Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 18 Part 2c.djvu/137

 ARTICLE IV.

In order further to perpetuate friendship, the Minister or Commissioner, or the highest diplomatic representative of the United States of America in China, shall at all times have the right to correspond on terms of perfect equality and confidence with the officers of the Privy Council at the capital, or with the Governors-General of the Two Kwangs, the provinces of Fuhkien and Chehkiang or of the Two Kiangs; and whenever he desires to have such correspondence with the Privy Council at the capital he shall have the right to send it through either of the said Governors-General or by the general post; and all such communications shall be sent under seal, which shall be most carefully respected. The Privy Council and Governors-General, as the case may be, shall in all cases consider and acknowledge such communications promptly and respectfully.

ARTICLE V.

The Minister of the United States of America in China, whenever he has business, shall have the right to visit and sojourn at the capital of His Majesty the Emperor of China, and there confer with a member of the Privy Council, or any other high officer of equal rank deputed for that purpose, on matters of common interest and advantage. His visits shall not exceed one in each year, and he shall complete his business without unnecessary delay. He shall be allowed to go by land or come to the mouth of the Peiho, into which he shall not bring ships of war, and he shall inform the authorities at that place in order that boats may be provided for him to go on his journey. He is not to take advantage of this stipulation to request visits to the capital on trivial occasions. Whenever be means to proceed to the capital, he shall communicate, in writing, his intention to the Board of Rites at the capital, and thereupon the said Board shall give the necessary directions to facilitate his journey and give him necessary protection and respect on his way. On his arrival at the capital he shall be furnished with a suitable residence prepared for him, and be shall defray his own expenses; and his entire suite shall not exceed twenty persons, exclusive of his Chinese attendants, none of whom shall be engaged in trade.

ARTICLE VI.

If at any time His Majesty the Emperor of China shall, by treaty voluntarily made, or for any other reason, permit the representative of any friendly nation to reside at his capital for a long or short time, then, without any further consultation or express permission, the representative of the United States in China shall have the same privilege.

ARTICLE VII.

The superior authorities of the United States and of China, in corresponding together, shall do so on terms of equality and in form of mutual communication, (chau-hwui.) The Consuls and the local officers, civil and military, in corresponding together, shall likewise employ the style and form of mutual communication, (chau-hwui.) When inferior officers of the one Government address superior officers of the other, they shall do so in the style and form of memorial, (chin-chin.) Private individuals, in addressing superior officers, shall employ the style of petition, (pinching.) In no case shall any terms or style be used or suffered which shall be offensive or disrespectful to either party. And it is agreed that no presents, under any pretext or form whatever, shall ever be demanded of the United States by China, or of China by the United States.