This Ministry has already instructed the Special Inspector of Foreign Affairs with all speed to approach His Majesty's Consul-General at Canton with a view to requesting the Hongkong Governsent to abandon their original scheme. In reply the Special Inspector has informed this
Ministry that he has not as yet received any reply from
the Hongkong Government.
I have the honour to observe that the Convention for
the Extension of Hongkong Territory concluded by China and Great Britain on the 21st day of the 4th month in the 24th year of Kuang Hat (1.e. the th June, 1898) contained a provision that "within the city o Kowloon 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 Hongkong. aithin the remainder of the newly-leased territory Great Britain shall have sole jurisdiction". In as much as within the city
of Kowloon the Chinese officials are still permitted to exer- cise jurisdiction, it is clear that although the extended ter ritory is leased to Grest Britain, yet within the city of
Kowloon remains under the jurisdiction of China. The phrase
"within the remainder of the newly-leased territory Great Britain shall have sole jurisdiction” contained in the text constitutes still further evidence for the real weaning of
the Convention at the time of its conclusion.
Under the Manobus there were stationed within the
city of Kowloon as civil official an assistant District Magistrate and as military officials a colonel, captain and second captain. The Hongkong Goverment after taking over the administr tion of the leased territory outside the city of Kowloon, coupelled the Chinese officials within the city
to/
14.13