Hong Kong 4th. January 1893.
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date No. 2332.
Referring to its third paragraph I beg to state that in my letter of the 18th. December last I did not at all contest the right of the territorial jurisdiction over members of the crew of a foreign man-of-war whilst outside their own ship, nor did I pretend that such members had any immunity if they break the law.
There can be no question about the right of the territorial authorities to arrest such members of the crew and punish them.
But the territorial jurisdiction over members of the crew of a foreign man-of-war (including the right of serving summonses) in my opinion ends as soon as they have gone back on board their ship until they go ashore again.
I have etc.,
Sa. L. Von Loeper,
Imperial German Consul.
Enclosure.
4.
14755
Rec
Red 1396)
201