One copy shall be given to each of the foreign Plenipotentiaries, and one copy shall be given to the Chinese Plenipotentiaries.

Convention Entre La Russie et le Japon Signée à St. Pétersbourg le 17/30 Juillet 1907.

Le Gouvernement de SA MAJESTÉ I'EMPEREUR de toutes les Russies et le Gouvernement de Sa Majesté l'Empereur du Japon, désireux de consolider les rapports de paix et de bon voisinage qui se sont heureusement rétablis entre la Russie et le Japon et voulant écarter pour l'avenir toute cause de malentendus dans les relations des deux empires, sont convenus des dispositions suivantes :

Article. I. Chacune des deux hautes parties contractantes s'engage à respecter l'intégrité territoriale actuelle de l'autre et tous les droits. découlant pour l'une et pour l'autre partie, des traités, conventions et contrats en vigueur entre elles et la Chine, copies desquels ont été échangées entre les parties contractantes, en tant que ces croits ne sont pas incompatibles avec le principe de l'opportunité égale, du traité signé à Portsmouth le 5 Septembre/23 Aout 1905, ainsi que des conventions spéciales conclues entre la Russie et le Japon.

Article II. Les deux hautes parties contractantes reconnaissent l'indépendence et l'intégrité terrioriale de l'empire de Chine et le principe de l'opportunité égale pour ce qui concerne le commerce et l'industrie de toutes nations dans cet empire, et s'engagent à soutenir et à défendre le maintien du statu quo et le respect de ce principe par tous les moyens pacifiques à leur portée.

En foi de quoi les soussignés, dûment autorisés par leur Gouvernements respectifs, ont signé cette convention et y ont apposé leurs sceaux. Fait à St. Pétersbourg, le 17/30 Juillet 1907.

[TRANSLATION.]

The Government of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan and the Government of His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, being desirous to consolidate relations of peace and good neighborhood which have happily been restored between Japan and Russia, and wishing to remove for the future all cause of misunderstanding in the relations of the Two Empires, have agreed upon the following stipulations:

Art. I. Each of the High Contracting Parties engages to respect the actual territorial integrity of the other, and all rights due now both Parties by virtue of treaties, conventions and contracts now in force between them and China, copies of which have been exchanged between the Contracting Parties (so far as those rights are not incompatible with the principle of equal opportunity), as well as by virtue of the Treaty signed at Portsmouth on 1905 and the Special Conventions

September 5,
August 23,

concluded between Japan and Russia.

Art. II. The two High Contracting Parties recognize the independence and territorial integrity of the Empire of China and the principle of equal opportunity for the commerce and industry of all nations in that Empire, and engage to uphold and support the maintenance of status quo and the respect for the said principle by all pacific means at their disposal.

The Undersigned duly authorized by their respective Governments have signed this Convention and have affixed thereto their seals.

Done at St. Petersburg this day

July 30
July 17'

1907.

(Signed) I. MOTONO.
(Signed) A. IZVOLSKY.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN JAPAN AND COREA, SIGNED AT SEOUL JULY 24, 1907, RELATING TO THE INTERNAL ADMINISTRATION of corea.

[TRANSLATION.]

The Government of Japan and the Government of Corea, being animated by the desire to attain speedy development of the strength and resources of Corea and to promote the welfare of her people, have, with that object in view, agreed upon the following stipulations:

ARTICLE I. The Government of Corea shall act under the guidance of the Resident General, in respect to reforms in administration.

ARTICLE II. The Government of Corea engage not to enact any laws, ordinances, regulations, nor to take any important measures of administration without the previous assent of the Resident General.

ARTICLE III. Judicial affairs in Corea shall be set apart from the affairs of ordinary administration.

ARTICLE IV. The appointment and dismissal of all the high officials in Corea shall be made with the concurrence of the Resident General. ARTICLE V. The Government of Corea shall appoint as Corean officials Japanese subjects recommended by the Resident General.

