CO129-066 - Public Offices - 1857 — Page 535

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

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"Vessels, and as the property these Colonial. "Registered Bessels is vested almost en tirely in "Chinese the attention of the Colonial Legislature was not directed to this branch of the ownerships of ships, for the more our Chinese Presidents are left to their

own management of their Commercial "mations the more they appear to prosper " He ther says that the Ordinance having been in force for several months with the most beneficial effects " and I must earnestly send respectfully defresate any alteration of it, as it is only those actually residing in this Colony and practically acquainte with its most peculiar population and their mode of conducting business, who can be:

of its araption for existing exigencies Imay remark that no one in Hong Kong is so well acquainter with the Chinese in that Colony and their circumstances as the learned Acting Attorney-General

ware

The Colonial Treasurer in a Memorandum on & stimates (page of the corespondence respecting the Registration of Colonial vessels at Hong Kong) says, "If a

thing has been and will be

where, or, as

an

"The eminently beneficial to the colony, it is that "very system of granting Colonial Registers "particularly to respectable Chinese Sonthers

The ordinance says "Chinese Crown Lessees entitled to hold Colonial Registers' since it has already added to, and still tends to " increase, the Coasting Trade in Goods, the manufacture of Great Britain, or the produce. " of India, such as Cottons, Chium &e, and " on the other hand brings to this Colony more " of the produce of China for export to Europe

•and India or transshipment to other ports " of the Empire.

He further says

Coast the

Λ

I do not know the laws respecting "the granting of Ships Registers to Chinese in "The Straits Settlements, and Java; but, I "Its know that vessels are frequently arriving " in this Colony under the British and Dutch

• flags, which are the property of Chinese in Java or me of the Straits Settlements; and only vesterday two fine Lorchas passed through this carbour, under the Portuguese flag, the owner " of which as also of a square rigged vessel, is

Chinese at Macar,

a

in the 304 November 1855 the Lords of the

534

inform

Committee of Privy Council for Trade in the Secretary of State for the Colonies, that having had under their consideration the Despatch of the Governor of Hong Kong, anothe Repost of the Attorney General of that Colony on the subject of Ordinance N. 4 of 1855, are of opinion that, in the peculiar circumstances of the Colony of Hong Kong, the Ordinance may properly be left to its operating At the same time it is

whithert might suggested, not be desirable that an Ordinance shouts be passed under the authority of Section 547

of the Imperial act, declaring the pot with staring anything in the Imperial Cret, the bessels in question, if possessing

a Colonial Register, and whilst being navigated within the proposed limits should be entitled to use the British Flag; On the 12th December 1855 the Secretary of State conveys to the Governor of Hong Kong. the opinion of Her Majesty, Government above quotes and also Her Majesty's confirmation of the Ordinanca in question, and consequently no doubt can exist as to the legality of the said ordinances

af the registers granted under it.

On the 29th May 1856 the Legislature of Hong Kong Passed Ordinand Ag of 1856. the first clause of which is in accordance with the suggestions of the Lords of Committer # Privy Council for Trade above quoted and forwarded to the Governor in 12th December 1855, it is as

J.

"The British flag may

used by any

despati follows: be lawfully

any Chinese Resident within the meaning of Urdinance V. 4 of 1855 on board of any Ship or vessel registered in this Colony

of the sald Resident under the Ordinance aforesaid "

the

name

was

#

any

The approval of Her Majesty conveyed to the Governor on the 27th August rend was in due course and time published by proclamation to the inhabitants of Hong trong

I think it will thuis

appeler impartial reader that hesisters grantes unida. Ordinance N. 4 of 1855 ar legal?" and proper to all intents und purposes ha "know" the

Arregards the Lorcha

Register granted to her isolated the 27t% of september 1855 and she had complied

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