CO129-019 - Sir John Davis - 1847 [1-4] — Page 308

ગાંધ

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in act

KOONDAS SARKATERET:

HONGKONG,

ANNO DECIMO VICTORIÆ REGINÆ.

No. 3 of 1847.

BY His Excellency Sir JOHN FRANCIS DAVIS, Baronet, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Hongkong and its Depen- dencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same, Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary and Chief Superintendent of the Trade of British Subjects in China, with the Advice of the Legislative Council of Hongkong,

AN ORDINANCE FOR THE PREVENTION OF PIRACY.

[25th March, 1847.] WHEREAS it has become necessary to adopt further steps for the prevention of Piracies; and whercas His Excellency the Chinese Imperial Commissioner has disavowed the right of private vessels be- longing to the people of his Nation to carry fire-arms, and at the same time assented to any necessary measures on the part of the Govern ment of Hongkong for putting down piracy:

Title.

Preamble.

Junks.

I. Be it therefore enacted and ordained, That from and after the Authority to searcli passing of this Ordinance the Captain or Officers of every British ship Chinese Vessels or of war or other vessel duly authorized by the Government of this Colony, or every Magistrate or officer of Police, Harbour-Master or officer of the Harbour-Master's Department, are hereby authorized to board and enter every Chinese Vessel or Junk reasonably suspected of being a piratical vessel, and search the same.

fire pots or stink

II. And be it further enacted and ordained, That the possession, Chinese Vessels by any Chinese Vessel whatever, (not being a Government. Vessel) having on board of the offensive weapons called fire pots or stink pots shall be held and

pots, to be deemed deemed to be proof of a piratical Vessel.

piratical Vessels. III. And be it further enacted and ordained, That the possession Chinese Vessels by any Chinese Vessel whatever (not being a Government Vessel) of carrying offensive any offensive arms or weapons shall be held and deemed to be proof liable to forfeiture. of a piratical Vessel, and such Vessel with its contents shall be for- feited; unless it shall appear that such Chinese vessel was duly Proviso, licensed to carry such arms or weapons as hereinafter mentioned.

arma or weapons

IV. And be it further enacted and ordained, That all trading Trading Junks, Lorchas, large fast- Junks, Lorchas, large Fast-boats, and other Vessels belonging to boats, &c. duly re- Hongkong, being duly registered and licensed by the Registrar-Gene- gistered, to carry a ral, under and by virtue of the provisions of Ordinance No. 7 of 1846, Hag. intituled "An Ordinance to repeal Ordinance No. 18 of 1844, and "to establish a more effectual Registry of the Chinese Inhabitants, "and a census of the Population of the Island of Hongkong," shall Registrar-Gene- and may carry the same flag as other British Merchant vessels with ral authorized to the numbers of their Register inscribed in large white figures in the grant such flag.

And Trading Junks, centre of the said flag, so as to be distinguishable at a distance. Lorchas,large Fast- the Registrar-General is hereby authorized to grant such flag as boats, &c. not duly aforesaid: And every trading Junk, Lorcha, Large Fast-boat, or registered, carry- other vessel belonging as aforesaid which shall use the aforesaid flag ing the flag, to be without being duly registered and licensed as aforesaid, shall be for forfeited.

Penalty on the feited, and the owner or master of such trading Junk, Lorcha, or large Master for using Fast-boat, or other vessel, shall in addition pay a fine not exceeding the flag without li- Fifty Dollars.

V. And be it further enacted and ordained, That all trading Junks, Trading Junks, Lorchas, large Fast-boats, and other Vessels belonging to Hongkong Lorchas, large fast- boats, &c., having not duly registered and licensed to carry arms, and all trading Junks, other arms on board Lorchas, large Fast-boats, and other Vessels duly registered and than those specified licensed as before mentioned, having on board other arms or a larger in their Registers, quantity of arms than are specified in their Register, shall be held and to be deemed the deemed to be the property of pirates, and as such liable to forfeiture property of Pirates and liable to for- And the master or feiture. by process in the Court of Vice-Admiralty.

cense.

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