CO129-490 - Public Offices - 1925 — Page 752

741

TRAFT KICHANGE OF NOTTA

117.

(Fote from Wai Chiao Pu quoting, and reply-

ing to Note from R.'. Legation).

I have the honour to acknowledge the

receipt of Your Excellency's Note of to-day's

date to the following effect:-

"the question of the registration &

protection by the Britian Consular Authorities

in China of British subjects of Chinese Ances-

try has for many years been a source of fric-

tion between the British Coneuter Authoriti en

and the loanl Chinese Authorities at the louthe

ern Porte owing to abrence of my reangniand pro-

ceture.in the matter. By Goverment have long

been desirous of arriving at a junt am! ani@alb

settlement of this question by sprement with

the Chinese Government but the politionl situa-

tion ham prevented the inception of formal nege-

tiations on the subject. With a view, however,

to the avoidance of disputes and controversies

during the further period wich must elapse

before it is possible to negotiate a definitive

and final mettlement, I have the honour to pro-

page to Your Exo ebleney the following provision-

al prosedura for dealing with the matter in the

meanwhile.

British subjects of Chinese ancestry,

who éraire on their return to Chine to retain

their British nationality, are already under

an obligation to register their names annually

with the British Consular authorities, pereme

who fail to take this step being considered to

hage forfeited their right to British protestian

in China. It is now proposed, in order to guard

/against