the time being comprised in an exclusive prospecting licence, and also on all such lands in private tenure situated in the same district or districts as shall have been placed at his disposal for the purpose by the owners and occupiers;

(2.) The term of a general prospecting licence shall be one year; (3.) A general prospecting licence shall not be transferable;

(4.) A general prospecting licence shall coufer no exclusive or preferential rights or privileges.

8. Unless otherwise expressly agreed, an exclusive prospecting licence shall confer and impose on the licensee the following rights and conditions, that is to say:

(1.) It shall coufer on the licensee the exclusive right personally, or by his named agent, with workmen and labourers, to prospect for all such metals, minerals, mineral substances, and precious stones as are specified in the licence within an area therein defined. The area may either be limited by the length of a radius from a fixed point, the length of such radius, and the position of the fixed point being declared by the licence, or may be defined by boundaries specified in the licence. The licence shall give to the licensee no right to prospect lands in private tenure, except with the consent of the owners and occupiers thereof;

(2.) The term of an exclusive prospecting licence shall be one year. If upon the expiration of the first year, the licensee shall prove to the satisfaction of the Governor-General, that he has completed a reasonable amount of prospecting, and has in all respects complied with this Ordinance and the conditions of his licence, he shall be entitled, upon payment of the prescribed fees to receive a new licence in respect of any such part of the land comprised in his former licence as he may select, provided that the land so selected shall not exceed one-half of the laud comprised in the former licence, and shall lie in one block;

(3.) An exclusive prospecting licence shall not be transferable, nor shall any right or interest thereunder be assigned or charged without the consent of the Governor-General;

(4.) An exclusive prospecting licence shall imply no preferential right to the grant of mining rights, but in any exclusive prospecting licence such preferential rights as the Governor-General thinks advisable to grant, may be expressly granted.

9. Unless otherwise expressly agreed, every prospecting licence shall confirm and impose on the licensee the following additional rights, privileges, conditions, and liabilities, that is to say :

(1.) The licensee may remove and dispose of all metals, minerals, mineral substances, and precious stones, raised or discovered in the course of prospecting operations, subject to the payment of the prescribed royalty;

(2.) He shall give notice to the Governor-General of any find, which he may have made, of gold, silver, or precious stones, previously to alienating or exporting the same;

(3.) He shall have the right to undertake and continue such work only as shall be necessary to thoroughly test the mineral and metalliferous qualities of the land;

(4.) He shall permit the Governor-General, or any public officer authorized by the Governor-General, at all reasonable times to inspect any work, which may have been executed or is in progress under the licence;

(5.) He shall produce his licence, when called for by any public officer, or by any other holder of a prospecting licence, who produces his licence;

(6.) Every prospecting licence shall be liable to be summarily revoked upon breach by the licensee, his agents, servants, workmen, or labourers, of any of the conditions thereof or of any of the provisions of this Ordinance;

(7.) The Courts of Justice established in the Soudan shall be the only Courts having jurisdiction to determine any question or dispute between the Government and the licersce with reference to a prospecting licence.

10. Any person, whether holding or not holding, a prospecting licence, who alienates or exports or attempts to alienate or export any find, which he may have made, of gold, silver, or precious stones, without having previously given notice of such find to the GovernorGeneral, shall forfeit the same and any money or profit received for the same, to the Government, and in addition shall be liable to a fine which may amount to £ E. 100, and in default of payment of the fine to imprisonment which may extend to three months:

(1.) Any person, who whether upon land in private tenure or upon untenanted land, shall prospect for metals, minerals, mineral substances, or precious stones, without a prospecting licence, or shall commence or carry on any mining operations without a mining lease or other sufficient authority from the Governor-General, shall be liable to a fine which may amount to £ E. 100, and in default of payment of the fine, to imprisonment, which may extend to three months;

(2.) Provided, nevertheless, that any owner of land may, upon giving notice to the Governor-General prospect upon the land in his tenure without a prospecting licence.

REGINALD WINGATE, Governor-General.

COMMERCIAL CONVENTION between Spain and Japan. -Signed at Tokió, March 28, 1900.

[Ratifications exchanged at Tôkiô, March 30, 1901.]

