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APPENDIX 1.
PARTICULARS OF CASES REPORTED TO THE FOREIGN OFFICE.
1. Case at Amoy, 1851.
2. Practice at Amoy, 1866.
3. Fan King Sing and Kan Hing Tak, Foochow, 1872.
4. Lim Ho Chen and Lim Ho Eng, Shanghai, 1882.
5. Ong Beng Tek, Amoy, 1888.
6. Jan Hun Soon, Amoy, 1890.
7. Wang Ju Yü, Chinkiang, 1899.
9. Li Hsieh Yuan, alias Li Feng Ai, Swatow, 1897.
9. Oh Khun Yiong, Amoy, 1897.
10. Case of attempted fraud at Canton, 1899.
11. Lo Cheung Ip, 1898.
12. Goh Min Chin, Foochow, 1901,
18. Chau Ngau Tsz, Swatow, 1908.
14. Wee Goh Lye, Swatow, 1904.
15. Kho Boo-an, Swatow, 1904.
16. Chin Yu, Swatow, 1908.
17. Yu Tuo Sheng, Yuan Chin Hua and Li Kang, Canton, 1909.
18. Ma Chin Shuo, Swatow, 1909.
19. Ho Pak Ki, Hankow, 1910.
20. Liang Tou, Hong Kong, 1910.
21. Ip Lam Sau. Canton, 1911.
22. Hu Shu-pen, Canton, 1915.
23. Mr. Yang, Amoy, 1915.
24. Chen Tso Heng, Canton, 1921.
25. Yeoh Hong Pin, Foochow, 1921-23.
26. Tan Lu Tek, Amoy, 1911-22.
27. Cheah Ngoh Oh, Amoy, 1922.
28. Yeap Seng Koon, Swatow, 1924.
29. The brothers Nah, Swatow, 1924.
30. Chen Han Ming, Shanghai, 1925.
31. Low Peng Kiah, Swatow, 1927,
32. Steamship Tai Ming, Canton, 1927.
33. Soskin and Co. (Limited), Harbin, 1922-27.
Appendix No. 1.
Particulars of Cases reported to the Foreign Office.
THE cases reported below are those of which particulars have been found in the Foreign Office archives. Such disputes have long formed part of the normal routine work of consulates in South China. Reference is usually made to them in the quarterly intelligence reports. but very few are ever reported to His Majesty's Minister in Peking, and, of course, fewer still to the Foreign Office. These cases illustrate the problems and difficulties that arise out of the protection of Anglo-Chinese.
1. Case at Amoy, 1851,
At Amoy, in January 1851, there was enacted a tragedy, of which I must recall the principal incidents. A British subject of this class was foully murdered by the authorities, mainly, as I believe, because he claimed to be a British subject.
--
The man was himself an inoffensive person of good character, well known to Mr. Crofton Morrison, then stationed at Amoy as interpreter, and at the time referred to he was in the employ of Messrs. Jardine, Mathieson and Co. His elder brother was reputed, and probably with reason, a leading member of one of the affiliated societies, of which Amoy and its vicinity are the home; and the authorities were, I daresay, moved to action against the family in the first instance for this reason. brother was seized early one morning, in or near his home, and carried to The younger the Taotai's yamen. Our consul, Mr. Sullivan, on learning of his arrest, immediately proceeded to the yamen and insisted on his production, but in vain. After some hours of expostulation he returned to the
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consulate, and almost as he re-entered it a chair was set down at the door Sir Thomas Wade, containing the corpse of the man he had endeavoured to save.
He had No. 5, January 30, been beaten to death in the yamen."
1872,
Sir Thomas Wade,
No redress was ever obtained for this outrage. The case was referred to Lord Palmerston, who replied "to the effect that, if they would have the protection of the British Government, they must adopt a costume that No. 19, June 9, would leave their nationality in no doubt."
K
2. Practice at Amoy, 1866.
1879.
Chinese frequently come to this port from the Straits supplied with Consul Swinhoe to a paper under the seal of the Resident Counsellor at Singapore, stating Sir E. Hornby, (Name of Chinese). An inhabitant of Singapore, Penang or Malacca, as Anoy, June 15, the case may be, proceeds to the ports of China, and is entitled to protection in Peking No. 3,
1866. Enclosed
as a British subject. These men present their passes at this office, and January 17, 1967. have hitherto been registered on the strength of such as British subjects at Amoy. After registering themselves at the consulate office, these so-called British subjects settle in the neighbouring country at a distance from the port among their relations, marry wives and own property, and when in trouble with the country people or authorities they rush to the consulate for protection. This style of thing has led, as you may imagine, to repeated conflicts between the consuls at Amoy and the mandarins, the latter claiming these people as Chinese and beyond foreign jurisdiction.
But, if they get into trouble and are arrested by the authorities, they flaunt their certificates of registration in the face of the mandarins and send to the nearest consul for assistance. They are registered in the consulate, and the consul feels bound to run up the country, and with a show of naval force demand rendition of the Chinese British subjects. The mandarins come to the conclusion, as there is nothing about Chinese British subjects in the treaty. that the consul has been bribed to be meddlesome in cases beyond his proper jurisdiction, and this tends to weaken his influence and prestige.
3. Case of Fan King Sing and Kan Hing Tak, Fuchow, 1872. These two men had been registered at the British consulate at Fuchow on the strength of certificates granted by the Colonial Government of Singapore, which, however, contained no statement as to the evidence on which their claim to British nationality was based. Frequent disputes occurred with the Chinese authorities, who contested the claim of these persons to be exempted as British merchants from certain li-kin taxes levied upon Chinese. They sent a petition through the consul to the British Minister that an attempt was being made to intimidate their families in Amoy into admissions which might be used to invalidate their claim to British nationality. Sir Thomas Wade immediately requested the vice- admiral, "without loss of time, to direct a vessel of war to each of the ports Vice Admiral Sir in question [Amoy and Foochow], with instructions to the commander to H. Kellett, call with the consul upon the chief authority at these ports, and to state January 10, 1872. that he has been sent at my instance to assure himself of the security of the British subjects in question." He then sought an interview with Prince Kung: I told His Highness what passed at Amoy in 1851, and
I added, rising as I ended the story, that if a like atrocity were to be again perpetrated upon the person of a British subject it was not to say Fuchow or Amoy, but that I would not answer for the safety of the Empire."
Sir T. Wade to
Sir Thomas Wade subsequently wrote to the Straits Government for full Sir Thomas Wade, information respecting the two individuals in question, but no further Nos. 5 and 6. report of the case reached the Foreign Office.
January 30, 1872.
4. Lim Ho Chen and Lim Ho Eng, Shanghai, 1882. These two men applied to be registered as British subjects at the Colonial Office, British consulate at Shanghai, and presented certificates of nationality December 13, issued by the Government of the Straits Settlements. The consul refused 1882. to register them because these certificates did not contain evidence that they were entitled under Sir E. Hornby's instructions of the 1st January,
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