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classes as British subjects in the event of their not themselves
being born in the colony of Hong Kong or in the Straits
Settlements, as laid down in the section.
5.
In His Lordship's opinion that section, taken
together with the first paragraph on page 21 of the Compendium, should evidently be interpreted as covering registration of the wife in every case where a marriage has been recognised in the past by His Majesty's Consuler Officers in China, and where the husband fulfils one of the conditions (a) (f)
on page 21 of the Compendium.
6.
It is therefore unnecessary for His Majesty's
Consular Officers in China to examine in each case the
question whether the marriages of British subjects of Chine se race are valid in English law or not; and the answer to the first of the questions asked by His Majesty's Consul at Kiungchow should, in His Lordship's opinion, be merely to the effect that the wives and widows of such British subjects are naturally British subjects and should be registered as such at His Majesty's Consulates in China.
7.
It follows that the children of British subjects of Chinese race should only be registered in China as British subjects when they fulfil the conditions laid down in the standing instructions, 1.e. they are not registered unless they are born within the British Empire.
8.
The Secretary of State attaches importance to no alteration being made in the present practice of His Majesty's Consular Officers in Chins with regard to the registration of British subjects so long as political conditions in that country continue to be chaotic; but he proposes at the same
time
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