Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 12.djvu/1133

 CONVENTION "WITH CHINA. Novrzmsmz 8, 1858. 1081 Convention between the United States and Olulna for the Adjustment ey" Claims. Oencluded November 8, 1858. November8, 1858. IN order to carry into effect the Convention made at Tien-tsin by the Preamble. High Commissioners and Plenipotentiaries respectively representing the United States of America and the Ta Tsing Empire, for the satisfaction of claims of American citizens, by which it was agreed that one fifth of all tonnage, import, and export duties payable on American ships and goods shipped in American vessels at the ports of Canton, Shanghai, and Fuh-chau, to an amount not exceeding six hundred thousand taels, should be applied to that end; and the Plenipotentiary of the United States, actuated by a friendly feeling towards China, is willing, on behalf of the United States, to reduce the amount needed for such claims to an aggregate of five hundred thousand taels, it is now expressly agreed by the high contracting parties in the form of a supplementary Convention, as follows: ARTICLE I. That on the first day of the next Chinese year the Col- Debenfures to lectors of Customs at the said three ports shall issue debentures to the gl,“0°g5’; gels to amount of five hundred thousand taels, to be delivered to such persons be issued in full as may be named by the Minister or chief diplomatic officer of the United li'1E‘id°*l°¤ °*` tm States in China, and it is agreed that the amount shall be distributed as §i:,mQH;£,f;`P°r` follows : Three hundred thousand taels at Canton, one hundred thousand Distribution. taels at Shanghai, and one hundred thousand taels at Fuh-chau, which shall be received in payment of one fifth of the tonnage, export, and import duties on American ships, or goods in Ameriwn ships at the said ports, and it is agreed that this amount shall be in full liquidation of all claims of American citizens at the various ports to this date. In faith whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries of the United States Contracting of America and of the Ta-Tsing Empire; that is to say, on the part of P“m°" the United States, William B. Reed, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, and on the part of the Ta—Tsing Empire- Kweiliang, a member of the Privy Council, Captain-General of the Plain White Banner Division of the Manchu Bannermen, and Superintendent of the Board of Punishments, and Hwashana, Classical Reader at Banquets, President of the Board of Civil Office, Captain-General of the Bordered Blue Banner Division of the Chinese Bannermen, both of them Plenipotentiaries, with Ho-Kwei-tsing, Governor-General of the two Kiang Provinces, President of the Board of War, and Guardian of the Heir-Apparent; Mingshen, President of the Ordnance Office of the Imperial Household, with the Insignia of the Second Grade, and Twan, a titular President of the Fifth Grade, member of the Establishment of the General Council, and one of the Junior under Secretaries of the Board of Punishments, all of them special Imperial Commissioners de- , puted for the purpose, have signed and sealed these presents. Done at Shanghai this eighth day of November, in the year of our Signatum. Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-third, and in the eighth year of Hienfung, the tenth month and third day. WILLIAM B. REED. [sean.] KWEILIANG. HWASHANA. HO-KWEI-T SING. [san.] MIN GSHEN. TWAN.