present Act, which they have signed in duplicate and affixed thereto their respective seals.

Done at Lisbon, this 20th day of May, 1916.

(L.S.) LANCELOT D. CARNEGIE, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

(L.S.) AUGUSTO LUIS VIEIRA SOARES, Minister for Foreign Affairs.

AGREEMENT between Great Britain and Portugal providing for the Settlement by Arbitration of certain Classes of Questions which may arise between the two Governments.Signed at London, November 16, 1914.*

THE Government of the Portuguese Republic and the Government of His Britannic Majesty, signatories of the Convention for the pacific settlement of international disputes, concluded at The Hague on the 29th July, 1899†;

Taking into consideration that by Article XIX of that Convention the High Contracting Parties have reserved to themselves the right of concluding Agreements with a view to referring to arbitration all questions which they shall consider possible to submit to such treatment;

Being, moreover, desirous of confirming, by a further solemn Agreement, the friendship and alliance which have happily subsisted for so long a period between them and the two nations which they represent, and of eliminating, as far as possible, from their mutual relations everything which might tend to impair or weaken that friendship and alliance;

Have authorized the undersigned to conclude the following arrangement:

ART. 1. Differences which may arise of a legal nature, or relating to the interpretation of Treaties existing between the two Contracting Parties, and which it may not have been possible to settle by diplomacy, shall be referred to the Permanent Court of Arbitration established at The Hague by the Convention of the 29th July, 1899, provided, nevertheless, that they do not affect the vital interests, the independence, or the honour of the two Contracting States, and do not concern the interests of third parties.

II. In each individual case the High Contracting Parties, before appealing to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, shall conclude a special Agreement defining clearly the matter in

* "Treaty Series No. 15 (1914)." Signed also in the Portuguese language.

† Vol. XCI, page 970.

dispute, the scope of the powers of the Arbitrators, and the periods to be fixed for the formation of the Arbitral Tribunal and the several stages of the procedure.

III. The present Agreement is concluded for a period of five years, dating from the day of signature.

Done in duplicate at London, the 16th day of November, 1914.

EXCHANGE OF NOTES between Great Britain and Russia respecting the Inclusion of British Subjects and their Property within the Scheme of Municipal Administration and Taxation established in the Area of the Chinese Eastern Railway-Peking, November 20 (December 9), 1914.*

(No. 1.)-The British Minister at Peking to the Russian Minister at Peking.

SIR AND DEAR COLLEAGUE,

I HAVE the honour to inform your Excellency that His Britannic Majesty's Government have had under consideration the draft Agreement recently negotiated and signed in English and Russian on the 17th (30th) April last by the British Consul at Harbin and the local Russian authorities respecting the inclusion of British subjects and their property within the scheme of municipal administration and taxation established in the area of the Chinese Eastern Railway.

I have now received instructions from Sir E. Grey stating that His Majesty's Government approve this Agreement. I therefore have the honour to inform you that, as soon as I learn that the Imperial Russian Government on their side have approved the Agreement, I will take the necessary steps to enforce its provisions upon the British subjects concerned from the 1st January next.

I avail, &c.

J. N. JORDAN.

(No. 2.)--The Russian Minister at Peking to the British Minister at Peking.

M. LE MINISTRE ET CHER Collègue,

J'AI l'honneur d'accuser réception de la note en date de ce jour par laquelle votre Excellence a bien voulu m'informer que

* "Russian Laws and Ordinances," No. 10 of 1915.

le Gouvernement de Sa Majesté britannique a approuvé le projet d'accord qui avait été élaboré récemment et signé à Harbin, le 17 (30) avril dernier, en langues russe et anglaise, entre les autorités locales russes et le consul de Sa Majesté britannique, dans cette ville concernant l'application aux sujets britanniques et à leurs propriétés du régime municipal administratif et financier établi dans la zone du chemin de fer chinois de l'est. Votre Excellence a annoncé en outre qu'Elle prendrait les mesures nécessaires pour assurer l'application de ces provisions aux sujets britanniques intéressés à partir du 1er janvier prochain aussitôt que je lui ferais savoir que le Gouvernement Impérial russe de son côté avait approuvé l'accord précité.

En prenant acte de cette communication je m'empresse de déclarer que je suis chargé par le Gouvernement Impérial de porter à la connaissance de votre Excellence qu'il a également approuvé le projet d'accord susmentionné. Veuillez agréer, &c.

