CO129-397 - Public Offices & Others - 1912 — Page 29

Any further communication should be addressed to:--

THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY, (MARINE DEPARTMENT), And the following letter and number should be quoted:-

M. 20.502.

Telegraphic Address: *ARD TRADE, MARINE, LONDON.

MARINE DEPARTMENT,

7, WHITEHALL GARDENS,

LONDON, S.W.

20th July, 1912

28

Sir,

With reference to your letter of the 13th July (No. 26631/1912) transmitting a despatch from the Officer Administering the Government of Hong Kong with regard to the steamships "Paul Beau" and "Charles Hardouin", I am directed by the Board of Trade to state for the infonetion of Mr. Secretary Harcourt, that they agree that the suggested amendment of section 38 of the Principal Ordinance by the omission of the word "British" will enable the vessels in question to be surveyed under that section. So far as the Board of Trade are concerned there is no objection to this course being followed.

As regards the proposal contained in the 3rd paragraph of your letter, I am to state that the Board concur in the opinion that the recognition of the French "permis de Navigation" would deprive the Hong Kong authorities of control over the vessels and that the survey, equipment and number of passengers carried would be at the discretion of a French Court of Survey. The Board cannot regard this as satisfactory for the reasons set forth in the Harbour Master's

The Under Secretary of State,

letter

Colonial Office,

S.W.