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7. In these circumstances it was suggested by the Harbour Master that the best and fairest way to induce (in the interests of Her Majesty's ships and other steam vessels) precautions against collision on the part of Chinese junks outside of the territorial waters of the Colony would be to insert in this Ordinance, or to make the subject of a separate legislative enactment, provisions precluding Chinese junks from being competent to sue in the Courts of the Colony for damages due to collision with British ships unless and until the Chinese Government adopt the international regulations for the prevention of collisions at sea.
8. It is certainly anomalous that a Chinese junk can recover in our Courts damages for collision against a British ship under regulations which could not be applied to the Chinese vessel if the positions were reversed, and it was suggested that a solution of the matter would be to insert a provision in this Ordinance to the effect that no junk suing in our Courts in respect of a collision with a British ship outside of our waters shall be entitled to recover damages unless she had exhibited for a reasonable time before the collision an efficient white light of the character provided for in the Bill, to be carried in our waters.
9. It appears to me, however, that such legislation, if introduced at all, would more properly form the subject of a separate Ordinance. I have not, therefore, inserted any such provision in this Ordinance, and in the meantime I should be glad to have your views as to whether such legislation,
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7. In these circumstances it was suggested
by the Harbour Master that the best and fairest way to induce f in the interests of Her Majesty's ships and other steam vessels) precautions against collision on the part of Chinese junks out- side of the territorial waters of the Colony would be to insert in this Ordinance, or to make the subject of a separate legisla-. tive enactment, provisions precluding Chinese junks from being competent to sue in the Courts of the Colony for damages due to collision with 3ritish ships unless and until the Chinese Government adopt the international regulations for the preven- tion of collisions at sea.
8. It is certainly anomalous that a Chinese junk can recover in our Courts damages for collision against a British, ship under regulations which could not be applied to the Chinese vessel if the positions were reversed, and it was suggested that a solution of the matter would he to insert a provision in this Ordinance to the effect that no junk suing in our Courts in respect of a collision with a British ship out- side of our waters shall be entitled to recover damages unless she had exhibited for a reasonable time before the collision an efficient, white light,of the character provided for in the Bill, to be carried in our waters..
9. It appears to me, however, that such legislation, if introduced at all, would more properly form the subject of a separate Ordinance. I have not, therefore, inserted any such provision in this Ordinance, and in the mean- time I should be glad to have your views as to whether such
legislation,
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