Sir H.S. Parkes to Earl Granville.-(Received January 16, 1884)

(No. 40)
Chefoo, December 1, 1883

My Lord,

WITH reference to my previous despatch No. 39 of this date, I have the honour to report that on arriving here this morning I find a vessel on the point of leaving for Shanghae, and I therefore forward to your Lordship by this opportunity, in the Treaty series of my despatches, the Treaty which I signed at Söul on the 26th ultimo.
Time, however, will not permit me to offer to your Lordship on this occasion any observations. Owing to the protracted character of the negotiations in which I and my German colleague were obliged to engage with the Corean Government, my proceedings must form the subject of a lengthy Report which I shall forward as soon as possible. For the moment I have to secure my return to Tien-tsin before the river becomes closed by ice, and I shall therefore proceed there in Her Majesty’s gunvessel “Kestre” at daybreak to-morrow morning.
Prompted by the belief that your Lordship may wish to receive the opinions of the Chambers of Commerce in China and Japan on this Treaty, I have arranged that copies shall be confidentially communicated to them in the letter of which I inclose a copy; and I also inclose a copy of a letter in which I have requested to Crown Advocate at Shanghae to submit an opinion to your Lordship on the nature of the Order in Council which will be required to enable Her Majesty’s officers who may be appointed to Corea to exercise in that country the jurisdiction over British subjects granted by this Treaty.

I have, &c.
(Signed) HARRY S. PARKES

Sir H.S. Parkes to the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, Shanghae*

(Confidential) Chefoo, December 1, 1883

Sir,

BEING aware that Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs consulted your Chamber on the Treaty with Corea concluded last year by Vice-Admiral Willes, I think it probable that his Lordship would also wish to receive your opinion on a Treaty with the same Power which I signed on the 26th ultimo, and which is intended to replace the Treaty first named.
I therefore inclose you a copy of the Treaty signed by myself, and request you to be so good as to forward direct to Earl Granville as soon as convenient any representations thereon which you may think fit to make. I should add, however, that in taking the unusual step of communicating to you a Treaty which has not yet been received by Her Majesty’s Government, I am acting on my own responsibility, and that I undertake this step in the confident reliance that you will treat this communication as strictly confidential, and that neither you nor any member of the Committee of your Chamber whom you may have to consult on the subject will give publicity to the Treaty which I inclose.

I have, &c.
(Signed)　　HARRY S. PARKES

Inclosure 2

Sir H.S. Parkes to Mr. Wilkinson.

Sir, Chefoo, December 1, 1883

I HAVE requested Her Majesty’s Consul at Shanghae to place in your hands a copy of the Treaty with Corea (with Regulations of Trade, Tariff, and Protocol annexed) which I signed at Söul on the 26th ultimo, in order that you may be so good as to furnish an opinion to Her Majesty’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on the nature of the Order in Council which will be required to enable Her Majesty’s authorities who may be appointed to Corea to exercise the jurisdiction over British subjects granted by this Treaty.
It appears to me that a short Order extending the provisions of the existing China and Japan Orders in Council is all that would be requisite, in the first instance at least, and as it is advisable that such an Order should come into operation at the date on which the ratifications of the Treaty shall be exchanged, I have to request you, with the view of preventing delay, to prepare and forward to Earl Granville a draft of the Order which you would advise.

I have, &c.
(Signed)　　HARRY S. PARKES