Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-05-25
next and the final Important engage
ment OF the war.

mont Of the war.
Japan has made a hostile demon.
strration about Formosa, but proba.
bly, In order to lay o foundation for
o claim to IL In the peace negotiations
rather than to seize the island.
About the middle OF March the talk
Of peace negotiations, which had
been heard for some weeks, crystal.
lized in the definite agreement OF
China to accept the conditions which
japan proposed.
The correspondence was carried on
through the United States ministers
In order to avoid a repetition of the
incident OF February, when Japan
kicked out two emissaries masquer-
aiding as peace ambassadors, but
without credentials.
After some further delay Ii Hung
Chang was duly commissioned to rep
sent the Emperor OF China and sailed
for Shimonoscki, Japan, where he
was received by Japan's peace COM
missioners, Count Oto and Viscount
Mutsu.
The peace conference was only
fairly under way when a fanatic shot
Ii Hung Chang, inflicting q eight
wound In the face. The Mikado
promptly proclaimed an armlstice,
intended to last until the Chinese
Envoy should recover.
Before the armlstice expired the
peace conference had agreed upon .
treaty.
The provisions Of the treaty OF
most consequence to outside coun-
tries are these:
China agrees to no longer impose
upon foreigners the odious tax known
as liken, levied upon goods and
sales.
A uniform standard tael II to be
adopted by China for her currency.
Much confusion Ii caused in money
calculations, because there are the
Asikwan or custom tael usually
meant when government compute.
lions are made) worth about ~
cents, and the Shanghai tael, worth
about 90 cents.
All foreigners are to be permitted
70 introduce into China factories and
machinery, and to lease warehouses
In the interior.
japan takes Formosa, the Pesca.
dorea Islands and Manchurla from
Yingkow, on the Leao river to
Anping, on the Yalu including tho
Loatong peninsula.
No other part OF China is to be oc
cupled by japan even rs temporary
guarantee that China shall abide by
tho provisions Of the peace treaty,
except possibly Weihaiwei.
The important commercial conces.
sions made by China are to be shared
by all nations.
Other countries have striven for
many years to induce China to abUl-
ish the likin ilnpost. but In vain.
Tho term 10 composed OF the
Chinese word H." tho thousandth
part Of tael, and kim" meaning
money. The tax Is imposed In add.
ton to customs duties upon goods
transported from one point In China
to another, and the rates varies ct
the different BARRIERS or boundariss
throughout the country.
Foreign owned goods might bs ex.
emptsd from this and other local eS-
actions by means OF transit passes
issued by tho customs authorities on
payment Of two and one-hs)i per
cent. Of the value OF the goods.
Originally the liken was o tax Of
one cash q copper coin varying In
value from 0ne.tenth to one.
fourteenth Of an American cent. } per
tael on tho value Of al sales, and
was imposed by the people OF China
upon themselves to make up the dc.
ficlency In the land tax during the
TAPPING rebellion.
The money thus raised was to be
set apart for military measures only
and intended to DO merely temper
airy measure. But II 10 still levied
and has been recognized In treaties
by foreign nations trading with
china.