Mer Meur de
Refer
Am A 27
4.
Victoria
Hongkong
15th September, 1888. Bonham
Gover
скач
1 Inclosure.
The Carl Grey
Received
Transmitting copy of and
reporting on
Ordinanc, MI
of 1848, entitled "An Ardinance.
ecture
" and storage of a
" to regulate the manufact
a certain
thescription of Gunpowder Lin the Colony of Hempting
4writhin
HONGKONG,
ANNO DUODECIMO VICTORIÆ REGINÆ.
No. 1 of 1848.
BY His Excellency SAMUEL GEORGE BONHAM, Esquire, Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, 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 REGULATE THE MANUFACTURE AND STORAGE OF A CERTAIN DESCRIPTION OF GUNPOWDER WITHIN THE COLONY OF HONGKONG.
[31st August, 1848.]
WHEREAS it has hitherto been a subject of public complaint that Gunpowder has from time to time been manufactured and stored within the said Colony, in a manner endangering the persons and property of the inhabitants thereof; and whereas it is deemed necessary to make provision against such practice:
Title.
Preamble.
Gunpowder not
I. Be it therefore enacted and ordained, That no person shall manufacture or make, or cause to be manufactured or made, any Gunpowder, or any preparation of Brimstone for the purpose of employing it in the formation of Gunpowder, within the Harbour or Town of Victoria, or within Two Miles of the latter place, or within those limits with Half a Mile of any Public Road; and that any person so making or causing to be made such Gunpowder or Brimstone within the limits aforesaid, shall be liable for any such offence to pay a fine not exceeding Five Hundred Dollars, and in default of payment of such fine to imprisonment in one of Her Majesty's Gaols for any period not exceeding Six Calendar Months, and that such Gunpowder or Brimstone shall be forfeited to the Crown.
Provided always that it shall and may be lawful to and for any person to manufacture and make such Gunpowder or Brimstone without the limits aforesaid, on having and obtaining a License in writing for such purpose from the Colonial Secretary of the said Colony, who, it is hereby declared, shall have it in his discretion to refuse the issuing of such License, if not satisfied as to the character of the applicant for the same, or the probable purposes to which such Gunpowder may be applied.
Ordinance not
II. And be it further enacted and ordained, That nothing in this Ordinance contained shall be held to extend to Gunpowder imported from Europe; and that no person shall have or keep in or upon his house or premises within the said Colony, at any one time, any quantity of Gunpowder exceeding in weight Two Pounds, if the same be not imported in his possession from Europe, without first having had and obtained a License for that purpose, to be procurable as is hereafter provided; and that every unlicensed person knowingly having in or upon his house or premises such excess of unimported Gunpowder, shall on due conviction be liable to a penalty not exceeding Fifty Dollars for every such offence, or in default of payment of the said penalty, to imprisonment in one of Her Majesty's Gaols within the said Colony for a period not exceeding Three Calendar Months; and it is hereby declared that it shall be incumbent on every unlicensed person, having such an excess of Gunpowder so in his possession, to adduce reasonable evidence that the same has been imported from Europe, or that the same has not been manufactured in China, the proof of which fact shall be deemed equivalent to the proof of such importation in all proceedings under this Ordinance.
III. And be it further enacted and ordained, That the provisions of the preceding Section shall extend to and include Gunpowder made up into any manner of Firework, except into Crackers, commonly known by the name of Chinese Crackers.
a License.
Fireworks.
Page 48