See page 17 of State Papers
1897-98.
(flagged red below
See 5(a) on
53552/35
helaw)
doubtful.
The Convention are agreed that Chinese
Officials should continue to exercise juris-
diction within the City of Kowloon, except so
far as may be consistent with the military
Consist
requirements for the defence of Hong Kong.
The Order in Council of the 20th Oct. 1898
gave effect to this agreement in Article 4.
When, however, the Hong Kong Administration took over the new Territory they were met
with armed resistance and it was decided that
any retention of Chinese jurisdiction in the
City of Kowloon was incompatible with the
defence interests of the Colony. The history
of the affair is summarised in Mr.Gent's
memorandum, noted in the margin. To give effect
to the abolition of Chinese jurisdiction a new
Order in Council was passed on the 27th December,
1899, which revoked Article 4 of the previous
Order and declared that the City of Kowloon
should be part and parcel of H.M.Colony of
Hong Kong.
end
It may prove difficult to define our
position if the Chinese Government should
appeal to the P.C.I.J. Whether or not such an
appeal takes place, refusal to allow the admis-
sion of Chinese jurisdiction may have serious
effects on our relations with the Chinese
Government and on our commercial activities in
Southern China, as the Ambassador fears. (See 12).
Unless these considerations are judged to be
overriding, however, it does appear most un-
desirable that foreign jurisdiction should be
allowed in the middle of a large commercial