719783-1862-GOVERNMENT-NOTIFICATION-NO-110 — Page 4

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 1st NOVEMBER, 1862. 293

The case of Labrador, on which coast the Brethren's Church has four Missionary Settlements occupied by twelve Mission families, all of foreign descent, his Grace will perhaps allow to be treated exceptionally. Though considered an appendage to Newfoundland, there is no regular communication with that Colony, nor is there any functionary of the British Government, on a coast extending full 600 miles, from Cape Chudleigh to the Straits of Belleisle."

The Missionaries in the Himmalayan province of Lahul in the Punjaub, and in the Mosquito Territory, where the only British functionary is the Consul Dr. Green, are placed in very similar circumstances.

It is, however, by no means impossible that the Duke of Newcastle's official declaration of the Law of England, as appli cable to the case of the children of foreigners born in the British dominions, may enable our Mission Board, with the friendly aid of the German and other Continental Governments, to provide a remedy in these particular instances, for the inconvenien- ces and hardships which have hitherto caused them so much embarrassment.

With many apologies to his Grace for the additional trouble my renewed application may occasion him, and with grateful acknowledgments of his past kindness.—I am, &c.,

SIR FREDERIC ROGERS, Bart.,

(Signed) P. LA TROBE,

Secretary of the Unity of the Brethren in England.

St.,

&c.,

fc.

Sir F. Rogers to the Rev. 1'. La Trobe.

Downing Street, 7th August, 1862.

SIR, I am directed by the Duke of Newcastle to acknowledge your letter of the 29th ultimo, respecting your desire that the children of Moravian Missionaries born in British dominions should receive certificates of British citizenship.

It would not be consistent with the practice of the public service of this country that the Duke of Newcastle should issue under his hand an official certificate respecting the state of the British law. The utmost that can be done is, that his Grace should authorize the Under Secretary, in his name, to answer an enquiry on such a subject in a form which is easily producible. 1 address a separate letter to you which has been framed with this object, by his Grace's directions, and which is signed by myself as his Under Secretary:

I also enclose for any observations which you may desire to offer, a copy of a circular which his Grace proposes to issue to the Governors of the British Colonies, placing them at liberty to issue documents, which his Grace hopes will remove the inconveniences to which the children of Moravian Missionaries appear to be exposed.-I am, &c.,

REV. P. LA TROBE, 27, Ely Place,

Holborn.

Sir F. Rogers to the Rev. P. La Trobe.

(Signed)

F. ROGERS.

Downing Street, 7th August, 1862. SIR,-I am directed by the Duke of Newcastle to inform you in answer to your letter of the 29th ultimo, that the children of foreigners born in the British dominions are entitled to the character, rights, and privileges of natural-born British subjects, unless at the time of the birth the parents were alien enemies, that is to say, subjects of a power then at enmity with Great Britain. I am, tc.,

(Signed)

F. ROGERS,

REV. P. LA TROBE, 27, Ely Place,

Holborn.

Rev. P. La Trobe to Sir F. Rogers

27, Ely Place, 11th August, 1862.

SIR,-I feel sincerely indebted to you for your great kindness in bringing the contents of my letter of the 29th ultimo, so early under the consideration of the Duke of Newcastle, and most thankful to his Grace for the prompt and favourable attention he has paid to my renewed application on behalf of the children of foreign Missionaries of the Moravian Church, born in British Colonies. By the answer he has been pleased to return, and the measures he has consented to adopt, his Grace has conferred a deep and lasting obligation on the Moravian Church and Missions, for which I beg leave to tender the grateful acknowledg- ments of our Mission Board.

In your letter of the 7th instant, you inform me that the Duke of Newcastle is precluded by the practice of the public service in this country, from issuing an official certificate under his own hand to the effect that the children of foreigners boru in British territory are entitled to the privileges of British subjects, unless their parents are subjects of a country which at the time of the child's birth is at enmity with Great Britain. You have, however, been so good as to return an answer to my inquiry on this important subject, in the form of a seperate letter, and this official declaration made by anthority of his Grace, will, I doubt not, be found effectual for the attainment of the object desired.

I have perused with attention the copy of the circular which the Duke of Newcastle is prepared to address to the Gover- nors of the several British Colonies, authorizing them to grant documents of such a nature as may tend to remove the incon- veniences to which the children of Moravian Missionaries have hitherto been subjected. Though much obliged by the permission given by his Grace to suggest any modification of the terms of the circular, or of the statements which the Colonial Governors are to be at liberty to issue, to or on behalf of the applicants in question, I am not aware that there is any necessity to avail myself of it.

On the contrary, I am persuaded that our Mission Board will be perfectly satisfied with the mode in which his Grace proposes to meet the difficulty, which they have ventured to bring under his notice, as well as most grateful to him, for his kind attention to their appeal.

With reference to the peculiar circumstances of the Missionaries in Labrador, Lahul, and Mosquitia, I do not think it necessary, to trouble the Duke of Newcastle any further at the present time. It is by no means impossible that with the help of the ieclaration of the Law of England, which his Grace has been so good as to furnish, our Mission Board may succeed in making such arrangements with the Continental Governments as may obviate the necessity of measures specially designed to meet these cases.

With the renewed expression of gratitude to the Duke of Newcastle.-I am, &c.,

(Signed)

P. LA TROBE,

Secretary to the Unity of the Brethren in England.

SIR FREDERIC ROGERS, Bart.,

&c.,

$c.,

&c.