FOREIGN OFFICE, S.W.1.
November
119
1025,
Sir,
I have to inform you that you have been appointed
British member of the International Commission which is to
assemble at Shanghai on the 16th December next to enquire
into the question of extraterritoriality in China in accord-
ance with the terms of the Resolution adopted at the Wash-
ington Conference on the 10th December 1921, which will be
found in the Annex to this despatch.
2. There is a marked oonsensus of opinion among all
who have studied the subject that, although China has mado
progress in the task of codifying her laws, training a judi-
ciary and setting up a system of courts to administer the
new laws, conditions still are not such as to justify aban-
donment of the vital principle that a British subject in
China must be tried in the Courts and by the law of his own
country. It is very unlikely that the Commission, after
studying the question on the spot, will come to any different
conclusion. His Majesty's Government, while holding to this
vital principle, nevertheless anticipate that a time will
come when the existing objections to the abolition of extra-
territoriality will be greatly lessened if not altogether
removed. It is their earnest hope that the Commission will
find it practicable to agree upon recommending proposals, which, if adopted by China, would materially assist her to
attain this goal by gradual stages.
3.
For this purpose the Commission will no doubt investi- gate the constitution and the working of the Chinese courts of justice and the Chinese judicial system, enumerate and
analyse...
Ilonour
Sir Skinner Turner.