CO129-485 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1924 [8-12] — Page 51

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During this time it is probable that installations will voluntarily introduced on a large proportion of the craft concerned, so that it will then be possible to enforce an necessary legislation with much less friction and opposit on the part of the shipping interests than would be the at present. Also the measures which are at present being taken for the training of operators should by then have resulted in a supply of competent operators essential for the carrying out of the policy.

B.

The question of the nationality of the

operators is referred to both in the enclosed memorandum of the Conference at Shanghai and in the letter from the

Chamber of Commerce. It would of course be out of the

question to attempt to limit the issue of operators' lice to persons of European race, especially since many of the ships concerned are Chinese owned; and in the special

circumstances of the China Coast there seems very little

be gained by attempting to enforce a nationality test in

accordance with the instructions in Lord Harcourt's

Confidential Circular despatch of the 17th of January, 19

since the distinction between Chinese who are in a positi

to claim British nationality and those who are not is of

very little importance from the point of view of securing

the objects indicated in that despatch, which in North Ch

while

the difficulty of finding operators who could claim Briti

nationality would probably be considerable.

6.

As you are aware this question of national

is a very difficult one in China owing to the fact that

Chinese really possess a dual nationality, and it has hitherto been the policy of the British Authorities to a giving documents admitting British nationality, except to persons of established reputation and with special claimi to consideration. Therefore, both on grounds of convenit

and

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