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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 8TH OCTOBER, 1870.
BY THE QUEEN.
A PROCLAMATION.
VICTORIA
R.
Whereas We are happily at Peace with all Sovereigns, Powers, and States:
And whereas, notwithstanding Our utmost Exertions to preserve Peace between all Sovereign Powers and States, a State of War unhappily exists between His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of the French and His Majesty the King of Prussia, and between their respective Subjects and others inhabiting within their Countries, Territories, or Dominions:
And whereas We are on Terms of Friendship and amicable Intercourse with each of these Sovereigns, and with their several Subjects and others inhabiting within their Countries, Territories, or Dominions:
And whereas great Numbers of Our loyal Subjects reside and carry on Commerce, and possess Property and Establishments, and enjoy various Rights and Privileges, within the Dominions of each of the aforesaid Sovereigns, protected by the Faith of Treaties between Us and each of the aforesaid Sovereigns:
And whereas We, being desirous of preserving to Our Subjects the Blessings of Peace, which they now happily enjoy, are firmly purposed and determined to abstain altogether from taking any Part, directly or indirectly, in the War now unhappily existing between the said Sovereigns, their Subjects and Territories, and to remain at Peace with and to maintain a peaceful and friendly Intercourse with each of them, and their respective Subjects, and others inhabiting within any of their respective Countries, Territories, and Dominions, and to maintain a strict and impartial Neutrality in the said State of War unhappily existing between them:
We, therefore, have thought fit, by and with the Advice of Our Privy Council, to issue this Our Royal Proclaination :
And We do hereby strictly charge and command all Our loving Subjects to govern themselves accordingly, and to observe a strict Neutrality in and during the aforesaid War, and to abstain from violating or contravening either the Laws and Statutes of the Realm in this Behalf, or the Law of Nations in relation thereto, as they will answer to the contrary at their Peril :
And whereas in and by a certain Statute made and passed in the present Year of Her Majesty, intituled "An Act to regulate the Conduct of Her Majesty's Subjects during the Existence of "Hostilities between Foreign States with which Her Majesty is at Peace," it is, amongst other things declared and enacted as follows:-
"ILLEGAL ENLISTMENT.
"If any Person, without the License of Her Majesty, being a British Subject, within or without Her Majesty's Dominions, accepts or agrees to accept any Commission or Engagement in the Military or Naval Service of any Foreign State at War with any Foreign State at Peace with Her Majesty, and in this Act referred to as a friendly State, or whether a British Subject or not within Her Majesty's Dominions, induces any other Person to accept or agree to accept any Commission or Engagement in the Military or Naval Service of any such Foreign State as aforesaid,
"He shall be guilty of an Offence against this Act, and shall be punishable by Fine and Imprisonment, or either of such Punishments, at the Discretion of the Court before which the Offender is convicted; and Imprisonment, if awarded, may be either with or without Hard Labour.
"If
any Person, without the License of Her Majesty, being a British Subject, quits or goes on board any Ship with a view of quitting Her Majesty's Dominions, with Intent to accept any Commission or Engagement in the Military or Naval Service of any Foreign State at War with a friendly State, or, whether a British Subject or not, within Her Ma- jesty's Dominions, induces any other Person to quit or to go on board any Ship with a view of quitting Her Majesty's Dominions with the like Intent,-
"He shall be guilty of an Offence against this Act, and shall be punishable by Fine and Imprisoment, or either of such Punishments, at the Discretion of the Court before which the Offender is convicted; and Imprisonment, if awarded, may be either with or without Hard Labour.
"If any Person induces any other Person to quit Her Majesty's Dominions or to embark on any Ship within Her Majesty's Dominions under a Misrepresentation or false Repre- sentation of the Service in which such Person is to be engaged, with the Intent or in order that such Person may accept or agree to accept any Commission or Engagement in the Military or Naval Service of any Foreign State at War with a friendly State,
"He shall be guilty of an Offence against this Act, and shall be punishable by Fine and Imprisonment, or either of such Punishments, at the Discretion of the Court before which the Offender is convicted; and Imprisonment, if awarded, may be either with or without Hard Labour.
"If the Master or Owner of any Ship, without the License of Her Majesty, knowingly either takes on board, or engages to take on board, or has on board such Ship within Her Majesty's Dominions any of the following Persons, in this Act referred to as illegally enlisted Person; that is to say,-
"(1.) Any Person who, being a British Subject within or without the Dominions of Her Majesty, has, without the License of Her Majesty, accepted or agreed to accept any Commission or Engagement in the Military or Naval Service of any Foreign State at War with any friendly State:
"(2.) Any Person, being a British Subject, who, without the License of Her Majesty, is about to quit Her Majesty's Dominions with intent to accept any Commission or Engagement in the Military or Naval Service of any Foreign State at War with a friendly State: "(3.) Any person who has been induced to embark under ■ Misrepresentation or false Representation of the Service in which such Person is to be engaged, with the Intent or in order that such Person may accept or agree to accept any Commission or Engagement in the Military or Naval Service of any Foreign State at War with ■ friendly State:
"Such Master or Owner shall be guilty of an Offence against this Act, and the following Consequences shall ensue; that is
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(1.) The Offender shall be punishable by Fine and Im- prisonment, or either of such Punishments, at the D cretion of the Court before which the Offender is convicted: and Imprisonment, if awarded, may be either with or without Hard Labour: and
"(2.) Such Ship shall be detained until the Trial and Conviction or Acquittal of the Master or Owner, and until all Penalties inflicted on the Master or Owner have wea paid, or the Master or Owner has given Security for the