§ 49. Mr. F. Macleanasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in what circumstances Mr. North, a Foreign Service official at present in China, has been required to apologise to the Chinese authorities; and what reply he has made.
§ Mr. YoungerHis Majesty's Consul at Nanking was, on 21st April, compelled by the Chinese authorities to apologise for intervening on behalf of the Mother Superior of a Catholic orphanage, who is a British subject. This action on the part of the local Chinese authorities was quite unwarranted. Under instructions His Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at Peking has protested to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I am circulating the text of the protest in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Following is text of protest:
His Britannic Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires presents his compliments to the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs and on the instructions of His Majesty's Government has the honour to bring the following matter to his attention.On the afternoon of 26th March Mr. North learned that Miss Langren, a British subject, had been detained by the local authorities at Nanking. He accordingly at once proceeded to the Foreign Nationals Control Section of the Public Security Bureau in Nanking to make inquiries and to see if he could assist the lady. Unfortunately the normal hours at which the Foreign Nationals Control Section hold interviews was past and Mr. North's interpreter was not available. Because, however, the matter was urgent Mr. North nevertheless asked for an interview with the Section and at the same time in view of his limited command of the Chinese language asked if there was an official who knew English to whom he might the more readily explain his business.Over three weeks later, on 17th April, Mr. North was summoned to the Foreign Nationals Control Section and told that he must apologise for his intervention in the case of Miss Langren, for having called at the Section out of interviewing hours, for having asked for someone to speak English to him, for being drunk and for having described himself as British Consul. Mr. North explained the circumstances of his intervention and the reasons why it was incumbent upon him to take action and denied the charges of inebriation, but after 177W an interview of over three hours the authorities continued to insist that he must sign an apology. On 21st April the authorities still continued to insist that Mr. North should sign an apology and compelled him to do so on unreasonable terms composed by themselves.Mr. North's action in attempting to assist a British subject who was in difficulties was entirely justified both on humanitarian and official grounds. His Majesty's Government have accordingly instructed His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires to convey their dissatisfaction at this arbitrary behaviour on the part of the authorities at Nanking and to record a formal protest against the treatment to which Mr. North was subjected.