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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, AUGUST 10, 1917.
DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE.
No. 353. The following despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, with reference to the transhipment of goods taken to the United Kingdom, is published, by command.
10th August, 1917.
CIRCULAR.
CLAUD SEVERN,
Colonial Secretary.
DOWNING STREET,
21st May, 1917.
SIR, I have the honour to inform you that His Majesty's Government have decided that goods brought to the United Kingdom for transhipment to destinations overseas should be subject to the usual prohibitions of importation into and exportation from this.
country.
2. A general licence has, however, been issued under which no import licence will be required in the case of goods brought to the United Kingdom in neutral vessels for transhipment.
3. The Director of the War Trade Department has given notice that, in view of the existing shipping situation, it is not considered desirable that vessels coming to the United Kingdom should bring cargo for transhipment to foreign countries, and that it may be necessary to restrict considerably the issue of export licences.
4. The Director of the War Trade Dapartment has also given notice that applications for permission to tranship goods should be made on a special form, copies of which may be obtained on personal application at any Custom House. This form, duly filled up, is to be presented to the Collector of Customs at the port of arrival, together with the usual transhipment entries, and when an application is to tranship goods to neutral countries in Europe, the usual guarantees, certificates, or undertakings required for the exporta- tion of similar goods from the United Kingdom should as a rule be attached to the form.
5. It is recognised that this last procedure may not be practicable where guarantees, etc., appropriate to direct shipments from overseas have already been obtained by the ultimate consignees, and in such cases it will be sufficient for the present if the reference number of such documents is quoted.
6. I shall be glad if you will take the usual steps for bringing these arrangements to the notice of the public.
I have, &c.,
The Officer Administering the Government of
HONGKONG.
WALTER H. LONG.