ARTICLE XVII.

The High Contracting Parties agree to the following arrangement:The several Foreign Settlements in Japan shall, from the date this Treaty comes into force, be incorporated with the respective Japanese Communes, and shall thenceforth form part of the general municipal system of Japan. The competent Japanese Authorities shall thereupon assume all municipal obligations and duties in respect thereof, and the common funds and property, if any, belonging to such Settlements shall at the same time be transferred to the said Japanese Authorities.

When such incorporation takes place existing leases in perpetuity upon which property is now held in the said Settlements shall be confirmed, and no conditions whatsoever other than those contained in such existing leases shall be imposed in respect of such property. It is, however, understood that the Consular Authorities mentioned in the same are in all cases to be replaced by the Japanese Authorities. All lands which may previously have been granted by the Japanese Government free of rent for the public purposes of the said Settlements shall, subject to the right of eminent domain, be permanently reserved free of all taxes and charges for the public purposes for which they were originally set apart.

ARTICLE XVIII.

This treaty shall, from the date it comes into force, be substituted in place of the Treaty of Peace and Amity concluded on the 34 day of the 3 month of the 7th year of Kayei, corresponding to the 31st day of March, 1854; the Treaty of Amity and Commerce concluded on the 19th day of the 6th month of the 5th year of Ansei, corresponding to the 29th day of July, 1858; the Tariff Convention concluded on the 13th day of the 5th month of the 2nd year of Keio, corresponding to the 25th day of June, 1866; the Convention concluded on the 25th day of the 7th month of the 11th year of Meiji, corresponding to the 25th day of July, 1878, and all Arrangements and Agreements subsidiary thereto concluded or existing between the High Contracting Parties; and from the same date such Treaties, Conventions, Arrangements and Agreements shall cease to be binding, and, in consequence, the jurisdiction then exercised by Courts of the United States in Japan and all the exceptional privileges, exemptions and immunities then enjoyed by citizens of the United States as a part of, or appurtenant to such jurisdiction, shall absolutely and without notice cease and determine, and thereafter all such jurisdiction shall be assumed and exercised by Japanese Courts.

ARTICLE XIX.

This Treaty shall go .nto operation on the 17th day of July, 1899, and shall remain in force for the period of twelve years from that date. Either High Contracting Party shall have the right, at any time thereafter to give notice to the other of its intention to terminate the same, and at the expiration of twelve months after such notice is given this Treaty shall wholly cease and determine.

ARTICLE XX.

This Treaty shall be ratified, and the ratifications thereof shall be exchanged, either at Washington or Tokio, as soon as possible and not later than six months after its signature.

In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Treaty in duplicate and have thereunto affixed their seals. Done at the City of Washington the 224 day of November in the eighteen hundred and ninety-fourth year of the Christian era, corresponding to the 22 day of the 11th month of the 27th year of Meiji. WALTER Q. GRESHAM SEAL SHINICHIRO KURINO.

SEAL

PROTOCOL.

The Government of the United States of America and the Government of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, deeming it advisable in the interests of both countries to regulate certain special matters of mutual concern, apart from the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation signed this day, have, through their respective Plenipotentiaries, agreed upon the following stipulations:—

1. It is agreed by the Contracting Parties that one month after the exchange of the ratifications of the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation signed this day the Import Tariff now in operation in Japan in respect of goods and merchandize imported into Japan by citizens of the United States shall cease to be binding From the same date the General Statutory Tariff of Japan shall, subject to the provisions of Article IX of the Treaty of March 31, 1854, at present subsisting between the Contracting Parties, so long as said Treaty remains in force, and, thereafter, subject to the provisions of Article IV and Article XIV of the Treaty signed this day, be applicable to goods and merchandize being the growth, produce or manufacture of the Territories of the United States upon importation into Japan.

But nothing contained in this Protocol shall be held to limit or qualify the right of the Japanese Government to restrict or to prohibit the importation of adulterated drugs, medicines, food or beverages; indecent or obscene prints, paintings, books, cards, lithographic or other engravings, photographs or any other indecent or obscene articles; articles in violation of the patent, trade-mark or copy-right laws of Japan; or any other article which for sanitary reasons, or in view of public security or morals, might offer any danger.

2. The Japanese Government, pending the opening of the country to citizens of the United States, agrees to extend the existing passport system in such a manner as to allow citizens of the United States, on the production of a certificate of recommendation from the Representative of the United States at Tokio, or from any of the Consuls of the United States at the open ports of Japan, to obtain upon application passports available for any part of the country and for any period not exceeding twelve months, from the Imperial Japanese Foreign Office in Tokio, or from the Chief Authorities in the Prefecture in which an open port is situated, it being understood that the existing Rules and Regulations governing citizens of the United States who visit the interior of the Empire are to be maintained.

3. The undersigned Plenipotentiaries have agreed that this Protocol shall be submitted to the two High Contracting Parties at the same time as the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation signed this day, and that when the said Treaty is ratified the agreements contained in the Protocol shall also equally be considered as approved, without the necessity of a further formal ratification.

It is agreed that this Protocol shall terminate at the same time the said Treaty ceases to be binding.

In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the same and have affixed thereto their seals.

Done at Washington the 224 day of November in the eighteen hundred and ninety-fourth year of the Christian era, corresponding to the 224 day of the 11th month of the 27th year of Meiji.

