CO129-131 - Sir MacDonnell - 1868 [6-7] — Page 28

that allowing such Ordinance to take effect in the Colony-

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without the Queen's permission wass or breach of Her Majesty's instructions to the Governor (See Scor XM Clause 9.)

Having regard however

to all the circumstances of the case and especially to the n language of the Ordinance itself Jam of opinion that it does not come within that class of Ordinances which requires

to be reserved.

(Signed) Henry John Balli Mating Attorney Generali

(True Copy)

I Gandhina Mestre

م کرے

Colonial Secretary.

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CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT.

HONGKONG: FRIDAY, 15TH MAY, 1868.

( First Reading. 5* Moxy, 1868.)

THE DISARMAMENT OF CHINESE VESSELS.

The GOVERNOR said that in connection with this subject he had now to bring forward oue which enabled the Government to co-operate with the native authorities in making arrangements for the disarmament of certain native vessels. Ever since he came to the colony he had been in correspondence with the Chinese authorities through the Con- sul at Canton and H.M. Minister at Peking, &c., concerning the necessity of some measure for the disarmament of native vessels, on the ground that, numerous and heavily-armed as they were in general, they gave shelter to those of a really piratical character. by making it difficult to distinguish one class of vessels from the other. It was urged, he knew, that if you disarmed the honest vessel you would simply expose her to greater risk than that which she previously ran, and this consideration open ed à wide field for discussion. It was very rare however, that any vessels which were attacked escaped by being armed. Experience showed that while all vessels went about armed, the pirates gained much more by the arrangement than the honest traders. That at all events was the opinion of persons who had a wide ex- perience of China. He was very anxious that the experiment of disarmament should be tried. In Sir Harry Keppel he had found a very powerful ally. When he went north, he had seen the Minister at Pekin and some members of the Foreign Board, and much interest in the subject had been felt. The Admiral had in- duced the authorities to write to the Viceroy at Canton giving him instructions, and the consequence of this step was a proclamation. which was lately issued, probibiting Fishing- vessels from carrying arms, or munitions of war, on pain of confiscation. He confessed that he could not regard the regulation, as ori- ginally proposed by the Viceroy, as entirely satisfactory. One great advantage, which would arise from a more general disarmament, would be that it would enable us to distinguish pirates from other vessels, whenever they were searched. While applied to fishing vessels only, the mea sure though a step in advance, and in the right direction, was not very effective. The proclaina. tion, as it stood at present, did indeed contain one very important clause in addition, which prohibited all vessels from carrying stink-pots. This addition was one which he bad pressed the admiral to have inserted, and it gave us a fair chance of seeing the experiment properly tried. Stink-pots were exclusively the weapons of pirates. No pirate was without them, and we would now be enabled to fix a piratical character, after examination, on every vessel which was really a pirate. The Ordinance gave the Governor in Executive Council power to frame regulations to prevent all Chinese vessels from carrying arms. In this way it would be possible to keep abreast of any reform introduced by the Chinese. It would not be convenient to go far in advance of them, and have stringout laws in force in this colony,while such regulations might be a dead letter only a few miles off. Instead, there- fore, of proposing an Ordinance with fixed pro- visions, which it might be difficult to handle, he brought forward the present measure, which gave the Governorin Council power to frame whatever regulations might be necessary. It was the duty of this Government not to go further than the Chinese Government in this matter, as they would otherwise put the native vessels in Hongkong at a disadvantage as compared with those frequenting a Chinese port. He offered this explanation in order that the Council might fully understand the reasons which compelled. the adoption of the peculiar measures proposed.

This Ordinance was read a first time.

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