the service of the indemnity bonds. || It is, however, by China that the initiative in the matter should be taken. The Chinese Plenipotentiaries might make the application to the Conference as a sequel to the joint negotiations which have recently taken place. || If this course were taken, the opportunity of supporting the application would be afforded to us and the other Powers.

Nr. 13062. GROSSBRITANNIEN.

Der Gesandte in Peking an den Minister des Ausw. China wird nicht die Initiative ergreifen bei Abwesenheit des Prinzen Tsching.

(Telegraphic.)

Peking, November 27, 1901. (November 27.) With reference to your Lordship's telegram of the 26th *) instant, it has been impossible to hope that the Chinese Government would take any initiative during the absence of Prince Ching. || When the Russian Minister on the 8th instant alluded to the question of the retention of a British man-of-war at Newchwang during the winter, his attention was drawn by Mr. Tower to the anomalous condition of the Russian control of the Customs at that port. M. Lessar replied that it was his desire that normal conditions should be restored, and that, if the Inspector-General of Customs requested him to do so, he would use his best efforts to bring about the restitution of that administration to the Chinese. Mr. Tower saw Sir Robert Hart privately on the subject, and was assured by the latter that he intended to take an early opportunity of urging the Chinese Government to demand from the Russian Minister the restoration of the customs revenues, so that they might be devoted to the service of the indemnity bonds in terms of the Final Protocol.

Nr. 13063. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Minister des Ausw. an den Gesandten in Peking. Wie steht es mit der Auslieferung der Zölle in Niutschwang?

Foreign Office, January 17, 1902.

(Telegraphic.) || Newchwang Customs. || Report what action has been taken respecting restoration to Chinese Government of Newchwang Customs.

*) Darin hatte Lansdowne angefragt, ob er die Instruktion von Nr. 13061 ausgeführt habe. Red.

Nr. 13064. GROSSBRITANNIEN. - Der Gesandte in Peking an den Minister des Ausw. Man darf China nicht

drängen.

Peking, January 20, 1902. (January 20.)

(Telegraphic.) || Your Lordship's telegram of the 17th instant. || It is thought better in the Chinese interests not to press the question of claiming the Newchwang revenue while the Manchurian Convention negotiation is still pending. I understand that nothing has been done in the matter.

Nr. 13065. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Minister des Ausw. an den Gesandten in Peking. Die chinesische Regierung soll die Rückgabe der Zölle fordern.

Foreign Office, January 20, 1902.

(Telegraphic.) || Newchwang Customs. || I have received your telegram of the 20th instant. || I think Chinese Government should be urged to put forward demand for restitution of Customs, unless you see strong reasons to the contrary. See statement by Russian Minister in your telegram of the 27th November.

Nr. 13066. RUSSLAND und FRANKREICH.

ihre ostasiatische Politik.

Erklärung über

(Memorandum communicated by the Russian Chargé d'Affaires,

March 19, 1902.)

Les Gouvernements alliés de Russie et de France ayant reçu communication de la Convention Anglo-Japonaise du 30 Janvier, 1902,*) conclue dans le but d'assurer le statu quo et la paix générale en Extrême-Orient, et de maintenir l'indépendance de la Chine et de la Corée, qui doivent rester ouvertes au commerce et à l'industrie de toutes les nations, ont été pleinement satisfaits d'y trouver l'affirmation des principes essentiels qu'ils ont eux-mêmes, à plusieurs reprises, déclaré constituer et qui demeurent la base de leur politique. || Les deux Gouvernements estiment que le respect de ces principes est en même temps une garantie pour leurs intérêts spéciaux en Extrême-Orient. en Extrême-Orient. Toutefois, obligés d'envisager, eux aussi, le cas où, soit l'action agressive de tierces Puissances, soit de nouveaux troubles en Chine, mettant en question l'intégrité et le libre

Nr. 12666. Bd. 67 S. 3. Red.

développement de cette Puissance, deviendraient une menace pour leurs propres intérêts, les deux Gouvernements alliés se réservent d'aviser éventuellement aux moyens d'en assurer la sauvegarde.

Saint-Pétersbourg, le 3 (16) Mars, 1902.

Nr. 13067. RUSSLAND. - Mitteilung des Regierungsboten über die Verhandlungen mit China.

