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would of course be unjust that, during his occasional visits to China he should not be treated as a British Subject, though I am strongly of opinion that the wearing of the "queue" which is a badge of subjection to the present Manchu Dynasty, should not be allowed.
The Authorities of China have a strong objection to protected Chinese having nothing to distinguish them from the ordinary native, and I have as lately as in August last received a despatch from the Viceroy pointing out the inconvenience of the absence of any distinguishing mark. It enables Chinese British Subjects to use every privilege possessed by natives of Chinese soil, and on the other hand gives them an advantage over natives in that they can seek British protection in all their law-suits, an advantage they are not slow to avail themselves of.
In the present corrupt state of Chinese justice a claim or complaint put in through a Consul on the ex parte statement of a British Subject, means that the defendants, though they may have a perfectly good defence, are subjected to the preliminary "squeezing" and extortion of the Yamen runners before the case comes to trial. Though I would not for a moment make any sweeping condemnation of Anglo-Chinese as a class, my experience is that the above regrettable fact is often used by them as a means of compulsion in their dealings with