“Notification.
“Whereas many persons of Chinese descent, who are or claim to be British subjects, go to reside or travel in the dominions of the Emperor of China, and whereas serious difficulty exists in distinguishing such British subjects from natives amenable to Chinese [Page 1332] laws only, and accordingly great practical inconvenience frequently results to the parties themselves, and to the authorities of both countries; and whereas it is desirable, with a view to the maintenance of order and good government of British subjects of Chinese descent resorting to China, and for the maintenance of friendly relations between British subjects and Chinese subjects and authorities, that a remedy should be provided for such inconvenience: Therefore, by the authority and power vested in me by the eighty-fifth section of the China and Japan order in council, 1865, I do declare and order that all British subjects of Chinese descent shall, while residing or being in Chinese territory, discard the Chinese costume and adopt some other dress or costume whereby they may readily be distinguished from the native population. And I do further warn all British subjects of Chinese descent so residing or being in the Chinese dominions as aforesaid, that in the event of their infringing or not observing this order and regulation, they shall not be entitled to claim British protection or interference on their behalf in any court of justice or elsewhere in the Chinese dominions.
“And I do further order that every British subject of Chinese descent who shall sue in any Chinese court of justice, or appear in public before the authorities of the empire, shall be and is hereby required to pay all due respect to the Chinese authorities according to the custom and usage of the country, save and except that such British subject shall not be bound or required to observe any custom or ceremony whereby he would admit that he is a subject of His Imperial Majesty.
“Her Britannic Majesty’s Envoy Extraordinary, Minister Plenipotentiary,
and Chief Superintendent of Trade.”