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ports for stress of weather, repairs, want of fuel and provisions, and to the shipwrecked sailors, passengers, cargo, etc. The seventh article confirms Japan’s right of surveying the Corean coasts, because the seas around Corea are especially dangerous to navigation. By the eighth article Japan obtains the right of appointing Consuls in each of the Corean treaty ports, and the ninth article protects the liberty of commerce in the following terms:
‘Friendly relations having been established between the two contracting parties, their respective subjects may freely carry on their business without any interference from the authorities of either Government, and neither restriction nor prohibition shall be made on trade. In case any fraud be committed or payment of debt be refused by any merchant of either country, the authorities of either one or the other Government shall do their utmost to bring the delinquent to justice and to enforce recovery of the debt.
‘Neither the Japanese nor the Chosen Government shall be held responsible for the payment of such debt.’
The tenth article preserves to Japan the right of extraterritoriality in criminal matters, as follows:
‘Should a Japanese subject residing at either of the open ports of Chosen commit any offence against a subject of Chosen, he shall be tried by the Japanese authorities. Should a subject of Chosen commit any offence against a Japanese subject, he shall be tried by the authorities of Chosen. The offenders shall be punished according to the laws of their respective countries. Justice shall be equitably and impartially administered on both sides.’
The eleventh article refers to the drawing up of trade regulations by special Commissioners, and the twelfth and last article makes the treaty binding from the date of signing without ratification by the Sovereigns of Japan and Corea. In the appendix the limit to the distance of travelling allowed to Japanese subjects in Corea is fixed at ten Corean ri (about two English miles) from the open ports, but this was afterwards much extended.
It is to be remarked that there is not a single article in the whole treaty concerning the status of the Coreans in Japan, nor does Corea enjoy by it the right of appointing Consuls in Japan. By the circular of the Minister of Justice of January, 1883, the Coreans in Japan were made punishable in the Japanese courts according to the criminal law of Japan.
In May, 1876, the first Corean mission, consisting of about fifteen persons, and headed by the Associate Master of Ceremonies, arrived in Tokyo, and was received by the Emperor. Their expenses while in Japan were defrayed by the Japanese Government, and they were made to inspect the Government factories, schools, etc., but everywhere the Coreans showed