No. 2. That the contract which bound the ship to the belligerent Government in question shall have expired, and that a new contract shall have been concluded with some commercial firm domiciled in Chile.

No. 3. That the new transformation shall be complete; that is to say, that on the ship, as regards both its crew and its installations there will be no evidence that she can directly assist the fleet of its nationality as an auxiliary, as was the case before; and

No. 4. That the Government to which the ship belongs shall communicate to all interested countries, especially neutral, the number of auxiliary ships that have lost their quality and have reverted to merchant ships.

I avail, &c.,

R. SUBERCASEAUX.

His Excellency Sir Francis Stronge, &c.

TREATY between Chile and China establishing direct · Friendly Relations between the two Countries.London, February 18, 1915.*

[Ratifications exchanged February 4, 1916.]

His Excellency Yuan Shih-Kai, President of the Republic of China, and His Excellency Don Ramon Barros Luco, President of the Republic of Chile, being equally desirous of establishing direct friendly relations between their respective countries, have resolved to conclude a Treaty to this end, and have, for this purpose, named as their plenipotentiaries :

His Excellency the President of the Republic of China, His Excellency Sao-Ke Alfred Sze, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of St. James, and His Excellency the President of the Republic of Chile, His Excellency Senor don Augustin Edwards, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the same Court.

Who, having communicated to each other their respective full powers, have agreed to the following Articles :

ÁRT. I. There shall be as there always has been perpetual and invariable peace and friendship between the Republic of China and the Republic of Chile, and between their respective citizens and subjects.

II. The Government of China and the Government of Chile shall have the right to appoint Diplomatic Agents, Consuls

* Signed also in the Chinese and Spanish languages.

General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents, who shal. reside, respectively, in the capital and in the principal cities of the two countries where the residence of such foreign agents may be permitted, and shall enjoy the same rights, privileges, favours, immunities and exemptions as are or may be conceded to the Diplomatic and Consular Agents of the most favoured Powers.

The Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls and Consular Agents shall obtain in the usual manner before entering upon the exercise of their functions, the exequatur of the Government of the country wherein they are to fulfil them.

Merchants shall not be appointed by either contracting party to act as Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls or Consular Agents, except as honorary Consuls with privileges and powers similar to those enjoyed by the honorary Consuls of other Powers. III. This Treaty shall be put in force as soon as the exchange of the ratifications takes place.

IV. The present Treaty shall be drawn up in Chinese. Spanish and English, in four copies of each of the languages. In case of divergency with regard to the interpretation of the Spanish or the Chinese text the disagreement shall be decided according to the English text, which shall be obligatory for both Governments.

V. The present Treaty shall be ratified by His Excellency the President of the Republic of China and by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Chile, in accordance with their respective legislations, and the ratification shall be exchanged at the earliest possible moment.

In token whereof the Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Treaty and affixed thereto their respective seals, this 18th day of February, 1915.

(L.S.) SAO-KE ALFRED SZE.
(L.S.)
AUGUSTIN EDWARDS.

CHINESE

CONSTITUTIONAL

COMPACT

(Amended Provisional Constitution of the Republic of China).-Promulgated May 1, 1914.

(Translation.*)

Chapter 1. The Nation.

ART. I. The Chung Hua Min Kuo is composed of citizens of Chung Hua.

II. The sovereignty of the Chung Hua Min Kuo originates in the whole body of the citizens.

III. The territory of the Chung Hua Min Kuo continues the same as that of the former Empire.

* Printed by the Peking Daily News."

Chapter 2.-The Citizens.

IV. Citizens of the Chung Hua Min Kuo shall be equal before the law, irrespective of race, rank or religion.

V. Citizens shall enjoy the following rights:

(a.) No citizen shall be arrested, imprisoned, tried or punished, except in accordance with statute.

(b.) The habitation of any citizen shall not be forcibly entered into or searched, except in accordance with statute.

(c.) Within the limits of the statutes citizens shall have the right to own and enjoy property and to trade freely.

(d.) Within the limits of the statutes citizens shall have the rights of freedom of speech, of writing and publication, and of assembly and association.

(e.) Within the limits of the statutes citizens shall have the right of secrecy of correspondence.

(f.) Within the limits of the statutes citizens shall have the right of freedom of abode and of changing the same.

(g.) Within the limits of the statutes citizens shall have the right of freedom of religious belief.

VI. In accordance with the provisions of the statutes citizens shall have the right of petitioning the Legislature.

VII. In accordance with the provisions of the statutes citizens shall have the right to institute proceedings in the Courts of Law.

VIII. In accordance with the provisions of the statutes citizens shall have the right of petitioning administrative officers and of lodging complaints with the Ping Cheng Yuan.

