per cent, effective of the present tariff on maritime imports, including articles until now on the free list, but exempting foreign rice, cereals, and flour, gold and silver bullion and coin.
2. The revenues of the native customs, administered in the open ports by the Imperial maritime Customs.
3. The total revenues of the salt gabelle, exclusive of the fraction previously set aside for other foreign loans.
The raising of the present tariff on imports to five per cent, effective is agreed to on the conditions mentioned below.
It shall be put in force two months after the signing of the present protocol, and no exceptions shall be made except for merchandise shipped not more than ten days after the said signing.
1°. All duties levied on imports "ad valorem" shall be converted as far as possible and as soon as may be into specific duties. This conversion shall be made in the following manner: The average value of merchandise at the time of their landing during the three years 1897, 1898, and 1899, that is to say, the market price less the amount of import duties and incidental expenses, shall be taken as the basis for the valuation of merchandise. Pending the result of the work of conversion, duties shall be levied "ad valorem."
2°. The beds of the rivers Peiho and Whangpu shall be improved with the financial participation of China.
Article VII.
The Chinese Government has agreed that the quarter occupied by the legations shall be considered as one specially reserved for their use and placed under their exclusive control, in which Chinese shall not have the right to reside, and which may be made defensible.
The limits of this quarter have been fixed as follows on the annexed plan:
On the west, the line 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
On the north, the line 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
On the east, Ketteler street (10, 11, 12).
Drawn along the exterior base of the Tartar wall and following the line of the bastions, on the south the line 12.1.
In the protocol annexed to the letter of the 16th of January, 1901, China recognized the right of each Power to maintain a permanent guard in the said quarter for the defense of its legation.
