CO885-(11-13) — Page 685

15,502.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

C.O.

Reference :-

• 885

MY LORD,

No. 52.

(Hong KoNG.)

LAW OFFICERS to FOREIGN OFFICE.

Royal Courts of Justice, August 24th, 1885. We are honoured with your Lordship's commands, signified in Sir J. Pauncefote's letter of the 11th instant, stating that he had the honour to transmit to us, by direction your Lordship, the papers relating to the alleged abduction of a Chinaman named Chan Tim from Hong Kong by the Chinese authorities.

of

That the man was said to have been charged with being a rebel, and to have been tortured after his arrest.

That it would be seen that the ministers of the Tsimgli Yamen alleged that no violation of British territory took place; that the man Kong by his own relatives, and that the Chinese authorities had a right to arrest him was decoyed from Hong on Chinese territory, without inquiring how he came there.

That, on the other hand, the information furnished by the Governor of Hong Kong hardly left room for doubt that the persons who decoyed the man from Hong Kong were acting as the paid agents of the Chinese authorities and under their instructions.

That, if so, the Chinese authorities had committed a violation of the rules which govern the relations between civilized states, and had departed from the stipulations of the Treaty, which laid down the course to be pursued for the recovery of fugitive criminals.

That the facts were fully stated in Sir G. Bowen's Despatch to Her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Peking, of which a copy was transmitted.

That Sir J. Pauncefote was to request that we would take the papers transmitted therewith into our consideration, and that we would favour your Lordship with our opinion as to whether the circumstances of the case were such as to call for a remonstrance on the part of Her Majesty's Government, and whether the evidence was sufficient to justify a demand for Chan Tim's restoration to the jurisdiction of the Colony, as suggested by the Attorney-General of Hong Kong.

In obedience to your Lordship's commands we have the honour to

Report

That a remonstrance on the part of Her Majesty's Government appears to have been already addressed to the Chinese Government.

We do not think it necessary that this remonstrance should be withdrawn. If it is allowed to take its course, further evidence may be forthcoming before negotiations are closed.

But we are of opinion that the evidence at present in possession of Her Majesty's Government is not sufficient to justify a demand for Chan Tim's restoration to the jurisdiction of the Colony.

The Marquis of Salisbury, K.G.,

&c.

&c.

&c.

We have, &c., (Signed)

R. E. WEBSTER.

J. E. GORST.

J. P. DEANE.

15927-46. 35-12/85.

13 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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