2. At the port of Muroran, only "mugi" (barley, wheat, oats, and rye), coal, sulphur, and other goods* determined by the Minister of Finance, may be exported. 3. When the imports and exports together at any of the ports mentioned in Article 1 for any two years in succession do not reach the value of 50,000 yen, they shall be closed. The date of closing provided for in the preceding clause shall be notified three months beforehand by the Minister of Finance. Supplementary Clause. This Ordinance shall come into force on and from the date of the operation of the Customs Law (August 4, 1899). JAPANESE NOTIFICATION respecting Open Ports in Formosa and the Pescadores.-August 3, 1899.† Notification No. 87 of the Formosan Governor-General's Office. (Translation.) THE places which are to be made open ports, in addition to the hitherto existing open ports, in accordance with Article 1 of Law No. 20 of 1899, are determined as follows. But, for the present, entrance to and departure from them shall be limited to junks. August 3, 1899. BARON KODAMA GENTARO, Kiuko, in Taikoku Prefecture. Governor-General of Formosa. Koro, in Taichu Prefecture. Gosai, in Taichu Prefecture. Rokko, in Taichu Prefecture. Supplementary Clause. This Notification shall come into force on and from the 4th August, 1899. By a Notification of the Minister of Finance which appeared in the "Official Gazette" of July 17, 1899, "the other goods determined by the Minister of Finance" are announced to be: flour, charcoal, cement, sulphuric acid, manganese, bleaching powder, timber and planks, and bamboos. + "Official Gazette" of August 16, 1899. Notification No. 23 (of the Formosan Governor-General's Office) of March 1899 shall be abolished on and from the date on which this Notification comes into force. JAPANESE REGULATIONS relative to Missionaries.Tokió, July 27, 1899.* Notification No. 14 of the Home Department. (Translation.) ART. 1. Persons who wish to engage in the propagation of religion shall furnish the particulars specified below and report their domicile, and, when they have no domicile, their place of residence, to the chief local authority having jurisdiction there, attaching a written account of their antecedents: (1.) Name of religion; (2.) Method of propagating the religion. Persons who have been engaged in the propagation of religion previous to the coming into force of this Notification, and still engaged in it, shall make the report mentioned in the preceding clause within two months after it comes into force. 2. Persons who wish to establish places of worship, churches, preaching rooms, or lecture halls, in order to devote them to religious purposes, shall furnish the particulars specified below, and shall obtain the permission of the chief local authority having jurisdiction in the place where they are: (1.) Reasons which require their establishment; (2.) Limit of time within which their establishment will be completed; (3.) Name and place where situated, as well as the essential facts relating to the site and buildings. A drawing must be attached; (4.) Name of the religion; (5.) Method of control and maintenance; (6.) When responsible propagandists are appointed, their standing, and the method of selecting them. If the places of worship, churches, preaching rooms, or lecture halls mentioned in the preceding clause are not established within the time stated in the sub-heading No. (2) of the preceding clause, the permission mentioned in the preceding clause shall lose its force. The founders of places of worship, churches, preaching rooms, or lecture halls devoted to religious purposes from before the coming into force of this Notification, or when there are no founders, or there are impediments in the way of their so doing, the persons having control shall report the facts set forth in the 1st clause to the chief local authority having jurisdiction within two months after this Notification comes into force. When the report mentioned in the preceding clause has been made, the permission mentioned in the 1st clause shall be considered to have been obtained. 3. The founders, or when there are no founders, or there are impediments in the way of their doing so, the persons having control, mentioned in the preceding Article, shall furnish the chief local authority having jurisdiction with a written account of the antecedents of the persons having control and of the responsible propagandists. Similarly, in cases where the persons having control or the responsible propagandists are changed or increased in number. 4. When a change is made in the facts specified in any of the sub-headings of Article 1, persons who engage in the propagation of religion shall report the matter to the chief local authority having jurisdiction within two weeks. When it is proposed to make a change in the facts specified in any of the sub-headings of Article. 