Hargting No 180.
29th December, 1866.
Governor
Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell
The Right Honorable
The Earl of Carnarvon.
New Ordinance
CAS.
Page 420
No. 181.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
The following Supplementary Memorandum by His Excellency SIR RICHARD GRAVES MACDONNELL, C.B., on matters adverted to in the Chinese Memorial of the 2nd November, is published for general information.
By Command,
Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 30th November, 1866.
MEMORANDUM, No. 107.
W. T. MERCER, Colonial Secretary.
I have inquired according to my promise into the statement of certain Chinese Residents in their Memorial of the 2nd Instant, as to the inconvenience and possible extortion in Chinese Ports to which the carriage of large painted Nos. on Licensed vessels might give rise. The whole subject has at my desire been carefully considered by the Chinese Authorities who are anxious to aid the Legislation undertaken by this Colony for suppressing Piracy - an object which the British and Imperial Governments have equally at heart.
I have much pleasure therefore in now stating that I have just received information officially that the highest Chinese Authorities in the neighbouring Provinces do not consider the objections of Memorialists to be well founded, but that, nevertheless, as a proof of goodwill and of their anxiety to promote the views of this Government, circular orders have been issued to all Authorities at the Chinese Coast harbors to prevent attempts at extortion, or molestation of vessels having Hongkong Licenses.
If any Chinese Regulation requires a vessel to carry Nos. denoting Registry in a Chinese Port according to an old law, the renewal of which is contemplated with a view to assimilating the laws of Hongkong and China in all that regards the coasting trade, there nevertheless need be no apprehension of embarrassment arising from the two sets of figures. On the contrary, a vessel carrying both will enjoy a double security.
I take this opportunity of making an explanation to those Memorialists who have quite recently expressed their hope that I would not enforce all restrictions of the Ordinance on the Passenger and Provision Boats that make frequent visits to Hongkong, and which restrictions they state "have been regarded even by the local journals as likely to cause disproportionate expense and inconvenience."
I am not responsible for explanations or views by others of the intended action of this Government. Yet though such strictures may be either erroneous or incomplete, Chinese Residents must have been gratified by observing the tendency of such remarks to uphold, as far as possible, the freedom of their coasting trade from all but the most necessary restrictions, and so far they anticipate the wishes of this Government.
It will suffice, however, to state that there never was an intention to subject ordinary Passenger and Provision Junks to the inconvenience and expense of procuring the numerous Passes, Notices, and Clearances required of other vessels.
The "Special Permit" mentioned in Clause 16 of the Ordinance is intended to meet such cases, — and a License of the first or second class - at a lower rate - according to tonnage will be granted to every Boat of that description which finds moderate security for good conduct and observance of the Law. At the foot of such License, it is intended to add a Special Permit dispensing until further notice with the observance of some or all those restrictions, as the case may be, which are only meant to apply when the vessels are less known. All such Licenses and Special Permits will of course be liable to forfeiture for misconduct, and violation of the Law - but, otherwise, it will probably be found by experience that such Vessels will practically suffer no greater inconvenience than at present.
Whatever may be necessary to effect the leading object of the Ordinance, in tracing the conduct and pursuits of every vessel that visits the Port, will be inflexibly carried out. It is however not intended and would be most unwise to harass with needless restrictions vessels already well-known and not suspected.
RICHARD GRAVES MACDONNELL
Governor.
Government House, 29th November, 1866.
3 Enclosed
Page 421