tung. With this in view she made special treaties with the Great Powers to get their recognition, that she might afterwards come by her Sphere of Influence and gradually arrange (things) with a view to prepare schemes in the future for a firmer hold. This is the aim Japan bad in making these treaties.
Please now consider the treaty made by Japan with France, and, the pronunciamento, and you will more than ever believe that what I say is not nonsense.
That treaty, settled between Japan and France, was made known on the 7th day of the 5th moon. The important paint in it is the declaration that the Japanese and French Governments being mutually agreed on the point, desired heartily to observe the maintenance of China's independence, and to guarantee China's suzerainty over her dependencies, as well as to respect the equal opportunities of trade in China, and the principle of the equal treatment of the citizens and officials of each Nation; and especially they hope that in these treaties with the two powers on the Sovereign Right, and the Rights of Protection, and the Rights of Occupancy in the places contiguous to the territories of China, they will keep them in good order and guarantee the conditions of peace. And according to all the subjects referred to in the foregoing they expect to maintain the equilibrium of the mutual positions of each of the contracting Powers in the Great Continent of Asia as well as the Colonial Rights, with the aim in view of securing a firm bold on the peace and quietness of the localities mentioned in the preceding; the treaty also agrees that the two Powers shall mutually help each other. Further the pronunciamento states that the people and officials of Japan, etc.,―shall receive, in the matter of protection of person and property, the treatment of the most Favoured Nations in Indo-China, the Colonial territory of France; and the officials and people of French Indo-China shall receive equal treatment, without distinction with the protection given to the people of Japan.
But the original agreement which was made on the 4th day of the 8th moon in the year 1896 between Japan and France dealing with commerce and maritime matters shall both cease at the same time, when they both mature.
This treaty was signed in Paris, France, on the 10th day of the 6th moon, 1907, by the Secretary
on behalf of Japan：
and by the Secretary
on behalf of France.
The above is what has been promulgated to outsiders. But the treaty also contains a secret understanding which has not yet been made public, and which it is most difficult to find out. Again according to a trustworthy report in the Shen Chow Daily, an item in the treaty refers to the rights of occupied territories and plans concerning the Liao Tung Peninsula and Kuangchow Bay. The treaty besides says that as Fukien is close to Formosa, and Chihli and Shantung are near to Korea and the Liao Tung
