CO129-061 - Public Offices - 1856 — Page 42

Ships streetly or Ships linisted by the 6th section of the Act to British ships within British jurisdiction. The General Blanco fall within either of these categories. Whatever her nationality, she is certainly not a British ship.

While the ground of forfeiture Application to the Admiral was that she was not within British jurisdiction. If, therefore, Captain Stirling had seized the ship on the ground of her having violated the Chinese Passengers Act, he would unquestionably have exceeded the powers vested in him by the Act 18 and 19 Vict. Cap 104, and would have rendered himself liable to censure and possibly to legal proceedings.

8. A more general question arises from this correspondence, which, although it will be most properly discussed when the result of the proceedings against the General Blanco is known, it seems hardly proper to pass altogether without notice on the present occasion. We allude to the apparent facility with which Foreign Vessels evade the provisions of the Chinese Passengers Act.