HONGKONG.
ANNO DECIMO QUARTO VICTORIÆ REGINÆ.
No. 4 of 1850,
BY His Excellency SAMUEL GEORGE BONHAM, Esquire, Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Colony of Hongkong and its Dependencies, 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 TO PREVENT THE DESERTION OF SEAMEN BELONGING TO FOREIGN SHIPS AND VESSELS.
[17th December, 1850.]
Title.
WHEREAS Ships and Vessels belonging to Foreign States, from time to time visit the Harbours and Roadsteads of Hongkong; and the desertion of Seamen from such Ships and Vessels while in the said Harbours and Roadsteads has been productive of much inconvenience and mischief to such Ships and Vessels:---
I. Be it therefore enacted and ordained by His Excellency The Governor of Hongkong, with the advice of the Legislative Council thereof, That if any Seaman belonging to the Crew of any Foreign Ship or Vessel shall desert therefrom, or otherwise abscond, or absent himself from his duty while such Ship or Vessel is lying within any Harbour or Roadstead of Hongkong, it shall and may be lawful for any Constable, or for the Master or Person in charge of the Ship, or for any one specially deputed by such Master or Person in charge, to arrest such Seaman without Warrant and convey him before a Justice of the Peace; and in case such Seaman shall refuse to return to his duty on board the said Ship or Vessel, or shall not give a sufficient reason for such refusal, the Justice may order such Seaman to be put forcibly on board the Ship or Vessel to which he may belong; or to be confined in any Jail or other Place of security within the said Colony, for any period until he can be put on board his Ship at her departure from the Port, or until he shall be demanded by the Master of the Ship or by the Consul of the Country to which such Ship may belong. Provided always that the said period of confinement shall not, in the absence of such Departure or Demand, exceed Three Calendar Months.
II. And be it further enacted and ordained, That it shall be lawful for any Justice or Justices of the Peace, upon complaint of the Master of such Ship or Vessel, that he has reasonable cause to believe that any runaway Seaman or Seamen belonging to the Crew of any such Ship or Vessel, is or are harboured, secreted, or concealed, or suspected to be harboured, secreted, or concealed on board any other Ship, Boat, or other Vessel, or in any House or Place whatsoever, to issue a Warrant directing some Constable or Constables to search such Ship, Boat, or other Vessel, or such House or Place, and such Seaman or Seamen to be taken into custody and lodged in any or the nearest Watch-house, and every such Seaman or Seamen shall, with all convenient speed, be brought before some Justice or Justices of the Peace, to be dealt with as is hereinbefore directed with respect to Seamen apprehended for desertion, absconding, or absence from duty.
III. And be it further enacted and ordained, That if any Person whatsoever shall harbour, conceal, employ, or retain, or assist in harbouring, concealing, employing, or retaining any Seaman belonging to the Crew of any Foreign Ship or Vessel, who shall have deserted therefrom or otherwise absconded, or absented himself from duty, while such Ship or Vessel is lying within any Harbour or Roadstead in Hongkong, knowing such Seaman to have deserted, absconded, or absented himself from duty, or shall cause, induce, or persuade, or endeavour to cause, induce, or persuade any such Seaman, in any manner whatsoever to violate or to attempt or endeavour to violate any Agreement which he may have entered into to serve on board any such Ship or Vessel, or shall knowingly connive at the desertion, absconding, or absence from duty of any such Seaman, such Person so offending
293
HONGKONG.
ANNO DECIMO QUARTO VICTORIÆ REGINÆ.
No. 4 of 1850,
BY His Excellency SAMUEL GEORGE BONHAM, Esquire, Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Governor and Commander- in-Chief of the Colony of Hongkong and its Dependencies, and Vice- Admiral of the same, Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary, and Chief Super- intendent of the Trade of British Subjects in China, with the Advice of the Legislative Council of Hongkong.
AN ORDINANCE TO PREVENT THE DESERTION OF SEAMEN BELONGING TO FOREIGN SHIPS AND VESSELS.
[17th December, 1850.]
Title.
WHEREAS Ships and Vessels belonging to Foreign States, from Preamble. time to time visit the Harbours and Roadsteads of Hongkong; and
the desertion of Seamen from such Ships and Vessels while in the said Harbours and Roadsteads has been productive of much inconvenience and mischief to such Ships and Vessels:---
deserting
I. Be it therefore enacted and ordained by His Excellency The Foreign Sea- Governor of Hongkong, with the advice of the Legislative Council men thereof, That if any Seaman belonging to the Crew of any Foreign may be appre
hended and put Ship or Vessel shall desert therefrom, or otherwise abscond, or absent on board the Ves- hiniself from his duty while such Ship or Vessel is lying within any sels to which they Harbour or Roadstead of Hongkong, it shall and may be lawful for any belong. Constable, or for the Master or Person in charge of the Ship, or for any one specially deputed by such Master or Person in charge, to arrest such Seaman without Warrant and convey him before a Justice of the Peace; and in case such Seaman shall refuse to return to his duty on board the said Ship or Vessel, or shall not give a sufficient reason for such refusal, the Justice may order such Seaman to be put forcibly on board
the Ship or Vessel to which he may belong; or to be confined in any Or may be con-
Jail or other Place of security within the said Colony, for any period fined in Gaol.
until he can be put on board his Ship at her departure from the Port, or
until he shall be demanded by the Master of the Ship or by the Consul
of the Country to which such Ship may belong. Provided always that
the said period of confinement shall not, in the absence of such Departure
or Demand, exceed Three Calendar Months.
II. And be it further enacted and ordained, That it shall be lawful Ships or Houses for any
Justice or Justices of the Peace, upon complaint of the Master may be searched of such Ship or Vessel, that he has reasonable cause to believe that for deserters from
Foreign Vessels. any runaway Seaman or Seamen belonging to the Crew of any such Ship or Vessel, is or are harboured, secreted, or concealed, or suspected to be harboured, secreted, or concealed on board any other Ship, Boat, or other Vessel, or in any House or Place whatsoever, to issue a Warrant directing some Constable or Constables to search such Ship, Boat, or other Vessel, or such House or Place, and such Seaman or Seamen to Lodge in any or the nearest Watch-house, and every such Seaman or Seamen shall, with all convenient speed, be brought before some Justice or Justices of the Peace, to be dealt with as is hereinbefore directed with respect to Seamen apprehended for desertion, absconding, or abacuce from duty.
deserters
III. And be it further enacted and ordained, That if any Person Penalty on per- whatsoever shall harbour, conceal, employ, or retain, or assist in har-sons harbouring
from bouring, concealing, employing, or retaining any Seaman belonging to
Foreign Vessels. the Crew of any Foreign Ship or Vessel, who shall have deserted therefrom or otherwise absconded, or absented himself from duty, while such Ship or Vessel is lying within any Harbour or Roadstead in Hongkong, knowing such Seaman to have deserted, absconded, or absented himsef from duty, or shall cause, induce, or persuade, or endeavour to cause, induce, or persuade any such Seniman, in any manner whatsoever to violate or to attempt or endeavour to violate any Agreement which he may have entered into to serve on board any such Ship or Vessel, or shall knowingly connive at the desertion, absconding, or absence from duty of any such Seaman, such Person so offending
293
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