270 SHOOTING IN CHINA 



audiences with the Emperor, and practically 

 such audiences are necessary to facilitate 

 the transaction of business. In recent times 

 the grand council has superseded the grand 

 secretariat in the transaction of business, 

 and has become the imperial chancery or 

 court of appeals. Under the two councils 

 there are six administrative boards (sin pu) 

 and each board has an organized staff of 

 clerks, and is otherwise equipped for the 

 business it was formed to transact. 



There is certainly a special and imper- 

 ative reason why the foreign shooter should 

 behave himself while shooting in China, 

 and it is because he is not as a rule under 

 Chinese law. Whatever offense he may 

 commit, and however heinous in its nature, 

 against life and property in China, the 

 courts of China are powerless to arrest or to 

 punish. This is in accordance with the 

 treaties which China has entered into with 

 certain western nations. If the offender is 

 the citizen or subject of a nation having 

 treaty relations with China he will be ex- 

 empt from Chinese law, but not otherwise 

 if his country has no such treaty relations, 

 for then he would be amenable to that law. 



