[Saxony.]

2 In 1865 Mr. Murray asked what was the nationality of a child of foreign parents born on board a British vessel, and of a child born without the British dominions, of foreigners naturalized as British subjects.

3 Lord Russell replied, “I am of opinion that a child of foreign parents born on board one of Her Majesty’s ships of war would be a British subject, wherever the ship might be; and that a child born on board a British merchant or private unprivileged vessel on the high seas would also be entitled to be considered a British subject. It is more doubtful whether such a child born on board such a vessel in the port or waters of a foreign state would be entitled to be considered as a British subject.

“A child born without the British dominion of foreign parents, naturalized as British subjects, would be entitled to be considered as a British subject with reference to all other States but that to which his parents owed an original allegiance, unless indeed that State had, by its own law, allowed its subject to divest himself of his allegiance.”

  1. To Mr. Murray, No. 7; April 26, 1865.
  2. To Mr. Murray, No. 7; April 26, 1865.