711.673/118
The Ambassador in Great Britain (Davis) to the Secretary of
State
London, March 4,
1921
[Received March 22.]
No. 4287
Sir: With reference to my telegram No. 176,
March 4, 1 p.m.,82 and
previous correspondence in regard to the jurisdiction of the Palestine
Courts over foreigners, I have the honor to transmit herewith copies of
a Note No. E. 2340/1647/88 dated March 2nd, 1921, which I have received
from the Foreign Office in this connection.
The Foreign Office state that the British High Commissioner for |
Palestine has been instructed to hand over to the American Consul for
trial the American citizen who was recently convicted on a charge of
forgery by the Jaffa Court.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure]
The British Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs (Curzon) to the American
Ambassador (Davis)
[London,] 2 March,
1921.
E 2340/1647/88
Your Excellency: I have the honour to refer
to the note which Your Excellency was so good as to address to me on
the 3rd. February83 with regard to the
jurisdiction of the Palestine Courts over foreigners.
- 2.
- His Majesty’s Government appreciate, while regretting the
legal reasons and somewhat technical considerations which prompt
the United States Government to press their representations for
the
[Page 121]
recognition of
United States Consular jurisdiction in Palestine, pending the
entry into force of the Treaty of Peace with Turkey and the
mandate for Palestine, upon which date, as already pointed out
in my note of December 29th., the extra-territorial rights
enjoyed by foreigners in Palestine will definitely cease to
exist. While therefore His Majesty’s Government are naturally
reluctant to override the decision of the Jaffa Court, and thus
not only to run the risk of adversely affecting the authority
and prestige of the responsible British authorities in Palestine
but also to render more difficult the heavy task which they have
accepted, with, as they hoped, the cordial good-will of the
United States Government, they are prepared in deference to the
United States Government’s representations and as a mark of
their friendly sentiments to accede to the United States
Government’s wishes in this matter, pending the coming into
force of the Treaty of Peace.
- 3.
- Instructions are accordingly being sent to His Majesty’s High
Commissioner for Palestine that the United States citizen who
was recently convicted on a charge of forgery by the Jaffa Court
should be handed over to United States Consul for trial.
I have [etc.]
(For the Secretary of State)
Lancelot Oliphant