ARTICLE VI. The Government of Corea shall not engage the services of any foreigner without the concurrence of the Resident General. ARTICLE VII. Article I of the Protocol, signed between Japan and Corea on August 22nd, 1904, shall hereafter cease to be binding.

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

(Signed) Marquis Ito,

Japanese Resident General.

(Signed) YE WAN YONG,

Prime Minister of Corea.

The 24th day of the 7th month of the 40th year of Meiji. (July 24, 1907.)

CONVENTION SIGNED ON AUGUST 31, 1907, BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND RUSSIA, CONTAINING ARRANGEMENTS ON THE SUBJECT OF PERSIA, AFGHANISTAN, AND THIBET.

No. 1.

Sir,

Sir Edward Grey to Sir A. Nicolson.

FOREIGN OFFICE, August 29, 1907. I have to-day authorized your Excellency by telegraph to sign a Convention with the Russian Government containing Arrangements on the subject of Persia, Afghanistan, and Thibet.

The Arrangement respecting Persia is limited to the regions of that country touching the respective frontiers of Great Britain and Russia in Asia, and the Persian Gulf is not part of those regions, and is only

partly in Persian territory. It has not therefore been considered appropriate to introduce into the Convention a positive declaration respecting special interests possessed by Great Britain in the Gulf, the result of British action in those waters for more than a hundred years.

His Majesty's Government have reason to believe that this question will not give rise to difficulties between the two Governments should developments arise which make further discussion affecting British interests in the Gulf necessary. For the Russian Government have in the course of the negotiations leading up to the conclusion of this Arrangement explicitly stated that they do not deny the special interests of Great Britain in the Persian Gulf - a statement of which His Majesty's Government have formally taken note.

In order to make it quite clear that the present Arrangement is not intended to affect the position in the Gulf, and does not imply any change of policy respecting it on the part of Great Britain, His Majesty's Government think it desirable to draw attention to previous declarations of British policy, and to reaffirm generally previous statements as to British interests in the Persian Gulf and the importance of maintaining them.

His Majesty's Government will continue to direct all their efforts to the preservation of the status quo in the Gulf and the maintenance of British trade; in doing so, they have no desire to exclude the legitimate trade of any other Power.

Sir,

Sir A. Nicolson to Sir Edward Grey.

ST. PETERSBURGH, August 31, 1907.

I have the honour to transmit herewith the Convention which was signed to-day by M. Iswolsky and myself for the settlement of certain questions affecting the interests of Great Britain and Russia in Asia.

I also beg leave to forward a note which I received from M. Iswolsky in response to a communication from me, of which a copy is herewith inclosed, on the subject of the entry of scientific missions into Thibet. I have, &c.

Convention.

His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India, and His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, animated by the sincere desire to settle by mutual agreement different questions concerning the interests of their States on the Continent of Asia, have determined to conclude Agreements destined to prevent all cause of misunderstanding between Great Britain and Russia in regard to the questions referred to, and have nominated for this purpose their respective Plenipotentiaries, to wit:

His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India, the Right Honourable Sir Arthur Nicolson, His Majesty's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias;

His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, the Master of his Court Alexander Iswolsky, Minister for Foreign Affairs;

Who, having communicated to each other their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed on the following: —

ARRANGEMENT CONCERNING PERSIA.

The Governments of Great Britain and Russia having mutually engaged to respect the integrity and independence of Persia, and sincerely desiring the preservation of order throughout that country and its peaceful development, as well as the permanent establishment of equal advantages for the trade and industry of all other nations;

Considering that each of them has, for geographical and economic reasons, a special interest in the maintenance of peace and order in certain provinces of Persia adjoining, or in the neighbourhood of, the Russian frontier on the one hand, and the frontiers of Afghanistan and Baluchistan on the other hand; and being desirous of avoiding all cause of conflict between their respective interests in the above-mentioned Provinces of Persia;

Have agreed on the following terms:

I.

Great Britain engages not to seek for herself, and not to support in favour of British subjects, or in favour of the subjects of third Powers, any Concessions of a political or commercial nature- such as Conces