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ET
MON
ROIT
THE HONGKONG
Government Gazette.
No. 24.
Published by Authority.
VICTORIA, SATURDAY, 6TH JUNE, 1868.
VOL. XIV.
No. 73.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
The following Order of Her Majesty in Council of the 28th of March last, extending the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Hongkong over British Subjects in certain waters adjacent to the Colony, is published for general information.
[L.S.]
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 4th June, 1868.
J. GARDINER AUSTIN, Colonial Secretary.
AT THE COURT AT WINDSOR, THE 28TH DAY OF MARCH, 1868.
Present:
THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.
Whereas by an Act of Parliament passed in the seventh year of Her Majesty's reign, intituled "An Act for the better government of Her Majesty's subjects resorting to China," it is (amongst other things) enacted that it shall be lawful for Her Majesty, by any Order or Orders made with the advice of Her Majesty's Privy Council, to ordain, for the government of Her Majesty's subjects being within the dominions of the Emperor of China, or being within any ship or vessel at a distance of not more than one hundred miles from the coast of China, any law or ordinance which to Her Majesty may seem meet, as fully and effectually as any such law or ordinance could be made by Her Majesty in Council for the government of Her Majesty's subjects being within the Island of Hongkong:
And whereas Her Majesty was pleased, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, by Order in Council of the ninth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, to ordain (amongst other things), that when a British subject, being after the commencement of that Order in Hongkong, should be charged with having committed any such crime or offence as therein mentioned within a British vessel at a distance of not more than one hundred miles from the coast of China, or within a Chinese or Japanese vessel at such a distance as aforesaid, or within a vessel not lawfully entitled to claim the protection of the Flag of any State at such a distance as aforesaid, the Supreme Court at Hongkong should have and might exercise authority and jurisdiction with respect to the crime or offence as fully as if it had been committed in Hongkong, and that, save as expressly provided by the said Order, all jurisdiction, power, and authority of the Supreme Court of Hongkong exercisable in relation to British subjects resident in or resorting to China or Japan should absolutely cease:
And whereas it has seemed to Her Majesty, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council, to be expedient to extend the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Hongkong in respect to matters arising in the neighbourhood of the Colony of Hongkong:
Now, therefore, Her Majesty, by virtue of the powers in this behalf by the said recited Act, or otherwise, vested in Her, is pleased, by and with the advice of Her Privy Council to order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows:-
1. In addition to the powers now vested in the said Supreme Court of Hongkong, the said Supreme Court may have jurisdiction over and take cognizance of all crimes and offences committed by British subjects at any place on land being within six miles of any part of the Colony of Hongkong, and not being on the mainland of China, and of and over all disputes and differences between British subjects being in any such place within such limit as aforesaid; and the said Court shall and may deal with, try, hear, and determine all such cases as fully and effectually as if such crimes or offences had been committed, or such disputes or differences had arisen by or between British subjects within the said Colony of Hongkong.