[This Document is the Property of His Britannis Majesty's Government.]
C.O
58739
AFFAIRS OF CHINA.
[November 17.]
285
REC
CONFIDENTIAL.
REG? 22 DEC 15
SECTION 2.
No. 1.
C
[173033]
C
(No. 267.) Sir,
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey-(Received November 17.)
Peking, October 18, 1915. I HAVE the honour to transmit herewith copy of circular instructions which I have issued to His Majesty's consuls in China respecting the registration and protection of British subjects of Chinese descent in accordance with the instructions contained in your despatch No. 218 of the 1st ultimo.
Copies of these instructions have also been sent to the Governments of Hong Kong and Singapore for their information.
I have, &c.
J. N. JORDAN.
Enclosure I in No. 1.
Circular No. 47.
7.0
Sir,
Peking, September 28, 1915. THE Foreign Office have recently had under consideration, in consultation with the Colonial Office and the India Office, certain questions respecting the registration and protection by His Majesty's consulates in China of British subjects of Chinese descent.
The copy of a despatch dated the 25th September of last year, herewith enclosed, which I addressed to His Majesty's consuls-general at Shanghai and Canton, and to His Majesty's consuls at Amoy and Swatow, will explain the circumstances in which these questions arose.
The replies received from these four ports showed that, according to present practice, Shanghai is the only port where registration is accorded merely on the production of a Hong Kong birth certificate, and that more conclusive evidence of British nationality, such as the Hong Kong British-born certificate, specified in Sir E. Satow's Circular instructions of 22nd August, 1904, is required at the other three.
Dealing with the subject of the nature of the protection afforded to Chinese- British subjects registered at his consulate-general, Mr. Jamieson made the following remarks:--
CC
As to the information called for in the last paragraph of your despatch under acknowledgment, I have the honour to state that every claim for protection is investigated on its individual merits, and should any irregularity be discovered in the papers or actions of the claimant it is summarily rejected. Where an individual, however, is arrested or imprisoned, and claims British nationality, his release, pending investigation, is invariably demanded. In the rejection of claims, I have found the argument of great efficacy in determining the bona fides of the applicant for protection. It is explained to him that no British subject can, under treaty, be possessed of real estate outside the limits or a treaty port, and that if he be the owner of such he must at once dispose of the same in order to do away with all suspicion of wishing to enjoy the privileges of dua! nationality. In ninety-nine out of a hundred of such cases the applicant, rather than abandon his share of the family property, sorrowfully takes his
leparture and little more is heard of him."
His Majesty's principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has now informed me that, in view of the fact that Hong Kong birth certificates are easily forged, it appears to him that the mere possession of a birth certificate is insufficient for registration purposes, and that further evidence, e.g., the possession of the Houg Kong
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