His Majesty the King of Spain, and in his name Her Majesty the Queen-Regent of the Kingdom, and His Majesty the Emperor of Japan having determined, in accordance with the stipulation in Article I of the Protocol signed in Madrid the 2nd day of the 1st month of Meiji, corresponding to the 2nd January, 1897,* to conclude a special Commercial Convention, based on the principles of reciprocity, relating to the importation duties to be imposed on articles and merchandize of each of the Contracting Parties on entering the country of the other, and for this purpose have named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

His Majesty the King of Spain, and in his name Her Majesty the Queen-Regent of the Kingdom, Don Luis de la Harrera y Riera, Knight of the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Isabel la Catolica, Companion of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Carlos III, &c., His Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan ;

and

His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, the Viscount Aoki Siuze, Junii, Grand Cross of the Rising Sun, His Majesty's Minister for Foreign Affairs;

Who, after having communicated to each other their full powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following:

ART. I. Japanese articles of production and manufacture will not be subject on their introduction into the Peninsula of Spain, and into the Balearic and Canary Islands, to other or higher duties, whatever the name or denomination, than similar articles produced or manufactured in any other foreign nation. However, the special advantages conceded to Portugal will not be conceded to Japanese products, or any other special privileges that may be conceded to frontier States for the purpose of facilitating trade ou the frontier, so long as the said advantages or privileges are exclusive and are not enjoyed by any other country.

Reciprocally, the articles of Spanish production or manufacture, or of the Peninsula, Balearic and Canary Islands, will not be subject to different or higher duties, under whatever name or denomination,

* Vol. LXXXIX, page 966.

than those to which articles of similar production or manufacture of any other foreign nation may be submitted.

It is mutually understood that the articles passing through, transhipped, or deposited in ports or intermediate countries, will be assimilated with articles imported direct, so long as they are accompanied by a direct bill of lading.

No prohibition will be maintained or imposed of any kind on the importation of any articles produced or manufactured in the territories of either of the two Contracting Parties in the territories of the other, whatever the place of shipment, that is not equally inclusive of similar articles produced or manufactured in other countries; nevertheless, this regulation is not applicable to prohibitions for sanitary reasons, or occasioned by the necessity to protect the safety of persons, animals, and plants of use in agriculture.

II. No higher duties or taxes will be imposed in the territory of either of the Contracting Parties, on the exportation of any article destined for the territory of the other, than those that are or will be imposed on similar articles destined for other foreign countries; nor will any prohibition be imposed on the exportation of any article of the territories of either of the two Contracting Parties destined for the territory of the other, that does not equally include the exportation of similar articles destined for any other country.

III. Notwithstanding the statement in the last part of the second clause of Article XIV of the Treaty of Friendship and General Relations signed the 2nd day of the 1st month of the 30th year of Meiji, corresponding to the 2nd January, 1897,* relating to the first clause of the same Article, that it will not be applicable to the special treatment reserved by Spain for the Spanish-American Republics, and not be extended to any other country, as regards commerce and navigation, it is now agreed that this special treatment will be unconditionally applied to Japan from the day on which this Convention comes into force.

IV. The present Convention will take effect immediately after the exchange of ratifications.

Both Contracting Parties will have the right, on the completion of five years from the day on which this Convention comes into effect, to announce to the other the intention to terminate it, and twelve months after such notice the Convention shall completely terminate.

V. Six copies of this Convention shall be made: two in Japanese, two in Spanish, and two in English. In the case of any discrepancy being found between the Japanese and Spanish text, it will be decided in conformity with the English text.

* Vol. LXXXIX, page 958.

VI. The present Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications thereof shall be exchanged in Tôkiô as soon as possible.

In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same, and have affixed thereto the seal of their arms.

Done at Tôkiô, the 28th of the 3rd month of the 33rd year of Meiji, corresponding to the 28th March, 1900.

(L.S.) LUIS DE LA HARRERA Y RIERA. VICOMTE AOKI.

(L.S.)

TREATY of Amity and Commerce between Corea and China.— Signed at Seoul, September 11, 1899.

[Ratifications exchanged at Seoul, December 14, 1899.]

(Translation.)

His Majesty the Emperor of Corea and His Majesty the Emperor of China, being sincerely desirous of establishing permanent relations of harmony and friendship between their respective subjects, have resolved to conclude a Treaty for that purpose, and have, therefore, named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:

His Majesty the Emperor of Corea, Pak Chei-sun, Corean Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of the Council of State, &c., His Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary;

His Majesty the Emperor of China, Hsü Ta-jen, His Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary;

Who, having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon and concluded the following Commercial Treaty :

ART. I. There shall be perpetual peace and friendship between the Empire of Corea and the Empire of China, and between their respective subjects, who shall enjoy equally in the respective countries of the High Contracting Parties full protection and the advantages of favourable treatment.

If other Powers should deal unjustly or oppressively with either Government, the other, on being informed of the case, will exert their good offices to bring about an amicable arrangement.

II. After the conclusion of this Treaty of Amity and Commerce the High Contracting Powers may each appoint Diplomatic Representatives to reside at the Court of the other, and may each appoint Consular Representatives at the ports of the other which are open to foreign commerce at their own convenience. These officials shall have relations with the corresponding local authorities of equal rank upon a basis of mutual equality.