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they must denationalize themselves or, being
transient visitors, they must register themselves
at a British Consulate; but the great-great-
grandchildren will be regarded as having the same
position as the great-grandchildren of original
inhabitants, if born in British territory, and
will be given British protection without the need
for denationalization.
As an illustration of the foregoing
proposals, I would take the case of the Honourable
Sir Shou-son Chow; senior Chinese unofficial member
of the Hong Kong Legislative Council. His
grandparents were resident in Hong Kong island at
the date of its cession. If, therefore, Sir Shou-
son Chow wishes to have British protection in China,
otherwise than as a transient visitor, he must
denationalize himself.
But his children, born in
British territory, need not. Had the grandparents
of Sir Shou-son Chow not been resident in Hong Kong
at the date of its cession, but had they come to the
island on some date subsequent to the cession, then
his children, if born in Hong Kong, would have to
denationalize themselves, in order to obtain British
protection in China, but his grandchildren, if born
in Hong Kong, would not.
I realize, of course, that these limits are
arbitrarily chosen; but clearly it would be
unreasonable to require denationalization without any
limit time in all cases; and, having regard to
of
existing conditions, it seems to me that the incidence
of
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