IX. In accordance with the provisions of law and ordinance citizens shall have the right to attend the examinations for the appointment of officers and to enter the public service.

X. In accordance with the provisions of the statutes citizens shall have the right to elect and to be elected.

XI. In accordance with the provisions of the statutes citizens are subject to the duty of paying taxes.

XII. In accordance with the provisions of the statutes citizens are subject to the duty of performing military service.

XIII. The provisions made in this chapter, that are not in conflict with the law, ordinances and discipline of the Army and Navy, shall be applicable to persons belonging to the said services.

Chapter 3-The President.

XIV. The President is the head of the Nation and combines in himself all the powers of government.

XV. The President shall represent the Chung Hua Min Kuo. XVI. The President shall be responsible to the whole Nation.

XVII. The President shall convoke the Legislature and open, prorogue and close its sessions.

The President, with the concurrence of the Council of State, may dissolve the Legislature; in the case of dissolution new members must be elected and the Legislature convoked within six months from the date of dissolution.

XVIII. The President may initiate legislation and shall lay the estimates before the Legislature.

XIX. For the promotion of public welfare, for the execution. of the statutes, or in pursuance of authority granted by statute, the President may issue or cause to be issued ordinances, but no ordinance shall alter any statute.

XX. In order to maintain peace and order, or to avert extraordinary calamities, at a time of urgent necessity when the Legislature cannot be convoked, the President, with the concurrence of the Council of State, may issue emergency ordinances having the force of law; but such ordinances shall be submitted to the Legislature for ratification at the beginning of its next session.

Should the said emergency ordinances be rejected by the Legislature, they shall, thereafter, be null and void.

XXI. The President shall prescribe and determine the organization of all offices and shall issue the regulations fixing the duties of officials.

The President shall appoint and dismiss civil and military officers.

XXII. The President shall declare war and conclude peace. XXIII. The President is the Commander-in-chief of the Army and Navy, and leads the land and sea forces of the Nation. The President shall determine the organization and the strength of the Army and Navy.

XXIV. The President shall receive foreign ambassadors and ministers.

XXV. The President makes treaties; but should articles therein provide for any change of territory, or increase the burdens of the citizens, the concurrence of the Legislature shall be required.

XXVI. The President may, in accordance with the provisions of the statues, declare a state of siege.

XXVII. The President may confer titles of nobility, rank, orders and other marks of honour.

XXVIII. The President may grant general amnesty, special pardon, commutation of punishment and restoration of rights. In the case of general amnesty the concurrence of the Legislature shall be required.

XXIX. When the President, for any cause, vacates his office or is unable to exercise the powers and functions connected therewith, the Vice-President shall act in his stead.

Chapter 4.-Legislature.

XXX. Statutes shall be enacted by the Legislature composed of members elected by the people.

The organization of the Legislature and the method of the election of its members shall be prescribed and determined by the Constitutional Compact Conference.

XXXI. The competence of the Legislature shall be as follows:

(1.) To discuss and pass bills.

(2.) To discuss and pass the estimates.

(3.) To discuss and pass or approve measures relating to the assumption of public debts, and to the contracting of other liabilities to the charge of the National Treasury.

(4.) To reply to enquiries addressed to it by the President. (5.) To receive petitions from the people.

(6.) To initiate legislation.

(7.) To submit to the President suggestions and opinions relating to legislation and other matters.

(8.) To raise questions in regard to administration over which doubts have arisen and to request the President to reply thereon. But the President may refuse to reply should he deem it necessary for the matter to be kept in secret.

(9.) Should the President make an attempt against the state the Legislature may institute against him impeachment proceedings in the Supreme Court of Justice, if approved by a majority of three-fourths or over, of a quorum of four-fifths or over, of the total number of members of the Legislature.

The exercise of the powers mentioned in clauses 1 to 8 of this article, and articles 20, 25, 28, 55, and 57 shall require the concurrence of a majority of the members present in the Legislature.

XXXII. The annual session of the Legislature shall not exceed four months in duration, but may be prolonged should the President consider it necessary. The President may call an extraordinary session during the recess.

XXXIII. The deliberations of the Legislature shall be public, but the members may sit behind closed doors at the request of the President, or as a result of the decision of a majority of the members present.

XXXIV. Bills which have passed the Legislature shall be promulgated and enforced by the President.

But if the President shall disapprove a bill duly passed in the Legislature, he may return the bill to the Legislature for reconsideration, with a statement of the reasons of his disapproval. Even in case that the former decision of the Legislature be adhered to by a majority of two-thirds or over, of the members present, if the President still maintain that the bill would greatly endanger and harm, either the internal adminis