Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1906, (In two parts), Part II
The Japanese Chargé to the Secretary of State.
Washington , January 19, 1906.
My Dear Mr. Secretary:
Believing that you will find it convenient to have a copy of the English translation of the imperial ordinance No. 267, referred to in my official note of even date, I beg to send you one herewith, as appeared in Japan Times.
I have, etc.,
imperial ordinance no. 267.
We, with the advice of the privy council, hereby give our sanction to the imperial ordinance relating to the organization of the residency-general and residencies, and order to be promulgated.
[Imperial sign manual.]
[Privy seal.]
Dated the 20th day of the 12th month of the 38th year of Meiji.
Minister President of State, And Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Minister of State for War.
Organization of the residency-general and residencies.
Article I. The residency-general (tokan-fu) shall be established at Seoul, Korea.
Art. II. A resident-general (tokan) shall be appointed to the residency-general.
The resident-general shall be of the Shin-nin rank.
The resident-general shall be under the direct control of the Emperor. With regard to matters appertaining to foreign policy, he shall make representations to the Emperor and ask imperial sanction through the minister of state for foreign affairs and the minister president of state, and with regard to all other affairs, through the minister president of state.
Art. III. The resident-general shall be the representative of the Imperial Government in Korea. He shall have general control over matters relating to the foreign consulates and foreigners in Korea, with the exception of such matters as may pass through the foreign representatives accredited to this Empire. He shall also exercise supervision over such affairs of the Korean Government as may relate to foreigners.
The resident-general shall exercise supervision over all affairs in Korea, the charge of which is intrusted to the imperial authorities and offices by treaty or convention. He shall also have charge of all other matters of which the right of supervision has hitherto appertained to the imperial authorities.
Art. IV. The resident-general may, when he considers it necessary in order to maintain peace and order in Korea, order the commander of the imperial garrison in Korea to make use of the military forces.
Art. V. With regard to such administrative matters may be necessitated by obligations based on treaty, the resident-general shall make communication to the Korean Government and demand the carrying out of such matters. In case of urgent necessity, the resident-general shall address himself direct to the local authorities concerned and cause them to attend to such matters and render a report to the Korean Government afterward.
Art. VI. The resident-general shall exercise supervision over the imperial officials and others in the service of the Korean Government.
Art. VII. The resident-general shall have the power to issue ordinances of the residency-general, with punitive provisions of imprisonment for periods not exceeding one year, and fines not exceeding 200 yen.
Art. VIII. When the resident-general considers that any order or measure by any of the various government offices is contrary to treaty or law or regulations, or injurious to the public interests, or exceeds the authorized power of such offices, he may suspend or rescind such measure.
Art. IX. The resident-general shall have control of the functionaries under him. As to the appointment or dismissal of officials of sõnin rank, he shall make representations to the Emperor through the minister president of state. As for officials of hannin rank and below, he shall have the sole right to appoint or dismiss them.
Art. X. The resident-general shall make representations to the Emperor through the minister president of state concerning bestowal of court ranks and decorations.
Art. XI. Besides the resident-general there shall be appointed to the resident-general the following functionaries: Director-general, 1 (chokunin); director of agricultural, commercial, and industrial affairs, 1 (chokunin or sonin); director of public affairs, 1 (chokunin or sonin); private secretary, 1 (sonin); secretaries, 7 (sõnin); police inspectors, 2 (sõnin); experts, 5 (gishi); interpreters, 10 (sõnin); clerks, police sergeants, assistant experts, assistant interpreter, 45 (hannin).
Such Koreans as may be appointed to the residency-general, or any other office under its control, may be accorded the rank of sõnin or hannin.
Art. XII. The director-general shall assist the resident-general in exercising general direction over the affairs of the residency-general.
Art. XIII. In case of the desirability of the resident-general, his duties shall be temporarily discharged by the commander of the imperial garrison in Korea, or by the director-general, as the resident-general may determine.
Art. XIV. The director of agricultural, commercial, and industrial affairs shall, under the direction of his superiors, have charge of matters relating to agriculture, commerce, manufactures, and all other industries.
[Page 1026]Art. XV. The director of police affairs shall, under the direction of his superiors, have charge of police affairs.
Art. XVI. The private secretary shall, under the direction of his superiors, have charge of confidential matters.
Art. XVII. The secretaries shall, under the direction of their superiors, have charge of the business of the residency-general.
Art. XVIII. The experts shall, under the direction of their superiors, have charge of technical matters.
Art. XIX. The interpreters shall, under the direction of their superiors, have charge of the translation of documents and interpretation.
Art. XX. Assistant experts shall, under the direction of their superiors, attend to technical matters.
Art. XXI. The resident-general may attach any of the experts or assistant experts of the residency-general to any of the residencies.
Such experts or assistant experts shall be under the direction and supervision of the respective residents.
Art. XXII. The residencies shall be established at important places in Korea.
The location of the residencies and the extent of their jurisdiction shall be fixed by the resident-general.
Art. XXIII. Each residency shall have the following functionaries: Resident (sõnin), vice-resident (sõnin), clerks (hen-nin), police sergeants (hen-nin), interpreters (hen-nin).
In addition to the above functionaries, police inspectors of sonin rank shall be appointed to those residencies wherever the resident-general deems it necessary to have such offices.
In the residencies which have more than two vice-residents, one of the latter shall mainly deal with judicial affairs. The personnel of the residency shall be fixed by a separate regulation.
Art. XXIV. The resident, acting under the direction and superintendence of the resident-general, shall transact the business hitherto belonging to the imperial consuls in Korea, as well as the business which pertains specially to the residency according to the treaties and laws.
Art. XXV. The resident may ask the commander of the imperial forces stationed in his locality to dispatch troops, if he deems such measure necessary for preserving peace and order; provided that there is not time to ask the resident-general for instructions.
Art. XXVI. With regard to such Korean local administrative measures as may be necessitated by obligations based on the treaty, residents may, when they think the matter too urgent to allow time for reference to the resident-general for instructions, directly cause the respective local Korean authorities to carry out the required measures, and render their reports to the resident-general afterward.
Art. XXVII. Residents shall have the power to issue residency ordinances, with punitive provisions of fines (bak-kin) not exceeding 10 yen, of detention, and kwaryo (petty fines, smaller than bak-kin).
Art. XXVIII. Vice-residents shall, under the direction of the respective residents, have charge of the business of the respective residencies, and shall, in case of disability of the respective residents, temporarily discharge their duties.
Art. XXIX. The police inspectors of the residency-general and the residencies shall, under the direction of their superiors, have charge of police affairs.
Art. XXX. The clerks of the residency-general and the residencies shall, under the direction of their superiors, attend to general business.
Art. XXXI. The police sergeants of the residency-general and the residencies shall, under the direction of their superiors, attend to police affairs, and exercise control and direction over the policemen under them.
Art. XXXII. The assistant interpreters of the residency-general and the residencies shall, under the direction of their superiors, attend to the translation of documents and interpretation.
Art. XXXIII. A police force shall be attached to the residency-general and each residency. The policeman shall be of Hannin rank.
The number of policemen shall be fixed by the resident-general.