192
then
off than
shall
appears to me
What
as the best
be done is this
thing to
6-7
Viz:
cas:
80 (for
the
bitter God!" of H.M.'s subjects
resorting to China) enables the "Queen in Council" to
enable
Laws
For
the
protection of
Its subjects in China or
within 100 miles thereof
July
such laws might
as if the dispute had arisen
or offence been committed
within that Island. The
effect would be to substitute the authority of the Hongkong Supreme Court for the authority of the nearest British Consul asserting and, without admitting anything respecting the right to Lamma Isd., to enable the Govt. to exercise authority
over
British
Subjects
there
with safety, which would
be made
for
British
subjects
and
might be
a
step towards sovereignty.
in Hongkong.
An Order
was passed
declaring that disputes between British subjects arising in any Island (say) within 6 miles of Hongkong or any offence committed by British subjects within those limits might be dealt with
by the Courts of Hongkong.
On the other hand it is
true that if any such exercise of jurisdiction appeared to hereafter
as
evidence
of
British
sovereignty it might
be replied conclusively that it was not an exercise of sovereignty but only of a right