496
THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETȚE, OCTOBER 22, 1915.
It should be clearly understood that no form of consignment will secure to vessels immunity from the belligerent right of visit, search, and detention, whatever the country or port from which they may have shipped the goods they are carrying and whatever the description of those goods; compliance with the following recommendations in respect of bills of lading will, however, minimise the risk of delay, and will therefore be in the interest both of the ship and of the goods:-
(1) Shipments to neutral European ports or Russian ports in the Baltic, or by vessels calling at a neutral European port.--In the case of goods shipped to a neutral European port or to a Russian port in the Baltic, or shipped by a vessel which is to call at a neutral European port, it is recommended that bills of lading should never be made out to order," but that they should be made out either (a) to a named consignee or (b) to a bank or financial house of high standing, with the remark "Notify A.B.," "A.B." being the name of the person or firm for whom the goods are ultimately destined. Goods shipped to Holland should be consigned to the Netherlands Oversea Trust.
(2) Shipments to British, French, or Italian ports, or Russian ports not in the Baltic. It is not necessary that goods shipped to a British, French, or Italian port, or to a Russian port not in the Baltic, should be consigned as above described, provided that it is clearly indicated in the bill of lading and in the manifest that the ultimate destination is as stated and provided that the vessel is not to call at a neutral European port on her
voyage.
(3) Shipments to neutral countries outside Europe. It is desirable, in cases where the use of another form of consignment might lead to an inter- ruption of the voyage, that goods shipped to neutral countries outside Europe should be consigned in the same manner as those shipped to neutral countries in Europe; but where this course is not adopted it should be clearly indicated in the bill of lading that the destination of the goods is outside Europe and is not in Asiatic Turkey, nor in, nor adjacent to, any enemy possession.
(4) In all cases it is essential that the bill of lading, or a certified copy of it,
should be on board the vessel.
(5) Recommendations (2) and (3) are subject to the special requirements of Section 4 of the Customs (War Powers) Act, 1915, which provides inter alia that, as regards the export from the United Kingdom of goods under Privy Council licence, the name of the consignee specified in the Privy- Council licence must be inserted in the bill of lading. (See the Notice at page 430 of the Board of Trade Journal for the 12th August, 1915.)
BOARD OF TRADE,
19th August, 1915.
Extract from page 430 of the Board of Trade Journal for the 12th August.
Export Licences.
REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 4 OF CUSTOMS (WAR PowerS) ACT AS REGARDS BILLS OF LADING.
With reference to the notice on page 139 of the Board of Trade Journal of 15th April last, calling attention to Section 4 of the Customs (War Powers) Act, 1915, H.M. Customs notify that the requirements of that section of the Act as regards bills of lading will be regarded as being met if the bills are made out to a bank for the account of the person named in the Privy Council licence, or to the order of the shippers for the account of the consignee named in the Privy Council licence.
A bill of lading in which the name of the consignee is only inserted in the margin is not regarded as complying with the requirements of the section.