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have "taken refuge in Hong Kong." None of the conditions precedent are applicable to this case.
A father's arrest and rendition, to show that he has no power to compel the daughter to a legal marriage even if the breach of promise could be considered a "Crime" -
9. the girl herself is not charged with any offence - yet her nationality becomes indirectly of importance, because, if she be by International law a British subject as much as a Chinese subject, there at once arises a consequent inability of her father to coerce a British subject of full age to contract a repulsive marriage. Hence it would be sufficient plea with this Government to prevent the machinery of British law being used to accomplish her coercion.
It is also evident that Lack-beer cannot be regarded as having taken "refuge" here within the meaning of the Treaty, that is, refuge with a view to escaping penalty for a "Crime" committed on Chinese soil. On the contrary, he has been domiciled at Hong Kong for 22 years, of which he had actually lived ten here before the Treaty of Tientsin was signed. So lately he is not a criminal.