90
IGE
are ever to be
and American States. In those treaties, a very limited number of the most serious crimes are enumerated, as those to which alone extradition is applicable; and in such enumeration no "political offences" are found : Whereas (as in cases to which unfortunately) in the Treaties with China, there is a clause to deliver up fugitive criminals to the Chinese authorities, whatever the nature of their crime may be; provided only it be a crime against the laws of China, and not to "political offences".
The explanation of this difference is probably to be found in the circumstance, that the places in which Chinese criminals might take refuge from the laws of their own country, from which they would be delivered up under these treaties, were not territories belonging, by any original and independent title, to the British Crown; but were either British ships, houses, or factories, within the Chinese territory itself; or British ships navigating Chinese waters for trade; or portions of the former territory of China.
In these Treaties relating to Britain, as regards to requisite proof to be adduced before British Authorities at Hongkong, Hongkong, was...