CO129-371 - Public Offices - 1910 — Page 229

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leased territories, reference was at once made to leading

authorities in London. It was then ascertained that tho

persons inhabitating the New Territory, who wore bufore

the cession Chinese subjects, wore to be regarded, for

all purposes, as British subjects, inasmuch as cession

of territory, even though the cession be for a term of

years only, effects a change in the nationality of the

inhabitants, and for the term of the cession the inhub-

itants become British subjects.

The case, forming subject of this correspondence,

being one governed by International Law, and an author-

itative exposition of such law having been ob ained, it

must be evident that it is for the parties interested to

be guided thereby, and I would, therefore, beg Your

Excellency to lay aside bias and to consider the matter

dispassionately and broad-mindedly, in order that the

harmonious relations, happily existing between the Liang

Kuang Provinces and the Colony of Hongkong, may remain

undisturbed.

爆燃

To sum up: -

1. -