1933

TREATIES WITH CHINA
GREAT BRITAIN
treaty between her majesty and the emperor of china
Signed, in the English and Chinese Languages, at Nanking,
29th August, 1842
Ratifications Exchanged at Hongkong, 26th June, 1843
Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
and His Majesty the Emperor of China, being desirous of putting an end to the
misunderstandings and consequent hostilities which have arisen between the two
countries, have resolved to conclude a treaty for that purpose, and have therefore
named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say: Her Majesty the Queen of Great
Britain and Ireland, Sir Henry Pottinger, Bart., a Major-General in the Service of
the East India Company, &c.; and His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of China,
the High Commissioners Ke-ying, a Member of the Imperial House, a Guardian of
the Crown Prince, and General of the Garrison of Canton: and Ulpoo, of the Imperial
Kindred, graciously permitted to wear the insignia of the first rank, and the distinc¬
tion of a peacock’s feather, lately Minister and Governor-General, &c., and now
Lieut.-General commanding at Chapoo—Who, after having communicated to each
other their respective full powers, and found them to be in good and due form, have
agreed upon and concluded the following Articles:—
Art. I.—There shall henceforward be peace and friendship between Her Majesty
the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and His Majesty the
Emperor of China, and between their respective subjects, who shall enjoy full security
and protection for their persons and property within the dominions of the other.
Art. II.—His Majesty the Emperor of China agrees that British subjects, with
their families and establishments, shall be allowed to reside, for the purpose of carry¬
ing on their mercantile pursuits, without molestation or restraint, at the cities and
towns of Canton, Amoy, Foochow-foo, Ningpo, and Shanghai; and Her Majesty the
Queen of Great Britain, &c., will appoint superintendents, or consular officers, to
reside at each of the above-named cities or towns, to be the medium of communication
between the Chinese authorities and the said merchants, and to see that the just
duties and other dues of the Chinese Government, as hereinafter provided for, are
duly discharged by Her Britannic Majesty’s subjects.
Art. III. —It being obviously necessary and desirable that British subjects should
have some port whereat they may careen and refit their ships when required, and keep
stores for that purpose, His Majesty the Emperor of China cedes to Her Majesty the
Queen of Great Britain, &c., the Island of Hongkong to .be possessed in perpetuity
by Her Britannic Majesty, her heirs, and successors, and to be governed by such laws
and regulations as Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, &c., shall see fit to direct.
Art. IV.—The Emperor of China agrees to pay the sum of six millions of dollars,
as the value of the opium which was delivered up at Canton in the month of March,
1839, as a ransom for the lives of Her Britannic Majesty’s Superintendent and sub¬
jects who had been imprisoned and threatened with death by the Chinese high officers.
Art. V.—The Government of China having compelled the British merchants trading
at Canton to deal exclusively with certain Chinese merchants, called Hong merchants (or
Co-Hong), who had been licensed by the Chinese Government for this purpose, the
Emperor of China agrees to abolish that practice in future at all ports where British
merchants may reside, and to permit them to cany on their mercantile transactions
with whatever persons they please; and His Imperial Majesty further agrees to pay to
the British Government the sum of three millions of dollars, on account of debts due
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