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definitely unfriendly, despite all protestations to
the contrary.
4. As the matter has been the subject of much
official correspondence and has necessitated much
personal argument at Hongkong, I will now briefly
state my personal impression that no amount of
further argument locally will alter the position.
The Hongkong Government consides itself bond
strictly by the Colonial extradition deportation laws,
and requires that cause must be duly proved in Court
challenge by a writ of nabeas corpu 3. So far this
has operated as an effectual bar to summery deportation
orders. It is true that the outlawed General L
Tsung-jen was induced to leave Hongkong on my re-
presentations, but only after some months of argument
and after I had expressed my readiness, if called
upon, to state in Court that I considered that ex-
Marshal Li's continued presence in Họngkong was
endangering the peaceful and friendly relations
between Canton and Hongkong. General Asü Ching-t'ang
after much delay took a strong hint and left for
Japan during the summer, but returned to reside in
Hongkong before leaving to take the field in Iwangsi
against Canton.
5. I enclose copy of an extract from a recent
Hongkong newspaper which summarizes the draft of a
Bill to amend the Deportation Ordinance of 1917,
together with a copy of that B111, which if passed
should confer sufficient powers on the Governor-in-
Council to deal with such situations. That would be
a great advance. In view, however, of the extremely
casuistic legal view which I have found obtains in
the Colonial