ORDINANCE No. 3 OF 1847.
Piracy.
No. 3 of 1847.
An Ordinance for the Prevention of Piracy.
[25th March, 1847.]
WHEREAS it has become necessary to adopt further steps for the prevention of piracies; and whereas His Excellency the Chinese Imperial Commissioner has disavowed the right of private vessels belonging to the people of his nation to carry fire-arms, and at the same time assented to any necessary measures on the part of the Government of Hongkong for putting down piracy:
1. Be it therefore enacted and ordained, that from and after the passing of this Ordinance, the captain or officers of every British ship of war or other vessel duly authorized by the Government of this Colony, or every Magistrate or officer of Police, Harbour Master, or officer of the Harbour Master's Department, are hereby authorized to board and enter every Chinese vessel or junk reasonably suspected of being a piratical vessel, and search the same.
2. And be it further enacted and ordained, that the possession by any Chinese vessel whatever (not being a Government vessel) of the offensive weapons called fire-pots or stink-pots, shall be held and deemed to be proof of a piratical vessel.
3. And be it further enacted and ordained, that the possession by any Chinese vessel whatever (not being a Government vessel) of any offensive arms or weapons, shall be held and deemed to be proof of a piratical vessel, and such vessel with its contents shall be forfeited; unless it shall appear that such Chinese vessel was duly licensed to carry such arms or weapons as hereinafter mentioned.
4. And be it further enacted and ordained, that all trading junks, lorchas, large fast-boats and other vessels belonging to Hongkong, being duly registered and licensed by the Registrar General, under and by virtue of the provisions of Ordinance No. 7 of 1846, intituled "An Ordinance to repeal Ordinance No. 18 of 1844, and to establish a more effectual Registry of the Chinese Inhabitants, and a Census of the Population of the Island of Hongkong," shall and may carry the same flag as other British merchant vessels, with the numbers of their register inscribed in large white figures in the centre of the said flag, so as to be distinguishable at a distance; and the Registrar General is hereby authorized to grant such flag as aforesaid; and every trading junk, lorcha, large fast-boat, or other vessel belonging as aforesaid, which shall use the said flag without being duly registered and licensed as aforesaid, shall be forfeited, and the owner or master of such trading junk, lorcha, or large fast-boat, or other vessel, shall in addition pay a fine not exceeding fifty dollars.
Title.
Preamble.
221
Authority to search Chinese vessels or junks.
Chinese vessels having on board fire-pots or stink-pots, to be deemed piratical vessels.
Chinese vessels carrying offensive arms or weapons liable to forfeiture.
Proviso.
Trading junks, lorchas, large fast-boats, &c., duly registered, to carry a flag.
Registrar General authorized to grant such flag.
Trading junks, lorchas, large fast-boats, &c. not duly registered, carrying the flag, to be forfeited.
Penalty on master for using the flag without licence.
5. And be it further enacted and ordained, that all trading junks, lorchas, large fast-boats, and other vessels belonging to Hongkong not duly registered and licensed to carry arms, and all trading junks, lorchas, large fast-boats, and other vessels duly registered and licensed as before mentioned, having on board other arms or a larger quantity of arms than are specified in their register, shall be held and deemed to be piratical vessels.
Trading junks, lorchas, large fast-boats, &c., having other arms on board than those specified in their register.