פון
301
J
MGR ||
subjects of Chinese race.
3.
In order, however, to avoid the great injustice
which would be caused by the exclusion from registration and
protection in an ex-territorial country of persons who by
their adoption of the Christian religion or by other means
of assimilation have in practice acquired, at least to a
considerable extent, the habits of European civilisation
and have to a corresponding degree dissociated themselves
from their country of origin, an exception should, in His
Lordship's opinion, be made in favour of 1) the wives and
widows of British subjects of Chinese race married by a
ceremony valid in English law, and (2) the children of
such marriages born in China.
4.
Cases of this nature will no doubt be very few,
as the great majority of British subjects of Chinese race are married by Chinese local custom and in this and other
matters are not essentially different from the rest of the
population among which they dwell. In such circumstances therefore there would seem no great hardship to the majority of the persons affected in making a distinction based on the criterion of the validity of a marriage in English law, which could also be of assistance to His Majesty's Representa- tives in determining their action in the questions of estate, inheritance etc., which may also arise in these cases, as Mr. Bristow points out in the last paragraph of his despatch.
I am
Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
Jonke them.
וויי