12.
543
13
"
allowed time for the reply of the Board of Trade to be received while the offender was still within reach. If that reply had been different and the Board of Trade had been. able to send out the necessary evidence; - proceedings regular in every way might have been instituted at Shanghae before the British Consul as prescribed by the 268th Section of the Merchant Shipping Act--and any interference by Mr. Seward after the Commencement of such proceedings would, I consider, have been quite without authority."
The population of HongKong comprises men of all nationalities
(
and it is important to know how far foreign Consuls at the China ports can protect their nationals from the consequence of crimes committed against English Law - and cognisable in the Supreme bourt of Hong Kong.
The
opinion of the Law Officers is therefore requested..
1. Whith the view of the law tasten. by the Attorney General is correct in principle and in its application to the particular case- 2. Whether the question is affected by the fact that the offence in the particular case comprises an act of piracy jure genti im