GOVERNMENT 271 



If the shooter should be in the interior 

 when he offends and it is not convenient 

 to complain to his consular representative, 

 the Chinese authorities may bring him be- 

 fore such consular representative, but they 

 cannot arrest or punish him by any legal 

 process of their own. The shooter should 

 not hesitate to see his consul, and if he has 

 any doubt as to the justice of the demand 

 against him when made while in the in- 

 terior let him give the benefit of it against 

 himself, and go and put himself and his 

 interest in the hands of his consul. 



The authority with which each consular 

 represntative is invested by the treaties is 

 the origin and foundation of the doctrine of 

 extra-territoriality as applied to China, and 

 although Chinese statesmen have of late 

 years complained of the injustice of this 

 doctrine the facts of history do not warrant 

 the complaint. Before western nations had 

 relations of any kind with China there were 

 foreigners residing within the empire who 

 were not subject to her laws. During the 

 eighth century Arab traders resided at 

 Canton, and with China's willing consent 

 governed themselves by their own laws. In 