2, the founders, or when there are no founders, or there are impediments in the way of their doing so, the persons having control shall furnish the reasons, and shall obtain the permission of the chief local authority having jurisdiction anew. But when a change of site is concerned, the permission of the chief local authority having jurisdiction in the place to which removal is to be made shall be obtained. When places of worship, churches, preaching rooms, or lecture halls devoted to religious purposes are abandoned or removed, the fact of abandonment or removal shall be reported to the chief local authority having jurisdiction within two weeks. 5. With regard to propagandists of Buddhism or Shinto, and to the establishment, removal, or abandonment of Buddhist temples, monasteries, or meeting places, &c., the provisions hitherto existing shall all be followed. 6. This Notification shall come into force on and from the 4th August, 1899. July 27, 1899. SAIGO TSUGUMICHI, Minister of the Home Department. JAPANESE IMPERIAL PROCLAMATION on the coming into force of the Revised Treaties with Foreign Powers, and Instructions to Government Offices on the subject.—Tôkió, July 1, 1899. (Translation.) Imperial Proclamation. RELYING on the glory bequeathed to us by our ancestors, we have succeeded in infusing vigour into the laws and introducing reforms into the administration, in establishing prosperity at home, and strengthening friendly relations with foreign Powers. With regard to the revision of the Treaties, which has been a longcherished object with us for years past, as a result of exhaustive planning and repeated negotiations, an understanding has at length been effected with the Treaty Powers. And now that the moment for the operation of these Treaties is at hand, it is a cause of great gratification to us that, together with the increase of the responsibilities of the Empire, our friendship with foreign Powers has been placed upon a firmer basis. It is our earnest desire that our subjects who perform their public duties with profound loyalty should be imbued with our sentiments and reverently conform to the policy of opening the country to foreign intercourse, and that the whole people, in unity of mind, should exert themselves to associate cordially with foreigners, to uphold the national character, and to enhance the splendour of the Empire. Let our Ministers of State, who are charged on our behalf with the responsibility of putting the new Treaties into operation, instruct all officials throughout the country to act with circumspection, and to prevent ill-will by causing our own and foreign subjects to enjoy equally the benefits of these Treaties, and thus to establish firmly and for ever friendship with foreign Powers. (Translation.) Cabinet Instruction. To all Government Offices, THE work of Treaty revision has caused deep solicitude to His Imperial Majesty ever since the restoration, and has long been an object of earnest desire to the nation. More than twenty years have elapsed since the first step in negotiations for revisions was taken by the dispatch, in 1871, of Ambassadors to the various Treaty Powers of Europe and the United States. During the interval which has since elapsed numerous negotiations and repeated discussions took place on this subject with foreign countries, and eventually, in 1894, the first revised Treaty was concluded with Great Britain. Subsequently arrangements for revision were completed with all the other Powers, and we shall now shortly witness the operation of the revised Treaties on the 17th July and 4th August. It is needless to say that the revision. of existing Treaties, and the conclusion of Treaties on a basis of equality with the Treaty Powers of Europe and the United States, have their origin in the great scheme of opening the country to foreign intercourse, which was prepared at the time of the restoration, and that the prestige of the State has thereby been increased and the happiness of the nation promoted. But, if the method pursued in putting the revised Treaties into operation is unsatisfactory, not only will the objects of revision be frustrated, but there is reason to fear that the confidence of friendly Powers may be forfeited, and the influence of the Empire injured. It is, of course, only right that the rights to be acquired by us as an effect of the revised Treaties should be firmly maintained; but it is also the duty of the Imperial Government and of the nation to use their best endeavours for the maintenance of the rights of foreigners, and to enable them to live tranquilly wherever they may be, and reside contentedly in Japan. The authorities should be imbued with the sentiments of His Majesty, and strive to give special attention to this matter. - July 1, 1899. MARQUIS YAMAGATA ARITOMO, JAPANESE LAW for the Arrest and Imprisonment of Deserters from Foreign Ships of War and Merchant-Vessels. -Tokió, March 15, 1899. [Law No. 68.] [Promulgated March 15, 1899.*] LAW for rendering assistance in connection with the arrest and detention of members of crews of foreign vessels of war and merchant-vessels. ART. 1. Assistance to be given in pursuance of Commercial Treaties or Consular Conventions with Treaty Powers in connection From the "Official Gazette" of March 16, 1899. |