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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 11TH MARCH, 1882.
over the productions of the country whether mineral vegetable or animal with the rights of making laws coining money creating an army and navy levying customs dues on home and foreign trade and shipping and other dues and taxes on the inhabitants as to him might seem good or expedient together with all other powers and rights usually exercised by and belonging to sovereign rulers and which the upon all Sultan thereby delegated to him of his own free and sovereign will; and the Sultan called foreign nations with whom he had formed friendly treaties or alliances, and he commanded all the Datoos Nobles Governors Chiefs and People owing allegiance to him in the said territories, to receive and acknowledge the said Datu Bandahara as supreme ruler over the said States and to obey his commands and respect his authority therein as the Sultan's own; and in case of the death or retirement from office of the said Datu Bandahara then his duly appointed successors in the office of supreme ruler and governor-in-chief of the Company's territories in Borneo should likewise if appointed thereto by the Company succeed to the title of Datu Bandahara and Rajah of Sandakan and all the powers above enumerated be vested in him.
And whereas the said Petition further states that all the interests and powers of the grantees under the several grants and commissions aforesaid came to be vested in the Petitioner Alfred Dent.
And whereas the said Petition further states that the Petitioner Alfred Dent and his associates from time to time of necessity expended large sums of money and made great exertions in and about procuring the grants and commissions aforesaid and putting them into use and discharging the obligations arising thereunder.
And whereas the said Petition further states that the Petitioner the British North Borneo Provisi- onal Association Limited, consists of persons who lately agreed to join together for the temporary purposes of acting as intermediaries between the Petitioner Alfred Dent, on the one hand, and a Company to be incorporated (if We should so think fit) by Royal Charter, on the other hand, and of carrying on until the grant of such a Charter the management of the affairs arising under the grants and commissions aforesaid, and who, for convenience of common action and for limitation of liability, have incorporated themselves under the general Statutes relating to companies, that Provisional Association having for its objects as declared by its Memorandum of Association (among others) the following (that is to say):
To purchase from Alfred Dent his interests and powers in over and affecting territories, lands,
and property in Borneo, and Islands lying near thereto, including Labuan.
To acquire by purchase or other lawful means other interests and powers in over or affecting the same territories, lands, and property, and interests and powers in over or affecting other territories, lands, and property in the region aforesaid.
To obtain from the Crown a charter incorporating and regulating a Company constituted with the like objects as aforesaid, or other objects relating to any territories, lands, and property as aforesaid.
To transfer to the Company so incorporated any interests and powers as aforesaid for the time
being vested in the Association.
And whereas the said Petition further states that all the interests and powers of the Petitioner Alfred Dent under the several grants and commissions aforesaid have been transferred to and are now vested in the petitioner, the British North Borneo Provisional Association Limited.
And whereas the said Petition further states that that Association will, in accordance with its provisional character indicated in its name, and in pursuance of the express provisions of its Articles of Association, be voluntarily wound up in manner provided by Statute, as soon as a sale or disposal of its territories, lands, and property to a Company to be incorporated (if We should so think fit) by Royal Charter has been effected, and will, after payment and discharge of its debts and liabilities, and after distribution among its members of the proceeds of such sale or disposal and of any other its assets, be dissolved.
And whereas the said Petition further states that the Petitioners Sir Rutherford Alcock, Richard Biddulph Martin, Richard Charles Mayne, and William Henry Macleod Read, are, with the Petitioner Alfred Dent, the Directors of that Association.
And whereas the said Petition represents that the success of the enterprise in which the Petitioners are engaged as aforesaid, would be greatly advanced if it should scem fit to Us to incorporate by Our Royal Charter a Company to carry on that enterprise.
And whereas the said Petition further represents that such a Chartered Company would render to Our Dominions services of much value, and would promote the commercial prosperity of many of Our subjects.
And whereas the said Petition further represents that the Petitioners are in a position to raise the capital requisite for the proper and effective conduct of the enterprise aforesaid, and they thereby under- take to do so on obtaining the grant of such a Charter.