Japanese troops at these places, and which will be withdrawn as soon as tranquility in the interior is completely restored.

Seoul, May 14th, 1896.

WAEBER,

Representative of Russia.

J. KOMURA,

Representative of Japan.

Protocol Concerning the Question of Corea between Japan and Russia. Signed at Moscow, June 9, 1896

Le Maréchal Marquis Yamagata, Ambassadeur Extraordinaire de Sa Majesté l'Empereur du Japon et le Secrétaire d'État Prince Lobanow Rostovsky, Ministre des Affaires Étrangères, ayant échangé leurs vues sur la situation de la Corée, sont convenus des articles suivants:

I. Les Gouvernements Japonais et Russe, dans le but de remédier aux embarras financiers de la Corée, conseilleront au Gouvernement Coréen de supprimer toute dépense inutile et d'établir un équilibre entre ses dépenses et ses revenus. Si à la suite de réformes reconnues indispensables, il devenait nécessaire de recourir à des emprunts étrangers, les deux Gouvernements préteront, d'un commun accord, leur appui à la Corée.

II. Les Gouvernements Japonais et Russe essaieront d'abandonner à la Corée, autant que le permettra la situation financière et économique de ce pays, la création et l'entretien d'une force armée et d'une police indèignes dans des proportions suffisantes pour maintenir l'ordre intérieur, sans secours étrangers.

III. En vue de faciliter les communications avec la Corée, le Gouvernement Japonais continuera à administrer les lignes télégraphiques qui s'y trouvent actuellement entre ses mains.

Il est reservé à la Russie d'établir une ligne télégraphique de Seoul à ses frontières.

Ces différentes lignes pourront être rachetées par le Gouvernement Coréen, aussitot qu'il en aura les moyens.

IV. Dans le cas où les principes ci-dessus exposés exigeraient une définition plus précise et plus detailée, ou bien si, par la suite, il surgissait d'autres points sur lesquels il serait nécessaire de se concerter, les Représentants des deux Gouvernements seront chargés de s'entendre la-dessus à l'amiable.

Protocol Concerning the Question of Corea between Japan and Russia. Signed at Tokio, April 25, 1898

Le Baron Nissi, Ministre des Affaires Étrangères dè Sa Majesté l'Empereur du Japon, et le Conseiller d'État Actuel et Chambellan Baron Rosen, Envoyé Extraordinaire et Ministre Plénipotentiaire de Sa Majesté l'Empereur de toutes les Russies, afin de donner suite a l'article 4 du 9 juin 1896 entre le Maréchal Marquis 28 mai

Protocole signé à Moscou, le

Yamagata et le Secrétaire d'État Prince Lobanow, et dument autorisés à cet effet, sont convenus des articles suivants:

ARTICLE I. Les Gouvernements Imperiaux du Japon et de Russia reconnaissent définitivement la souveraineté et l'entière indépendence de la Corée et s'engagent mutuellement à s'abstenir de toute ingérence directe dans les affaires intérieures de ce pays.

ART. II. Desirant écarter toute cause possible de malentendus dans l'avenir, les Gouvernements Impériaux du Japon et de Russie s'engagent mutuellement, dans le cas où la Corée aurait recours au conseil et à l'assistance, soit du Japon, soit de la Russie, de ne prendre aucune mesure quant à la nomination d'instructeurs militaires et de conseillers financiers, sans être arrivés préalablement à un accord mutuel à ce sujet.

ART. III. Vu le large développement qu'ont pris les entreprises commerciales et industrielles du Japon en Corée, ainsi que le nombre considérable de sujets japonais résidant dans ce pays, le Gouvernement Impérial Russe n'entravera point le développement des relations commerciales et industrielles entre le Japon et la Corée.

Fait à Tokio, en double expédition, le 25 Avril 1898.

Signé: ROSEN.
Signé: NISSI.

Protocol Concluded between Japan and Corea on February 23, 1904

Hayashi Gonsuke, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan and Major-General Ye-tchi-yong, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs ad interim of His Majesty the Emperor of Corea, being respectively duly empowered for the purpose, have agreed upon the following Articles:

ARTICLE I. For the purpose of maintaining a permanent and solid friendship between Japan and Corea and firmly establishing peace in the Far East, the Imperial Government of Corea shall place full confidence

in the Imperial Government of Japan and adopt the advice of the latter in regard to improvements in administration.

ART II. The Imperial Government of Japan shall in a spirit of firm friendship ensure the safety and repose of the Imperial House of Corea. ART. III. The Imperial Government of Japan definitively guarantees the independence and territorial integrity of the Corean Empire.

