NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN.

Paper D, No. 1

attached.

under British jurisdiction, and that an intima-

tion to that effect had been addressed to the

Chinese Government. Therefore, it had become

necessary that the Order in Council of the 20th

October, 1898 should be amended accordingly

and the Law Officers were asked whether the

terms of the draft Order in Council were

sufficient and proper for the purpose intended.

No question was put to the Law Officers as to

H.M.G.'s right under the Convention of 9th

June, 1898 to make the Order in Council bringing

Kowloon under British jurisdiction.

12.

Notwithstanding Chinese protests based on

the provisions of the Convention, H.M.G.refused

to restore jurisdiction over Kowloon City to

the Chinese. After 1900 the Chinese Government

do not appear to have raised the question of

jurisdiction again until 1933 when, in connexion

with the proposed expropriation of certain

Chinese property in the City, the Chinese

Government claimed that the City remained under

Chinese jurisdiction. In 1934, the question of

jurisdiction was referred to the War Office

and the Admiralty and both Service Departments

were of the opinion that the exercise of

Chinese jurisdiction in the City was not con-

sistent with military requirements for the

defence of Hong Kong. The views of the War

Office and the Admiralty are expressed in

letters of 16th May and 13th June, 1934

respectively. On 3rd May, 1937, H.M. Ambassador,

Nanking, orally informed the Chinese Minister of

Foreign Affairs of the views of the Service

Departments.

During the period from 1933 to 1937

there were exchanges of correspondence between

See Correspondence in Paper E, No.2 attached.

13.

H.M.G./

Share This Page