B. KROUPENSKY.

AGREEMENT between the Russian and British Governments respecting the Inclusion of British Subjects within the Scheme of Municipal Administration and Taxation established in the Area of the Chinese Eastern Railway.Harbin, April 17 (30), 1914.*

ART. 1. The Imperial Russian Government having declared that all taxes and dues collected in the Railway Settlement at Harbin and in other settlements situated in the area of the Chinese Eastern Railway shall be exclusively devoted to municipal and public purposes for the common benefit of the inhabitants of these places, His Britannic Majesty's Government agrees to the payment by British subjects residing in the Railway Settlement at Harbin and in other settlements situated in the area of the Chinese Eastern Railway, of the same dues and taxes, whether levied in money or in kind, which are paid by Russian subjects. His Britannic Majesty's Government further agrees that the payment of the said dues and taxes and the observance of the local regulations and bye-laws, of which a list is hereunto annexed,† shall be made obligatory upon the aforesaid British subjects from the 1st January, 1915, and, in like manner, undertakes to make binding upon British subjects, from the day upon which they take effect for Russian subjects, any additional or amended regulations and bye-laws of a similar kind, provided

*"Russian Laws and Ordinances," No. 10 of 1915. Signed also in the Russian language.

Not printed.

that due notice of their intended introduction is given, and that nothing is contained therein which conflicts with the extraterritorial rights of British subjects. It is agreed that the length of such notice shall in the case of new or amended regulations be two months, and in that of new or amended byelaws two weeks.

II. In consideration of the foregoing, British subjects residing in the Railway Settlement at Harbin and in other settlements situated in the area of the Chinese Eastern Railway shall have the active and passive right of election to the local municipal administrations, both those now existing and those hereafter established, and shall exercise this right, like Russian subjects, in accordance with the stipulations of the local municipal regulations. At Harbin also there shall be introduced into the Municipal Council, consisting in all of six members, the term of whose office is three years, a representative of the foreign (non-Russian) community, who shall be a foreign (non-Russian) resident of good standing, the manner of whose election shall be as follows: The resident representatives, having full Consular jurisdiction, of those foreign Powers, exclusive of Russia, who have obliged their nationals to pay taxes and observe the local regulations and bye-laws in accordance with the stipulations of this Agreement shall-in consultation amongst themselves, the opinion of the majority to prevail-prepare and present in good time to the manager of the Chinese Eastern Railway, for transmission to the Municipal Council, a list containing the names of not less than three and not more than five persons, from amongst whom the Assembly of Delegates shall elect by an ordinary majority vote-lots to be cast in case of even ballot-the representative in the Municipal Council of the foreign (nonRussian) community. The election of this councillor shall be simultaneous with that of other members of the Council, and the term of his office shall be concurrent with theirs. Should he resign or be dismissed before the expiration of this period, the Assembly of Delegates shall, at the ordinary meeting occurring next after the preparation by the aforesaid Consular representatives of a new list, elect in the manner before stated another member to serve for the remainder of the current term. dismissal before his period of service has expired of a member of the Council elected in the method above described shall not be effected except with the consent of a majority of the Consular representatives aforesaid.

The

The member of the foreign community for the present triennial period shall be elected in the manner before stated at a supplementary election, which shall be held not later than two weeks after the presentation to the manager of the Chinese Eastern Railway by the Consular representatives of the prescribed list of names.

III. British subjects residing in the Railway Settlement at Harbin and in other settlements situated in the area of the Chinese Eastern Railway shall-as regards all matters of an

economic character, more especially such as relate to trade and industry and leases of land lots-enjoy the same rights and privileges as Russian subjects. This equality shall also avail should, in the future, the present restricted rights to land be at any time enlarged, or should lessees of land lots or owners of houses be the recipients, on the lapse or termination of the Chinese Eastern Railway Company's holding, of compensation of whatever kind.

IV. It is agreed that, should objections be raised by British subjects regarding the amount of the assessment tax on commercial and industrial enterprises exploited by them, their affidavits, made before the British Consular representative, as to the size and character of the said enterprises shall be accepted in definite proof.

It is agreed also that permission shall not be given to British subjects to open, establish, or maintain hotels, boarding, or eatinghouses, houses of entertainment, or shops for the sale of liquors, except on production of a permit issued for the purpose by the British Consulate.

V. It is agreed that the police authorities in Harbin and in other settlements situated in the area of the Chinese Eastern Railway shall give prompt effect to any requests preferred by the British Consular representative for the adoption of coercive measures against British subjects; but officers of the force shall not, on their own initiative and in the absence of such requests, take any coercive action against British subjects, except in cases involving a breach of the peace.

VI. British subjects shall be entitled to the benefit of any more favoured treatment which may be accorded by the Imperial Russian Government to the subjects or citizens of other foreign Powers resident in the Railway Settlement at Harbin or in other settlements situated in the area of the Chinese Eastern Railway.

VII. The Imperial Russian Government undertakes that the regulations and bye-laws, of which a list is hereunto annexed,* shall be brought into accord with the stipulations of this Agreement by the date mentioned in Article I.

We, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing is the draft Agreement concluded between us regarding the inclusion of British subjects within the Scheme of Municipal Administration and Taxation established in the area of the Chinese Eastern Railway.

Harbin, April 17th (30th), 1914.

W. TRAUTSCHOLD, Imperial Russian Consul

General.

E. DANIEL, Delegate of the Chinese Eastern
Railway Administration.

H. E. SLY, His Britannic Majesty's Consul.

* Not printed.