ART. IV. In case the welfare of the Imperial House of Corea or the territorial integrity of Corea is endangered by aggression of a third power or internal disturbances, the Imperial Government of Japan shall immediately take such necessary measures as the circumstances require and in such cases the Imperial Government of Corea shall give full facilities to promote the action of the Imperial Japanese Government.

The Imperial Government of Japan may, for the attainment of the above-mentioned object, occupy, when the circumstances require it, such places as may be necessary from strategical points of view.

ART. V. The Governments of the two countries shall not in future, without mutual consent, conclude with a third Power such an arrangement as may be contrary to the principles of the present Protocol.

ART. VI. Details in connection with the present Protocol shall be arranged, as the circumstances may require, between the Representative of Japan and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Corea.

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

The 23rd day of the 2nd month of the 37th year of Meiji.

Major-General YE-TCHI-YONG [Seal] Minister of State for Foreign Affairs ad interim. The 23rd day of the 2nd month of the 8th year of Kwang-Mu.

Agreement between Japan and Korea, signed August 22, 1904

I. The Corean Government shall engage as financial adviser to the Corean Government a Japanese subject recommended by the Japanese Government,and all matters concerning finance shall be dealt with after his counsel being taken.

II. The Corean Government shall engage as diplomatic adviser to the Department of Foreign Affairs a foreigner recommended by the Japanese Government, and all important matters concerning foreign relations shall be dealt with after his counsel being taken.

III. The Corean Government shall previously consult the Japanese Government in concluding treaties and conventions with foreign powers,

and in dealing with other important diplomatic affairs, such as the grant of concessions to or contracts with foreigners.

HAYASHI GONSUKE, [Seal]

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary.

The 22nd day of the 8th month of the 37th year of Meiji.

Acting Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

The 22nd day of the 8th month of the 8th year of Kwang-Mu.

Agreement between Japan and Corea, signed April 1, 1905, regarding Communications Services

The Imperial Governments of Japan and Corea, finding it expedient from the standpoint of the administration and finances of Corea, to rearrange the system of communications in that country, and by amalgamating it with that of Japan, and, having seen the necessity, with that object in view, of transferring the post, telegraph and telephone services of Corea to the control of the Japanese Government, Hayashi Gonsuke, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Japan and I-hayeng, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Corea, each invested with proper authority, have agreed upon and concluded the following Articles:

ARTICLE I. The Imperial Government of Corea shall transfer and assign the control and administration of the post, telegraph and telephone service in Corea (except the telephone service exclusively pertaining to the Department of the Imperial Household) to the Imperial Japanese Government.

ART. II. The land, buildings, furniture, instruments, machines and all other appliances connected with the system of communications already established by the Imperial Government of Corea, shall by virtue of the present agreement, be transferred to the control of the Imperial Japanese Government.

The authorities of the two countries acting together shall make an inventory of the land, buildings and all other requisites mentioned in the preceding paragraph which shall serve as evidence in the future.

ART. III. When it is deemed necessary by the Japanese Government to extend the communication system in Corea, they may appropriate land and buildings belonging to the State or private persons; the former without compensation and the latter with proper indemnification.

ART. IV. In respect of the control of the communication service and the custody of the properties in connection therewith, the Japanese Government assume, on their own account, the responsibility of good administration.

The expenses required for the extension of the communication services shall also be borne by the Imperial Government of Japan.

The Imperial Government of Japan shall officially notify the Imperial Government of Corea of the Financial condition of the system of communications under their control.

ART. V. All appliances and materials which are deemed necessary by the Imperial Government of Japan for the control or extension of the system of communication shall be exempt from all duties and imposts.

ART. VI. The Imperial Government of Corea shall be at liberty to maintain the present Board of Communication so far as such retention does not interfere with the control and extension of the services by the Japanese Government.

The Japanese Government, in controlling and extending the services, shall engage as many Corean officials and employees as possible.

ART. VII. In respect of the arrangements formerly entered into by the Corean Government with Governments of foreign Powers concerning the post, telegraph and telephone services, the Japanese Government shall in behalf of Corea exercise the right and perform the obligations pertaining thereto.

Should there arise in the future any necessity for concluding any new convention between the Government of Corea and the Governments of foreign Powers concerning the communication services, the Japanese Government shall assume the responsibilty of concluding such convention in behalf of the Corean Government.

ART. VIII. The various conventions and agreements respecting the communication services hitherto existing between the Governments of Japan and Corea are naturally abolished or modified by the present Agreement.

ART. IX. When in the future as the result of the general development of the communication system in Corea, there is some adequate profit over and above expenditures defrayed by the Japanese Government for the control and maintenance of the old services and for their extensions and improvements, the Japanese Government shall deliver to the Corean Government a suitable percentage of such profit.

ART. X. When in the future an ample surplus exists in the finances of the Corean Government, the control of their communication services.