CO885-6 — Page 413

HONG KONG.

PAPERS

RELATING TO THE

HONG KONG MERCHANT SHIPPING

ORDINANCES.

8102

No. 1.

GOVERNOR SIR H. A. BLAKE to MR. CHAMBERLAIN.

(Received March 14, 1900.)

じっ

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

TC.O. 882

nil

(No. 54.)

SIR,

[Answered by No. 7.]

Government House, Hong Kong, February 10, 1900.

I HAVE the honour to transmit for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure No. 36 of

an Ordinance entitled "An Ordinance to consolidate and amend the Laws relating 1899, 12th

to Merchant Shipping, the duties of the Harbour Master, the control and

management January,

of the waters of the Colony, and the regulation of vessels navigating the same."

2. I annex a Report by the Acting Attorney-General, together with a printed synopsis of the Ordinance.

3. It will be seen from the Report that considerable care and elaboration of detail has been required in order to indicate the necessary amendments and re- arrangements which have been made in the existing law, and the Acting Attorney- General has suggested that a few points requiring elucidation have possibly escaped his attention in the preparation of his report. I may mention, however, that the Harbour Master is shortly going on leave to England. He will probably arrive about the middle of April, and would suggest that if you desire further explanation of, or information upon, the necessity or expedience of any changes in the law which have been introduced into the new Ordinance you may find it convenient to consult Captain Murray Rumsey.

4. I regret to observe that, as the Acting Attorney-General has pointed out, a slip occurred in paragraph 11 of Table M of the Schedule attached to the Ordinance. The figures "9 or 10" ahould be substituted for "10 or 11." This mistake will be rectified by an Order in Council after Her Majesty shall have given her consent to the Ordinance.

5. Some months ago Vice-Admiral Seymour, Commanding the squadron on the China. Station, addressed me on the subject of the desirability, in view of two recent collisions between Her Majesty's ships and Chinese junks caused, it is alleged, by the latter not having exhibited any lights until too late for collision to be avoided, of obliging Chinese junks licensed in this Colony to carry at night at the highest mast head a lighted Lamp of a certain pattern. All vessels while within the waters of the Colony are obliged to carry proper lights, and I pointed out to Vice-Admiral Seymour that no regulations made by this Government could be made binding on

• Not reprinted.

1900

12425

A

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

6 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON