Mr. Allen to Mr. Hay.

No. 579.]

Sir: Continuing the subject of my dispatch No. 568, of January 28 last, regarding the matter of the settlement of the question of the ownership of the railway foreshore at Chemulpo, I now have the honor to hand you inclosed, for purpose of record, a final reply from-the Korean minister for foreign affairs, dated the 10th instant, accepting the definition of the terms of the agreement as made by me for the foreign representatives on January 13 last.

This reply was not really necessary and was not expected, but it places the whole matter of the said foreshore in much better position than it might possibly be without it.

I have, etc.,

Horace N. Allen.
[Page 642]
[Inclosure.]

Mr. Ye Toh Chai to Mr. Allen.

No. 4.]

Your Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 13th of January this year, in which you proposed seven things for the matter of granting the filled-in ground of the general foreign settlement at Chemulpo to the Seoul-Chemulpo Railway Company for its station. You state that along this filled-in ground the Korean Government will make a public road 15 meters wide; that the Korean Government will pay, through the customs, 100 yen every month to the municipal council for policing, lighting, and repairing this road; that the filled-in ground is to be granted to the Seoul-Chemulpo Railroad Company during the period of its concession or during the time the concession may be extended; that no tax is to be collected on this ground and no title deeds are to be issued for this ground; that when the Korean Government buys the Seoul-Chemulpo Railway, she can use the ground for the same purpose, but no tax is to be collected and no title deeds are to be issued for it; that the railway company will be paid the amount actually expended in filling in the ground; that when the station is removed, the municipal council shall possess the ground as unoccupied ground of the general foreign settlement to be sold at auction, but the Japanese Railway Company will receive only the actual amount that they expended in filling in the ground.

I beg to inform you that I have read this letter carefully and found that it is a proper way to arrange the matter, and I have no objections, but I fully agree with the same.

I have, etc.,

Ye Toh Chai,
Minister for Foreign Affairs.