[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government.]
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
CONFIDENTIAL.
72
[April 26.]
SECTION 1.
[10914]
No. 1.
Sir Edward Grey to Sir J. Jordan.
(No. 172.) Sir,
Foreign Office, April 26, 1907. I HAVE received your despatch No. 85 of the 18th February reporting on the circumstances attending the surrender to the Chinese authorities of two political suspects arrested in the Settlement at Shanghae.
I observe that the Italian Chargé d'Affaires requested that the procedure adopted in this case might not be regarded as a precedent for the future, and suggested that the Mixed Court should itself try Chinese residents in the Settlement accused of crimes similar to those alleged to have been committed by the two men surrendered to the Chinese authorities.
I concur in your opinion as regards Baron Vitale's suggestion that it is impossible for the Diplomatic Body to insist upon cases such as this one being decided finally in the Mixed Court, but I request that you will endeavour to obtain from the Chinese Government an engagement that in future no Chinese subject arrested in the Settlement at Shanghae and handed over to the Chinese authorities after a preliminary inquiry has been held in the Mixed Court will be subjected to torture.
The conditions of surrender should thus be made as similar as possible to those which obtain at Hong Kong.
[2450 cc-)
-1]
I am,
&c.
(Signed)
E. GREY.
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