As regards the Japanese police stations already established, the Chinese Government and the local authorities have repeatedly lodged their protests and have not accorded their recognition, nor is the Chinese Government able to admit the reasons for the stationing of Japanese police officers as stated in the note verbale. This matter has no connection with the Chengchia Tun case, and at the conferences the Japanese Minister has repeatedly expressed the desire to detach it from the Chengchia Tun case. The Chinese Government considers it necessary to request the Japanese Government to abandon the matter. At the same time, it is not to be construed as meaning that the Chinese Government has recognized any action to carry the matter into effect. Note from the Japanese Minister to the Chinese Peking, the 22d day of the 1st month of the 6th year of Taisho. I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that, with regard to the Chengchiatun affair for the settlement of which several conferences have been held between me and the Chinese Ministry of Foreign affairs prior to Your Excellency's assumption of office, the articles set forth hereunder have been mutually agreed upon and, with the exception of such modifications and alterations to the phraseology as have been considered, no further negotiation is possible. I, therefore, take this opportunity to submit the same to Your Excellency's consideration, and to request that a reply to that effect will be given. 1. The general commanding the 28th Division to be reproved. 2. The Chinese military officers responsible for this incident to be punished according to law. If the law provides for severe punishment such punishment will be inflicted. 3. An official proclamation to be issued in the districts where there is mixed residence, for the information of the soldiers and the people in general, to the effect that Japanese soldiers and subjects shall be accorded considerate treatment. 4. The Tu Chun of Fengtien Province to express, in an appropriate way, his regret to the Government of Kwantung and the Japanese Consul-General in Mukden, when they are together at Port Arthur, but the method of this expression is left to the discretion of the said Tu Chun. 5. A solatium of $500 is to be given to the Japanese merchant, Yoshimoto. I avail, etc. Reply Peking, the 22d day of the 1st month of the 6th year of the Republic of China. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's note of today, stating (Here follows the Japanese Minister's note) In reply I have to state that I have taken note of the above articles, which I find are contained in the minutes of the several conferences and the records of this Ministry. I avail, etc. Note from Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs to Japanese Minister Peking, the 22d day of the 1st month of the 6th year of the Republic of China. With regard to the Japanese soldiers dispatched by the Japanese Government and stationed between Ssupingkai and Chengchia Tun, I have the honor to inquire of Your Excellency as to the date when they will commence to be withdrawn and also the date when the withdrawal will be completed. I shall be obliged by a reply setting forth the above details. I avail, etc. Reply Peking, the 22d day of the 1st month of the 6th year of Taisho. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's note of today, asking for the withdrawal of the Japanese soldiers sta tioned between Ssupingkai and Chengchia Tun. The Imperial Government of Japan is of opinion that the entire additional forces sent to be stationed at the said places in consequence of the occurrence of the Chengchia Tun affair will be withdrawn as soon as the whole arrangement embodied in the five articles which were agreed upon at the Chengchia Tun negotiations has been carried out. I avail, etc. Aide memoire handed by Japanese Minister to Dr. Chen Chintao, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs [Unofficial Translation] Dated 18th day of the 10th month of the 5th year of Taisho. According to the new treaty concluded last year respecting South Manchuria and Eastern Inner Mongolia, Japanese subjects shall have the right of residence, travel and commercial and industrial trade in South Manchuria, and the right to undertake agricultural enterprises and industries incidental thereto in the eastern part of Inner Mongolia jointly with Chinese subjects. The number of Japanese subjects in South Manchuria and Eastern Inner Mongolia will, therefore, inevitably increase gradually. The Imperial Government of Japan considers it necessary to station Japanese police officers in these regions for the purpose of controlling and protecting their own subjects. It is a fact that a number of Japanese police officers have already been stationed in the interior of South Manchuria, and they have been recognized by the local officials of the localities concerned, since intercourse has been conducted between them. The Imperial Government of Japan proposes gradually to establish additional stations for Japanese police officers in the interior of South Manchuria and Eastern Inner Mongolia wherever and whenever necessary. The localities where such stations for police officers are to be established will of course depend upon the number of Japanese subjects residing thereat and, therefore, cannot be specified in advance. Since this will involve great expense, it is unlikely that many police stations will be established at once. The organization of such stations for police officers will also depend upon the existing conditions of the localities selected and the number of Japanese subjects residing at such places. There will be only a few Japanese police officers at each station as established. The more important duties of such police officers are as follows: 1. To prevent Japanese subjects from committing crimes; 2. To protect Japanese subjects when attacked; 3. To search, arrest and escort Japanese prisoners, under the jurisdiction of a Japanese consulate; 4. To attend to the enforcement of consular orders in connection. with civil cases, such as the duties of the registrar; 5. Investigation and supervision of the personal standing of Japanese subjects; 6. Control and discipline of Japanese subjects who violate the provisions of treaties between Japan and China; and 7. To see that Japanese subjects abide by the provisions of Chinese police regulations when the agreement between Japan and China respecting the same should actually come into force. In short, the establishment of stations for Japanese police officers in South Manchuria and Eastern Inner Mongolia is based on consular jurisdiction, and its aim is efficiently to protect and discipline Japanese subjects, to bring about a completely satisfactory relationship between the officials and people of the two countries, and gradually to develop the financial relations between Japan and China. The Chinese Government is requested speedily to recognize the demands precisely as it has the establishment of consulates and consular agents in the interior of South Manchuria in pursuance of the policy to maintain the friendly relations between China and Japan. AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND FRANCE RESPECTING TRADE WITH MOROCCO AND EGYPT IN TRANSIT THROUGH BRITISH AND FRENCH TERRITORIES IN AFRICA1 Signed at London, August 24, 1916 The Government of His Britannic Majesty and the Government of the French Republic, being desirous of concluding the agreement contemplated by Article 4 of the Declaration between Great Britain and France of the 8th April, 1904,2 respecting the trade of the two nations with Morocco and Egypt in transit through French and British terri 1 Great Britain, Treaty Series, 1916, no. 7. 2 Supplement to this JOURNAL, January, 1907 (vol. 1), p. 6. tories in Africa, the undersigned, duly authorized to that effect by their respective governments, have agreed upon the following articles: ARTICLE 1 Goods exported from, or dispatched to, the United Kingdom, which may be despatched to, or emanate from, Morocco, and which pass in transit through Tunis, Algeria, or other territories bordering on Morocco and belonging to France or recognizing her sovereignty, and goods exported from, or dispatched to, France which may be dispatched to, or emanate from, Egypt, and which pass in transit through British East Africa or Uganda, shall be accorded a treatment exactly similar to that applied respectively to goods exported from, or dispatched to, France, and to goods exported from, or dispatched to, the United Kingdom, so far as concerns customs duties and other dues to which they may be liable in the territories through which they pass in transit, so far as concerns railway rates and imposts so far as concerns the customs regulations in force affecting their ingress and egress, so far as concerns the method of transit, and, in general, so far as concerns all customs facilities. For the execution of the present agreement, a decree shall lay down the conditions governing the transit across Algerian territory of goods of foreign origin emanating from or dispatched to Morocco. ARTICLE 2 The present reciprocal agreement shall be valid for a period of thirty years. Unless the agreement is expressly denounced at least one year in advance, this period shall be extended for five years at a time. In witness whereof the undersigned have signed the present agreement and have affixed thereto their seals. Done in duplicate at London, the 24th day of August, 1916. (L.S.) GREY OF FALLODON. (L.S.) PAUL CAMBON. French Decree of May 2, 1915, regulating the Transit of Goods through Algeria A translation of this decree is shown below in connection with the foregoing Agreement: |