10.--THE CHARTER.
THE CHARTER.
LETTERS PATENT passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom constituting the office of Governor and Commander-in-chief of the Colony of Hongkong and its Dependencies.
19th January, 1888.
VICTORIA, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, QUEEN, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India: To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting.
WHEREAS, by Our Charter under the Great Seal of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster the 5th day of April, 1843, We did erect Our Island of Hongkong and its Dependencies into a separate Colony, to be known and designated as the Colony of Hongkong, and did make provision for the government of Our said Colony;
AND WHEREAS by Our Order in Our Privy Council, bearing date the 4th day of February, 1861, in the 24th year of Our reign, it was ordered that the Kowloon district therein described should be part and parcel of Our said Colony;
AND WHEREAS We did, by certain Letters Patent under Our said Great Seal, bearing date at Westminster the 9th day of April, 1877, constitute, order, and declare that there should be a Governor and Commander-in-chief in and over Our Colony of Hongkong and its dependencies;
AND WHEREAS We are minded to make further provision for the government of Our said Colony:
Now We do by these presents revoke Our said Charter and Our said Letters Patent, but without prejudice to anything lawfully done thereunder.
II. We do declare that there shall be a Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Our Colony of Hongkong and its Dependencies (hereinafter called the Colony), and that appointments to the said office shall be made by Commission under Our Sign Manual and Signet.
III. We do hereby authorise, empower, and command Our said Governor and Commander-in-chief (hereinafter called the Governor) to do and execute all things that belong to his said office, according to the tenor of these Our Letters Patent and of such Commission as may be issued to him under Our Sign Manual and Signet, and according to such instructions as may from time to time be given to him under Our Sign Manual and Signet, or by Our Order in Our Privy Council, or by Us through one of Our principal Secretaries of State, and to such laws as are now or shall hereafter be in force in the Colony.
IV. And We do by these Our Letters Patent declare Our will and pleasure as follows:-