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powder or other explosive substance of the nature of gunpowder or capable of being employed in the same manner as gunpowder, without having previously obtained, in each particular instance, a permit in writing from the Chief Magistrate or any two Justices of the Peace, and such permit shall state the nature of the transaction and the tained, and nature Permit how ob- person to whom the property is to be transferred. Provided always, that the necessity thereof, for such permit shall not extend to European gunpowder in quantities not exceeding Five Pounds at one time on any one day, and that any person convicted of a breach powder under 5lbs. European cuu- under this section shall be liable to a fine not exceeding Oue thousand Dollars or to excepted. imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months.
Penalty. Power to search
VI. And be it further enacted and ordained, that if any Magistrate or the Chief or Assistant Superintendent of Police shall have reasonable cause to suspect that any of suspected places. the different articles whose manufacture is prohibited by this Ordinance, are in process of manufacture in any house or place, it shall be lawful for any or either of such officers to direct any constable to cause any such house or place to be entered and searched at any hour of day or night, and such Magistrate or Chief or Assistant Superiuten- dent of Police may empower such Constable to use force for effecting such entry, whether by breaking op n doors or otherwise, and if upon search thereupon made, any tieles found,
Disposal of ar such unlawful manufacture shall be found to exist, then to convey the articles in course of manufacture before a Magistrate, or place them in safe keeping, and to apprehend all persons found in the place where such seizure was made, and that, upon a conviction had, the illegal articles found be forfeited to the Crown, and the occupant or person having the control of such house or place shall be liable to a fine not exceeding One thousand Dollars and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months.
Penalty.
Disposal and re
VII. And be it further enacted and ordained, That all fiues inflicted under this Ordinance shall be paid into the office of the Colonial Treasurer and covery of Fines. shall be recoverable in a summary manner according to the provisions of Ordinance No. 10 of 1844, intituled An Ordinance to regulate summary proceedings before Justices of the Peace, and to protect Justices in the execution of their office.
VIII. And be it further enacted and ordained, That nothing in this Ordinance contained shall be held to extend to Government Naval or Military Stores.
IX. And be it further enacted and ordained, That this Ordinance continue in force until the First Day of January, 1856.
Passed the Legislative Council of Hongkong,
this 15th Day of January, 1855.
L. D'ALMADA E CASTRO, Clerk of Councils.
JOHN BOWRING.
An Ordinance for Her Majesty's Subjects within the Dominions of the Emperor of China, or within any Ship or Vessel at a Distance of not more than One hundred miles from the Coast of China.
ANNO DECIMO OCTAVO VICTORIE REGINA,
No. 1 of 1855.
BY His Excellency Sir John Bowring, Knight, LL D., Governor and Commander. in-Chief of the Colony of Hongkong and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same, Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary and Chief Superintendent of the Trade of British Subjects in China, with the advice of the Legislative Council of Hongkong. AN ORDINANCE TO ENFORCE NEUTRALITY DURING THE CONTEST NOW EXISTING IN CHINA.
[17th January, 1855.] WHEREAS it is necessary that strict neutrality be maintained by all Her Ma- jesty's Subjects throughout the Empire of China between the different parties at present contending for dominion in that Empire, and existing Legislation does not sufficiently provide for the punishment of those who shall violate such neutrality:-
Government Stores excepted.
Duration of Or- dinance.
Title.
Preamble.
Penalty.
I. Be it therefore enacted and ordained by His Excellency the Governor of Hong- Violation of neu- kong and Chief Superintendent of the Trade of Her Majesty's Subjects in China, trality, a misde- with the Advice of the Legislative Council of Hongkong, That it shall be a mis- meanour. demeanour punishable by not more than Two years' imprisonment, or by a Fine not exceeding Five Thousand Dollars (such punishments to be accumulative or not, at the discretion of the adjudicating Tribunal) for any British Subject within any part of China to assist either the existing Chinese Government or any or either of the different factions at present engaged or who may be hereafter engaged in opposition to that Government by personal enlistment in the service of either of the said several partics, or by procuring other persons to enlist in such Service, or by furnishing, selling or procuring warlike stores of any description, or by fitting out vessels or by knowingly and purposely doing any other act to assist either party by which neutrality may be violated.