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Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Consul-General Mansfield to Sir J. Jordan.
(No. 63.) Sir,
Canton, December 13, 1907. IN my despatch No. 12 of the 5th February last I had the honour to point out the extremely undesirable state of things existing in connection with launches flying the British flag and running under Inland Water Steam Navigation Rules. I forwarded a draft set of Rules which I considered would place in my hands power to deal with the various existing abuses. These Rules, however, His Majesty's Government refused to
sanction.
During the recent visit of his Excellency the Commander-in-chief he was very strongly impressed with the necessity existing for obtaining proper control over the launches flying the British flag in these waterways, and he so expressed himself in his despatch of the 28th November to the Secretary of the Admiralty, of which you have copy.
In Inclosure 6 in this despatch he recommends a set of Rules, and on the basis of these I have now drawn up a set of Regulations which will, I believe, place it in my power to bring about a more satisfactory state of things. They have been submitted to Admiral Moore and have his full approval.
Bearing in mind that these launches have necessarily, since the inception of the inland Waters Navigation Agreement, been practically independent of the Merchant Shipping Act, it follows that local Regulations governing them are an absolute necessity, and the urgency that these should come into force without delay cannot be gainsaid. I have therefore the honour to ask that the proposed Regulations be made a King's Regulation, urgency declared, and, if possible, your decision com. municated by telegraph.
The French Consul, who has on his register forty-seven launches, a similar number to those on our register and under precisely similar conditions, has already addressed his Government on the unsatisfactory state of things existing here, and he informs me that he is prepared to recommend to it the issue of Regulations on the lines of those I now propose. My American colleague, though he has at present only three launches on his register, fully concurs as to the need of stringent Regulations, and is prepared to recommend them. Only two launches at present fly the German flag, and no other nationality is represented in this traffic.
I am forwarding copy of this despatch to his Excellency the Commander-in-chief and to the Judge at Shanghae, and asking the latter to telegraph to you if he has any objections to raise.
3. No net charter of a British vessel coming under these Regulations shall be granted by the owner to any other than a British subject. Always providing that such vessels may be hired for a single trip for a few days to any given point, with permission from the British Consulate, the captain and owner being alone responsible.
4. In order that the approximate whereabouts of every launch shall be known, each launch shall run on a route to be submitted beforehand to the British Consulate. Any change of route must be submitted beforehand to the Consulate.
5. The captain and engineer employed on the launches must be respectable and capable men to the satisfaction of His Majesty's Consul. They must obtain from the harbour master a certificate of competency in the form provided with a photograph attached, and this certificate must be carried with them at all times when on duty, and must be produced for inspection whenever demanded by any British official or an officer of the Imperial Maritime Customs. Any change of captain or engineer must be reported at the Consulate.
6. All British launches must fly a clean red ensign, and must, whenever required as above, produce the following papers:-
(a.) Certificate of British ownership issued by the Consulate.
(b) Report of survey of the duly appointed British surveyor.
(c) Inland water papers granted by the Imperial Maritime Customs.
7. The registered owner and the captain of each registered launch, and in the case of a charter, the charterer also, shall jointly and severally be held responsible that all Rules and Regulations are complied with and for the proper running of his launch.
8. Any breach of the above Regulations and of the "Regulations (amended) 1898 Steam Navigation Inland," shall be, where no penalty is specified, a grave offence under Article 61 of "The China and Corea Order in Council, 1904,"
9. A repetition of any breach of Regulations will involve, in addition to any penalty prescribed, cancellation of the vessel's registration as a British launch at the discretion of the Consul-General.
Annex (A),
STEAM NAVIGATION INLAND,
I have, &c. (Signed)
R. W. MANSFIELD.
P.S.While dispatching the above your letter No. 50 of the 29th ultimo, inclosing correspondence with regard to registration of launches, reached me.
R. W. M.
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Local Rules applicable to British Launches plying under the Regulations for Steam Navigation Inland.
A BRITISH subject desirous of availing himself of the privileges granted by the Regulations for Steam Navigation inland must appear at His Britannic Majesty's Consulate and produce the bill of sale to himself of the launch to be registered. He must make an affidavit that he is the actual owner thereof, and that no other person has, or has any intention of having, during such registered ownership, any equitable or beneficiary interest therein. A false declaration will reuder the offender liable to a fine not exceeding 50, with or without imprisonment, not exceeding three months.
2. Registration of such launches is limited to-
Launches towing passenger boats;
Launches carrying passengers or cargo on approved routes; Launches towing properly registered lighters and junks.
Name of launch,
Length, Breadth, Depth,
Affidavit of Ownership of Steam-Launch.
Stern, Framework,
Register No.
Distinguishing marks (if any),
Name and Description of Owner,
I, the above-named
of
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do hereby make
oath and say:
1. I am a natural born British subject born at
1
in the county of
and have never taken the oath of allegiance to any foreign State.