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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 11TH JUNE, 1898.
"ARTICLE VII.
"The religious, medical and hospital staff of any captured vessel are declared neutral, and, on leaving the ship, may remove the articles and surgical instruments which are their private property.
"ARTICLE VIII.
"The staff designated in the preceding Article must continue to fulfil their functions in the captured ship, assisting in the removal of the wounded made by the victorious party; they will then be at liberty to return to their country in conformity with the second paragraph of the Ist "Additional Article.*
"The stipulations of the IInd Additional Article are applicable to the pay and allowance of the staff already mentioned.
“ ARTICLE IX.
"The military hospital ships remain under martial law in all that concerns their stores; they become the property of the captor, but the latter must not divert them from their special appropriation during the continuance of the war.
ARTICLE X.
Any merchantman, to whatever nation she may belong, charged exclusively with removal of sick and wounded, is protected by neutrality; but the mere fact, noted on the ship's books, of the vessel having been visited by an enemy's cruiser, renders the sick and wounded incapable of serving during the continuance of the war. The croiser shall even have the right of putting on board an officer in order to accompany the convoy, and thus verify the good faith of the operation.
"If the merchant ship also carries a cargo, her neutrality will still protect it, provided that such cargo is not of a nature to be confiscated by the belligerents.
"The belligerents retain the right to interdiet neutralized vessels from all communication, and from any course which they may deem prejudicial to the secrecy of their operations. In urgent cases special Conventions may be entered into between Commanders-in-chief, in order to neutralize tempora- rily and in a special manner the vessels intended for the removal of the sick and wounded.
ARTICLE XI.
Wounded or sick sailors and soldiers, when embarked, to whatever nation they may belong, shall be protected and taken care of by their captors.
"Their return to their own country is subject to the condition that they are bound not to bear arins again during the war.
· ARTICLE XII.
"The distinctive flag to be used with the national flag, in order to indicate any vessel or boat which may claim the benefits of neutrality, is a white flag with a red cross. The belligerents may exercise in this respect any mode of verification which they may deem necessary.
"Military hospital ships shall be distinguished by being painted white outside, with green strake.
"ARTICLE XIIL
"The hospital ships which are equipped at the expense of the Aid Societies, recognized by the Signatory Powers to the Geneva Convention, and which are furnished with a commission emanating from the Sovereign, who shall have given express authority for their being fitted out, and with a certificate from the proper naval authority that they have been placed under his control until their final departure, and that they were then appropriated solely to the purpose of their mission, shall be considered neutral, as well as the whole of their staff. They shall be recognized and protected by the belligerents.
"They shall make themselves known by hoisting, together with their national flag, the white flag with a red cross. The distinctive mark of their staff, while performing their duties, shall be an armlet of the same colours. The outer painting of these hospital ships shall be white, with red strake. These ships shall bear aid and assistance to the wounded and wrecked belligerents, without distinction of nationality.
They must take care not to interfere in any way with the movements of the combatants. During and after the battle they must do their duty at their own risk and peril.
*This Article states that the time of departure will be fixed by the Commander of the boarding party.