15
}
NOTE
"The present territory of the Colony of
Hong Kong has been acquired in three stages: first,
the Island, ceded to Great Britain by China in 1841;
the second, a small peninsula on the northern side
of the harbour called Kowloon, which was ceded in
1860; the third, a considerable area behind Kowloon
(called the "New Territories") which was leased for
99 years in 1898 from China as a defensive frontier
line.
"The first two are British Colonial territory
in perpetuity, the third is, however, in a different
position although for the period of the lease it is
in all respects assimilated with the rest of the
territory of Hong Kong and administered as part of
the Colony. The laws of Hong Kong apply to it and
the Chinese born in it during the British lease are
British subjects.
"In the Anglo-Chinese Convention of 9th June
1898, in which the "New Territories" were declared
to be "part and parcel of His Majesty's Colony of
Hong Kong in like manner and for all intents and
purposes as if they had originally formed part of the
said Colony", there were two restrictive clauses
which should be mentioned:
"(a) It was agreed that within the City of
Kowloon (which formed part of the leased territory)
"the Chinese officials now stationed there shall
continue to exercise jurisdiction except so far as
may be inconsistent with the military requirements
for the defence of Hong Kong".
"(b) 'It is understood that there will be
no expropriation or expulsion of the inhabitants' of
the leased territory and that 'if land is required
for public offices, fortifications, or the like
/official