CO129-507-2 China- protection of Anglo-Chinese 11-11-1927 - 23-11-1928 — Page 123

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VB 1928

CONFIDENTIAL.

Sir,

RROE

21 TAN 1928 ZIDAN

141

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

HONGKONG. 24th December, 1927.

37

30014/27

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your confidential despatch of 9th November requesting my observations on a case of extortion from a British subject of Chinese descent named Low Feng Kiah by Chinese officials in Swatow.

2.

Mr. Kirke's despatches make it abundantly clear that Low Peng Kiah was a British subject of the 3rd generation, previously recognised as such by Chinese Authorities, and that the Consul's protests against the entirely unjustifiable treatment accorded to him were consistently ignored. The condition of China being what it is, I can only note my approval of the Consul's action throughout the negotiations and my regret that it was impossible to carry the protests further.

3.

Until the time when some semblance of order is restored in China, there seems little possibility of affording effective Consular protection to Chinese British subjects in the face of "authorities" such as control the country today: but even if a protest should prove unavailing, it is of importance that no proper opportunity of entering one for record should be omitted.

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Your most obedient humble servant,

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

LIEUTENANT COLONEL 1.C.L.S. ALERY,M.P.,

&c.,

&c.

Governor, &c.