security of tenure for their boys and girls, and some absolutely abhorrent absences of right of inheritance to their children.
M. Johnson
17.10.91
What is your authority for saying that Chinese sell their concubines?
Ms. 12.10.91
M. Braine said
I had gathered it from conversation with various people present at a meeting with Mr. Russell from China & I think he told me the same thing. But you will find it is stated in a Report by the U.S. Consul at Shanghai, at f. 61 C-3185-1882, that "always a concubine is a subject for sale or hire, with the exception however that if the original bill of sale stipulated that she is sold to be a concubine, she cannot be sold to be a labour slave or a prostitute" (Des. 31/10/90).
188 Concubines
The law will probably be a dead letter as regards the women's guardians in a Chinese household. Chinese women are very rarely known to the authorities.
I do not know how the age of his concubines or slaves will be known to the authorities.
Shall we
On the whole I think J. Fleming's suggestion in the last par. of this despatch will be the best course.
Is Falke
This quarter is one of great difficulty,
Lut
I do not think that the undertaking referred to in the 5th par. of this despatch can be given to the Chinese. This point has, as far as I can make out, been raised at Singapore.
17/12
Lord Knutsford
X. The point was not raised at the Straits,
but mentioned in a despatch.
21
The word "unlawful carnal knowledge of any girl under fourteen" will not be reason enough to gather why the Hongkong clause is worded differently is given in par. 6 of despatch on p. 31 of C. 242-1890.
Do any action now.
to be taken as defining the age of consent for wives
2
S.W.J. 9/12
Minute above marked with red ink might be consulted in further disp.
John