April 12, 1902. (Translation.) | Government Communication. The grave internal disorders which suddently broke out over the whole of China in the year 1900, exposing the Imperial Mission and Russian subjects to danger obliged Russia to take decided measures to protect her Imperial interests. With this object in view, the Imperial Government, as is already known, dispatched a considerable military force to Peking which had been abandoned by the Emperor and the Government authorities, and introduced a Russian army into the frontier State of Manchuria, to which the disorders in the Province of Pechili had quickly spread, and were manifested by an attack upon the Russian frontier by the native Chiefs and army accompanied by a formal declaration of war on Russia by the local Chinese authorities. || Nevertheless, the Imperial Government informed the Government of the Emperor that Russia, in undertaking these measures, had no hostile intentions towards China, whose independence and integrity were the foundation of Russian policy in the Far East. || True to these principles, Russia, as soon as the danger threatening the Imperial Mission and Russian subjects was over, withdrew her forces from Pechili before any of the other Powers, and, at the first indication of peace in Manchuria being restored, declared her readiness to determine in a private Agreement with China, the manner and earliest date of her evacuation of that province, with, however, certain guarantees of a temporary nature, which were rendered necessary by the disorderly condition of affairs in the above-mentioned province. || The conclusion of this Agreement dragged over many months, owing to the difficult position in which the high Chinese dignitaries were placed, being unable, in the absence of the Court, to decide upon action, as becomes the Representatives of a perfectly independent Empire. || Latterly, however, the pacification of China has progressed with notable success. After the signature of the Protocol of the 25th August (7th September), 1901, the Imperial Court returned to Peking; the central lawful authority resumed its rights, and in many parts of the Empire the local Administrations were re-established. At

the first reception of the Corps Diplomatique in Peking, the Chinese Empress expressed to the foreign Representatives her gratitude for their co-operation in suppressing the disturbances, and assured them of her unshakable determination to take every measure for the re-establishment in the country of the normal state of affairs existing before the disturbances arose. This, indeed, solved the problem in which Russia was principally interested when the disorders broke out in the neighbouring Empire. The Imperial Government, pursuing no selfish aims, insisted that other Powers also should not violate the independence and integrity of China; and that the lawful Government, with which Russia had concluded various Agreements, should be reinstated, and thus, when the disorders were over, the friendly relations with China, which had existed from time immemorial, should be continued. | Taking into consideration that this was the only object with which Russian troops were sent into the Celestial Empire, and that China has given written guarantees for the maintenance of order in the country, and repaid Russia the material expenses to which she was put by her military operations in China, the Imperial Government henceforth see no necessity for leaving armed forces within the confines of the neighbouring territory. Therefore, by Imperial will, on the 26th March was signed by the Russian Minister at Peking, M. Lessar, and by the Chinese Plenipotentiaries, the following Agreement as to the conditions of the recall of the Russian forces from Manchuria.

Nr. 13068. GROSSBRITANNIEN. Der Minister des Ausw. an den Botschafter in Petersburg. Unterredung mit dem russischen Botschafter über den Mandschurei

vertrag.

Foreign Office, April 30, 1902.

Sir, the Russian Ambassador spoke to me briefly to-day upon the subject of the recently signed Agreement between Russia and China in regard to the evacuation of Manchuria. || He told me that the Russian. Government were being attacked for having, as was alleged, surrendered to diplomatic pressure from this country. This charge was, of course, a most unreasonable one. The Russian Government had, in fact, remained faithful to the promises which had been made on its behalf at the outset as to the manner in which the Manchurian question would be dealt with. || I told M. de Staal that it was generally recognized that the new Agreement was in many respects an improvement upon the earlier versions which had obtained publicity, but that there were several points which

were a good deal criticised in this country, notably those provisions which limited the right of China to dispose of her military forces and to construct railway extensions within her own territory. || I did not, however, desire to examine these provisions too microscopically, and I shared his hope that the Agreement would be loyally and considerately interpreted on both sides, and that the evacuation of the province would be completed within the appointed time. || I felt sure that it would be no slight relief to the Russian Government to withdraw the large army of occupation, amounting, I understood, to 50 000 men, which was now stationed in Manchuria. Lansdowne.

Nr. 13069. RUSSLAND und CHINA. — Abkommen über die Mand

schurei.*)

Peking, April 8, 1902

Sa Majesté l'Empereur et Autocrate de Toutes les Russies et Sa Majesté l'Empereur de Chine, dans le but de rétablir et de consolider les relations de bon voisinage rompues par le soulèvement qui a eu lieu en 1900 dans le Céleste Empire, ont nommé pour leurs Plénipotentiaires, a l'effet d'établir un accord sur certaines questions concernant la Mandchourie: Les susdits Plénipotentiaires, munis de pleins pouvoirs, qui ont été trouvés suffisants, sont convenus des stipulations suivantes:

Article I.

Sa Majesté Impériale l'Empereur de Toutes les Russies, désireux de donner une nouvelle preuve de son amour de la paix et de ses sentiments d'amitié envers Sa Majesté l'Empereur de Chine, malgré que ce soit de différents points de la Mandchourie situés sur la frontière que les premières attaques contre la population paisible Russe aient été faites, consent au rétablissement de l'autorité du Gouvernement Chinois dans la province précitée, qui reste une partie intégrale de l'Empire de Chine et restitue au Gouvernement Chinois le droit d'y exercer les pouvoirs gouvernementaux et administratifs comme avant son occupation par les troupes Russes.

Article II.

En prenant possession des pouvoirs gouvernementaux et administratifs de la Mandchourie le Gouvernement Chinois confirme, aussi bien par

*) Von diesem Vertrage schickte der englische Botschafter in Petersburg zuerst eine englische Übersetzung nach London (13. April), am 28. April den französischen Text. Red.