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conditions are that the majority of the share-
holders as well as the managing Board of Directors
are British subjects and the greater part of the
capital also British.
(Signed)
I am, &c.,
R. Willis.
Dear Sir:-
August 13th, 1904.
I am in receipt of your communication ad-
dressed to me, dated 4th instant, in which you ask
my opinion, from a strictly legal point of view, as
to the right of Chinese owned Launches plying on
Chinese Inland Waters to fly the British Flag by
reason of the owners being a Company registered in
Hong Kong and renting an Office in that Colony.
If the owners of the Launches have incor-
porated themselves as a British Company under the
Company's Ordinances of Hong Kong, then such launches
are owned by a British Company, and cannot be said
to be Chinese owned although the shareholders in
such Company are Chinese.
When in your said communication you in-
I presume you mean you refused to register the Company,
as British.
The Merchant Shipping Act 1894 provides
that a ship shall not be deemed to be a British ship
unless