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The Protection of American Citizens in China: Extraterritoriality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 May 2017

Benj.H. Williams
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Extract

The most important single step taken by the western powers in protecting their nationals in China was the acquisition of extraterritoriality. This withdrew them from the jurisdiction of Chinese law and placed them under the laws and tribunals of the home country. As there is at the present time a great deal of discussion as to whether these rights should be withdrawn it may be worth while to glance for a moment at the reasons for the origin of the system, and this may in turn enable us to judge better whether the conditions which gave rise to it have as yet passed away.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Journal of International Law , Volume 16 , Issue 1 , January 1922 , pp. 43 - 58
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of International Law 1922

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References

1 See Hinckley, Frank E. , American Consular Jurisdiction in the Orient, Washington, D. C., 1906 Google Scholar; Philip Marshall Brown, Foreigners in Turkey, Princeton, N. J.,1914.

2 Sir Staunton George Thomas , Penal Code of China (a translation), London, 1810,Sec. XXXIY. v. 36.

3 Staunton, supra., p. 517, setting forth an edict demanding the surrender of an accused European at Macao. See also Peter Auber, China, an Outline, London, 1834, p. 85; Morse, Hosea Ballou, The International Relations of the Chinese Empire, London, 1910, Vol. 1, p. 100 Google Scholar.

4 North American Review, vol. 40, p. 66, giving the account of an eye-witness tothe trial.

5 Williams S. Wells , The Middle Kingdom, New York, 1883, Vol. I, p. 514.

6 See Jemigan, T. E. , China in Law and Commerce, New York, 1905, p. 35 Google Scholar; Thomson, J., The Land and the People of China, London, 1876, p. 248 Google Scholar.

7 Thomson, op. cit., p. 248; Alabaster, Notes and Commentaries on Chinese Criminal Law, London, 1899, p. 17; Morse, op. cit., Vol. I, p. 112.

8 Milne W. C. , Life in China, quoted in Williams S. W. , op. cit., Vol. I, p. 508.

9 Auber, op. cit., p. 56; Alabaster, op. cit., p. XX.

10 U. S. Foreign Relations, 1902, p. 244.

11 Williams S. W. , op. cit., Vol. II, p. 451; Auber, op. cit., p. 183; Morse, op. tit.,Vol. I, p. 102.

12 North American Review, vol. 40, p. 67.

13 Morse, op. cit., Vol. I, p. 105.

14 Father Premare's translation of the Confucian commentator Su Tung-po, quoted in Morse, op. cit., Vol. I, p. 112, and Williams S. W. , op. cit., Vol. II, p. 450.

15 Chinese Repository, Vol. V, p. 334.

16 Sen. Doe. 30, 36th Cong., 1st sess., p. 355.

17 U. S. Foreign Relations, 1864, Part 3, p. 400.

18 lbid., 1865, Part 2, p. 454.

19 U. S. Foreign Relations, 1871, p. 170.

20 Morse, op. cit., Vol. II, p. 457.

21 U. S. Foreign Relations, 1884, p. 46 et seq.

22 U. S. Foreign Relations, 1905, p. 112; North-China Herald, vol. 73, pp. 960, 1015.

23 North-China Eerald, vol. 77, p. 373.

24 Regina vs. Ryan, North-China Herald, vol. 59, p. 280.

25 North-China Herald, vol. 59, p. 245.

26 U. S. People vs. Nash, North-China Herald, May 14, 1903, p. 948.

27 IT. S. People vs. McCoy and Taylor, North-China Herald, July 14, 1905, p. 100.

28 U. S. People vs. Munz J. G. , North-China Herald, Nov. 4, 1904, p. 1043.

29 U. S. vs. Demenil Henry N. , North-China Serald, Dec. 6, 1907, p. 606.

30 U. S. Foreign Relations, 1909, p. 56.

31 Ibid., p. 62.

32 Willoughby, W. W. , Foreign Eights and Interests in China, Baltimore, 1920, p. 72 Google Scholar.

33 Law Quarterly Beview. XIX, 316, quoted in Willoughby, op. cit., p. 72.

34 Quoted from the pamphlet of the Chinese National Welfare Society in America,The Shantung Question, A Statement of China's Claims together with Important Documents Submitted to the Peace Conference in Paris, 1919, p. 164.

35 Almanach de Gotha, 1921, p. 678.

36 See the article,“The Open Ports of China,” by Edward Williams T. , in the Geographical Review, Vol. IX, No. 4, p. 306.

37 The Imperial Japanese Government vs. The Peninsular and Oriental Co., 1895 Appeal Cases 644; “ The Government of Foreigners in China,” Latter A. M. , Law Quarterly Beview, Vol. XIX, p. 316.

38 See Hinckley, op. cit., p. 183; Foster, John W. , American Diplomacy in the Orient, Boston, 1903, p. 344 Google Scholar, et seq.

39 For the text of the American treaty, negotiated Dec. 16, 1920 see the Congressional Becord, April 27, 1921, p. 663.

40 Provisional Criminal Code, Chapter VII.

41 Ibid Chapter II.

42 Pamphlet of Chinese Welfare Society: The Shantung Question, etc., p. 190

43 “Law of the Organization of the Judiciary,” Chap. XII ; “ Brief Survey of the Chinese Judiciary,” by H., W. Y.., Chinese Social and Political Science He view , Vol. V, No. 2, p. 169 Google Scholar; “ Law Reform in China,” by WangChung-hui , Chinese Social and Political Science Beview, Vol. II, No. 2, p. 13.

44 For an account of these two cases see “ The Supreme Court in China,” by ChengF. T., Millard's Beview of the Far East, May 28, 1921, p. 673.

45 Provisional Regulations of the High Courts and Their Subordinate Courts,Article 33.

46 ȜThe procedure of a trial shall be determined by the judge in accordance with the circumstances of the case, without any restrictions.” Article 33, above cited; see also “Reform in Criminal Procedure,” byChung-hui Wang , Chinese Social and Political Science Review, Vol. V, No. 1, p. 1.

47 Pamphlet of Chinese Welfare Society, cited above, p. 188.

48 According to Morse, op. cit., Vol. I, p. 14, there were in 1906, 1470 districts in the Chinese provinces and Manchuria.

49 For a description of the courts see “ The Chinese Judiciary,” by Yii Chiianchang,Chinese Social and Political Science Review, Vol. III , No. 1, p. 1.

50 Willoughby, op. cit., p. 69.

51 ln the issue of Jan. 5, 1920 quoted in the article, “ Has Extraterritoriality Outlived Its Usefulness,” American Bar Association Journal, Vol. VI, p. 224.

52 “ The Foreigners' Safeguard in China,” North-China Herald, April 2, 1921, p. 45.

53 North-China Herald, April 16, 1921, and April 23, 1921. See also North-China Herald, vol. 115, pp. 131, 449, 826; vol. 118, p. 426; vol. 122, p. 678