CO129-501-3 Chinese situation- Protection of British subjects of Chinese race 23-10-1926 - 21-12-1927 — Page 181

Enclosure Jo. 10 in Swatow To. 92 of Cotobar 23. 1926.

The Commissioner for Foreign Affairs to Mr. Vonsal žirke.

181

September 13, 1920.

Robbery from Teo Ye: Swee's House.

sir,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter

of the 16th. instant in which you state that no regulation

exists which prevents British subjects from purchasing in China

arms for self-defence or for sporting purpose and request that

the firearms and ammunition removed from Teo Tee Swee's house

by the rolion may be returned. You further complain that my

predecessor, Commissioner Lin, had not replied to your enquiry

whether the molice who hod 11ltrented Teo Yee Swee had been

punished,

In reply, I beg to state that foreigners are not allowed

to szuggle arms and ammunition into a port and that in cese

of any bresch of this regulation the Maritime Custome will

confiscate such articles. It is almost unnecessary to inform

Further,

you of thie, an it is stipulated in the treaties.

in Section 3 of the Revised Regulation for the Import of Arme

and Ammunition it is stated that every respectable foreign

resident in China wishing to import 1 pistol and 500 rounde

of ammunition for his own defence shall apply for a permit.

This has been he procedure for many years and has not been

questioned by (the authorities of) any country.

In April, 1916, the Standard 011 Company at Shanghai

proposed to purchase pistol and ammunition for the use of

their installation watchman for purposes of self-defence.

The Commissioner for Foreign Affairs at Shanghai considered

that this would be in contravention of the regulation and

requested the United States Consul to prohibit the purchase.

Thus although the Chinese regulations do not expressly

prohibit the purchase by foreigners in China of arms for

self-defence