities of the Chinese government will canse to be apprehended all mutineers or deserters from on board the vessels of the United States in China,

forced

into any other than one of the five

Correspondence between respect

and will deliver them up to the Consuls or other offi cers for punishment. And if criminals, subjects o China, take refuge in the houses or on board the ves sels of citizens of the United States, they shall not be harbored or concealed, but shall be delivered up to justice, on due requisition by the Chinese local officers addressed to those of the United States.

The merchants, seamen, and other citizens of the United States shall be under the superintendence of the appropriate officers of their government. If individuals of either nation commit acts of violence and disorder, use arms to the injury of others, or create disturbances endangering life, the officers of the two governments will exert themselves to enforce order, and to maintain the public peace, by doing impartial justice in the premises.

568.. ARTICLE XXX.

The superior authorities of the United States and of ive governments. China, in corresponding together, shall do so in terms of equality, and in the form of mutual communication, (chau hwui.) The Consuls, and the local officers, civil and military, in corresponding together, shall likewise employ the style and form of mutual communication, (chau hwui.) When inferior officers of one government address superior officers of the other, they shall do so in the style and form of memorial, (shin chin.) Private individuals, in addressing superior officers, shall employ the style of petition, (pin ching.) In no case shall any terms or style be suffered which shall be offensive or disrespectful to either party. And it is agreed that no presents, under any pretext or form whatever, shall ever be demanded of the United States by China, or of China by the United States.

Convention; when obligatory.

When the present Convention shall have been definitely concluded, it shall be obligatory on both powers, and its provisions shall not be altered without grave cause; but, inasmuch as the circumstances of the several ports of China open to foreign commerce are different, experience may show that inconsiderable modifications are requisite in those parts which relate to commerce and navigation; in which case the two governments will, at the expiration of twelve years from the date of said Convention, treat amicably concerning the same, by the means of suitable persons appointed to conduct such negotiation.

*

tual

ence.

correspond

The superior authorities of the United States and of Terms of China in corresponding together shall do so on terms of equality and in form of mutual communication, (chau hwui.) The Consuls and the local officers, civil and military, in corresponding together shall likewise employ the style and form of mutual communication, (chau hwui.) When inferior officers of the one government address superior officers of the other they shall do so in the style and form of memorial, (shin chin.) Private individuals, in addressing superior officers, shall employ the style of petition, (pin ching.) In no case shall any terms or style be used or suffered which shall be offensive or disrespectful to either party. And it is agreed that no presents, under any pretext or form whatever, shall ever be demanded of the United States by China, or of China by the United States.

571.. ARTICLE VIII.

In all future personal intercourse between the representative of the United States of America and the Governors-General or Governors, the interviews shall be had at the official residence of the said officers, or at their temporary residence, or at the residence of the representative of the United States of America, whichever may be agreed upon between them; nor shall they make any pretext for declining these interviews. Current matters shall be discussed by correspondence, so as not to give the trouble of a personal meeting.

572.. ARTICLE IX.

Personal interviews.

tercourse to

waters.

Whenever national vessels of the United States of Facilities of inAmerica, in cruising along the coast and among the United States vesports opened for trade for the protection of the com- sels in Chinese merce of their country or for the advancement of science, shall arrive at or near any of the ports of China, commanders of said ships and the superior local authorities of Government shall, if it be necessary, hold intercourse on terms of equality and courtesy, in token of the friendly relations of their respective nations; and the said vessels shall enjoy all suitable facilities on the part of the Chinese Government in procuring provis ions or other supplies and making necessary repairs. And the United States of America agree that in case of

Pirates, &c.

Consuls.

United citizens.

the shipwreck of any American vessel, and its being pillaged by pirates, or in case any American vessel shall be pillaged or captured by pirates on the seas adjacent to the coast, without being shipwrecked, the national vessels of the United States shall pursue the said pirates, and if captured deliver them over for trial and punishment.

573..ARTICLE X.

The United States of America shall have the right to appoint Consuls and other Commercial Agents for the protection of trade, to reside at such places in the dominions of China as shall be agreed to be opened; who shall hold official intercourse and correspondence with the local officers of the Chinese government, (a Consul or Vice-Consul in charge taking rank with an intendant of circuit or prefect,) either personally or in writing, as occasions may require, on terms of equality and reciprocal respect. And the Consuls and local officers shall employ the style of mutual communication. If the officers of either nation are disrespectfully treated or aggrieved in any way by the other authorities, they have the right to make representation of the same to the superior officers of the respective governments, who shall see that full inquiry and strict justice shall be had in the premises. And the said Consuls and Agents shall carefully avoid all acts of offense to the officers and people of China. On the arrival of a Consul duly accredited at any port in China, it shall be the duty of the Minister of the United States to notify the same to the governor general of the province where such port is, who shall forthwith recognize the said Consul and grant him authority to act.

574.. ARTICLE XI.

States All citizens of the United States of America in China, peaceably attending to their affairs, being placed on a common footing of amity and good will with subjects of China, shall receive and enjoy for themselves and everything appertaining to them the protection of the local authorities of government, who shall defend them from all insult or injury of any sort. If their dwellings or property be threatened or attacked by mobs, incendiaries, or other violent or lawless persons, the local officers, on requisition of the Consul, shall immediately dispatch a military force to disperse the rioters, apprehend the guilty individuals, and punish them with the utmost rigor of the law. Subjects of China guilty of any criminal act toward citizens of the Uni