CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 213

being entitled by International Law to the status of a

British subject, should be handed over to the British

Authorities for trial.

211

The Viceroy, on the other hand, contended that the

prisoner, 88 a resident of the leased territory, still

retained his Chinese nationality and having been arrested

on Chinese soil, should be tried by the Chinese Authorities

The question therefore practically turned upon the

national status of the accused, and Fr.Jamieson's conten-

tion that he should be rewarded as a British subject was

supported by the opinion of the Law Officers of the Grow

at communicated by the Secretary of State for the Colonies

to the Governor of Hongkong in a despatch dated October 10,

26221

49

1899.

This ruling, however, would seem to be in conflict

with the decision conveyed to this Legation in the Foreign

Office despatch of October 19, 1905, ander which it is

held that the inhabitants of the leased territory of rei

Fat Wel are not entitled to British protection outside the

limits of the dependeney and own allegiance solely to the

Figaror