to the ridiculous that they could be described as
having their "principal place of business in the
Colony".
As far as I know no general instructions
have been issued as to the extent His Majesty's
Consuls are to afford protection to Hong Kong Com-
panies and in view of the contention of Messrs. Dea-
con, Looker and Deacon being to me a new departure,
I venture to submit my action in this case for your
information, and I trust approval.
(Signed)
I have, &c.,
R. Willis,
Acting Consul.
Dear Sirs:-
£632
3722:
HONGKONG,
23rd June, 1904.
31 001 00
Swatow Steam Launch Company, Limited.
With reference to your interview this
morning in which you stated that the Consul at Swa-
tow was objecting to the launches of the Company
flying the British Flag because the shareholders
were all Chinese we have to refer you to section 1
of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, by which it is
enacted that a ship shall not be deemed a British
ship unless owned wholly by persons of the follow-
ing description:-
d.
"Bodies corporate established under and
subject to the Laws of some part of Her Majesty's
Dominions and having their principal place of busi-
ness in those Dominions".
It was decided as long ago as 1846 in the
case of Regina versus Arnaud 9. Queen's Bench 806
that the individual members of such a body corporate
as is above referred to may be aliens, and there is
Messrs. Jardine Matheson and Company,
Hong Kong.
no