WALTER Q. GRESHAM

SHINICHIRO KURINO

[SEAL]

[SEAL]

1897.

CONVENTION AS TO PATENTS, TRADE-MARKS, AND DESIGNS. Concluded January 13, 1897; ratification advised by the Senate February 1, 1897; ratified by the President February 2, 1897; ratifications exchanged March 8, 1897; proclaimed March 9, 1897. (Ü. S. Stats. Vol. 29, p. 860.)

The President of the United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, being desirous of securing immediate reciprocal protection for patents, trade-marks and designs, have resolved to conclude a Convention for that purpose, and have appointed as their Plenipotentiaries:

The President of the United States, the Honorable Richard Olney, Secretary of State of the United States; and His Majesty the Emperor of Japan, Toru Hoshi, Jushii, His Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary near the Government of the United States;

Who, after having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed as follows:

Article XVI1 of the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation between the United States of America and Japan concluded at Washington on the twenty-second day, the eleventh month, the twenty-seventh year of Meiji, corresponding to the twenty-second day of November, eighteen hundred and ninety-four of the Christian Era, shall have full force and effect from the date of the exchange of ratifications of this convention.

The present convention shall be duly ratified by the President of the United States of America, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, and by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan in the usual manner; and the ratifications shall be exchanged at Tokyo as soon as possible.

In witness whereof, the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this convention and have thereunto affixed their seals.

Done, in duplicate original, at Washington, this thirteenth day of January in the one thousand eight hundred and ninety seventh year of the Christian Era.

KONGO.

1891.

TREATY OF AMITY, COMMERCE, AND NAVIGATION.

Concluded January 24, 1891; ratification advised by the Senate January 11, 1892; ratified by the President January 19, 1892; ratifications exchanged February 2, 1892; proclaimed Åpril 2, 1892. (Ü. S. Stats. Vol. 27, p. 926.)

His Majesty Leopold II, King of the Belgians, Sovereign of the Independent State of the Congo,

desiring to perpetuate, confirm and encourage the relations of commerce and of good understanding existing already between the two respective countries by the conclusion of a treaty of amity, commerce, navigation and extradition, have for this purpose named as their respective plenipotentiaries, viz:

His Excellency, the President of the United States of America, Edwin H. Terrell, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States of America near His Majesty the King of the Belgians; and

His Majesty, Leopold II King of the Belgians, Sovereign of the Independent State of the Congo,

Edm. Van Eetvelde, Administrator Géneral of the Départment of Foreign Affairs, Officer of His order of Leopold,

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

ARTICLE I.

There shall be full, entire and reciprocal liberty of commerce, establishment and navigation between the citizens and inhabitants of the two High contracting Parties.

The citizens and inhabitants of the United States of America in the Independent State of the Congo and those of the Independent State of the Congo in the United States of America shall have reciprocally the right, on conforming to the laws of the country, to enter, travel

and reside in all parts of their respective territories; to carry on business there; and they shall enjoy in this respect for the protection of their persons and their property the same treatment and the same rights as the natives, or the citizens and inhabitants of the most favored nation.

They can freely exercise their industry or their business, as well wholesale as retail, in the whole extent of the territories, without being subjected, as to their persons or their property, or by reason of their business, to any taxes, general or local, imposts or conditions whatsoever other or more onerous than those which are imposed or may be imposed upon the natives other than non-civilized aborigines, or upon the citizens and inhabitants of the most favored nation.

In like manner they will enjoy reciprocally the treatment of the most favored nation in all that relates to rights, privileges, exemptions and immunities whatsoever concerning their persons or their property, and in the matter of commerce, industry and navigation.

ARTICLE II.

In all that concerns the acquisition, succession, possession and alienation of property, real and personal, the citizens and inhabitants of each of the High contracting Parties shall enjoy in the territories of the other all the rights which the respective laws accord or shall accord in those territories to the citizens and inhabitants of the most favored nation.

ARTICLE III.

The citizens and inhabitants of each of the High contracting Parties shall be exempt, in the territories of the other, from all personal service in the army, navy or militia and from all pecuniary contributions in lieu of such, as well as from all obligatory official functions whatever, except the obligation of sitting, within a radius of one hundred kilometres from the place of their residence, as a juror in judicial proceedings; furthermore, their property shall not be taken for the public service without an ample and sufficient compensation.

They shall have free access to the courts of the other, on conforming to the laws regulating the matter, as well for the prosecution as for the defense of their rights, in all the degrees of jurisdiction established by law. They can be represented by lawyers, and they shall enjoy, in this respect, and in what concerns domiciliary visits to their houses, manufactories, stores, warehouses, etc., the same rights and the same advantages which are or shall be granted to the citizens and inhabitants of the most favored nation, or to natives.

ARTICLE IV.

The citizens and inhabitants of the two countries shall enjoy, in the territory of the other, a full and entire liberty of conscience. They shall be protected in the free exercise of their worship; they shall have the right to erect religious edifices and to organize and maintain missions.

ARTICLE V.

It will be lawful for the two High contracting Parties to appoint and establish consuls, vice-consuls, deputy-consuls, consular agents and commercial agents in the 'territories of the other; but none of these agents can exercise his functions before having received the necessary exequatur from the Government to which he is delegated.