Recepory to be given to Commanders of Her Majesty's Ships, for enforcing Requirements, express their regret, that an Act containing such stringent provisions, for the Regulation not only of British Ships, but of such Vessels under the Flag of Foreign Powers engaged in the Conveyance of Passengers from Hong Kong, and Imposing Duties on the Commanders of Her Majesty's Ships, should have been submitted to Parliament, and received the sanction of their Legislature, without any Communication having been made on the subject of its intended Provisions to this Department.
My Lords observe that by the terms of the Act, Officers in Her Majesty's Service are empowered to seize and detain, wherever it may be found, any "Passanger Ship" being British or Chinese, and to seize within Her Majesty's Dominions or the Territories of the East India Company, any Vessel, whether the Property of Her Majesty's Subjects or Foreigners, which they may deem to have incurred the penalty of Forfeiture for non-compliance with, or Contravention of, the Provisions of the Act.
My Lords concur with Mr. Labouchere in Opinion, that the Provisions of the Statute may be better enforced within the Dominions of ...