CO129-314 - Public Offices - 1902 — Page 249

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from that gentleman reporting the satisfactory con-

clusion of an arrangement.

A copy of this despatch

2380

(No. 41) da ted Canton, November 27th. will have al-

ready reached Your Lordship direct.

I concur with the opinion expressed by Mr. Scott

in the concluding paragraph of that despatch that

the case of the "Perseverance" reported by him hav-

ing been dealt with in the desired manner it natural-

ly, in accordance with the principle of Chinese Law,

becomes a precedent for the conduct of similar cases

throughout the Empire, and can always be quoted and main-

tained as such in all Chinese Courts without further

reference to the Central Government.

With reference to Your Lordship's further des-

patch No. 198 of August 19th. enclosing a letter

from the Colonial Office stating that Major-General

Dorward would be instructed to try to arrange with

the Chinese Governor that in every case where a cri-

minal has been given up to the Chinese Authorities a

British Officer shall be present at the trial to en-

ensure that torture is not inflicted, I have the

honour to report, that I saw Major-General Forward at

Wei-hai-wel on October 29th. and learnt from him that

he had already made satisfactory arrangements to this

end with the Governor of Shantung. I have the honour

to enclose copies of correspondence between the Bri-

tish Commissioner and the Governor of Shantung in

which it is recorded.

As Hongkong and Wei-hai-wei are the only places

in British Territory from which Chinese criminals are

surrendered to Chinese territory, and as satisfactory

arrangements have now been made for both, I submit

that it is unnecessary as long as these are faithfully

adhered to by the local Chinese Authorities, for me

to bring the question before the Central Government.

I have, &c.,

(Signed)

Ernest Satow.

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