Directory_and_Chronicle_1882 — Page 873

GENERAL REGULATIONS UNDER WHICH BRITISH TRADE IS TO BE CONDUCTED IN SIAM.

Art. I.-The master of any English ship coming to Bangkok to trade must, either before or after entering the river, as may be found convenient, report the arrival of his vessel at the Custom-house at Paknam, together with the number of his crew and guns, and the port from whence he comes. Upon anchoring his vessel at Pakram, he will deliver into the cus'ody of the Custom-house officers all his guns and ammunition; and a Custom-house officer will then be appointed to the vessel, and will proceed in her to Bangkok.

Art. II. A vessel passing Paknam without discharging her guns and ammu- nition as directed in the foregoing regulation, will be sent back to Paknam to comply with its provisions, and will be fined eight hundred ticals for having so disobeyed. After delivery of her guns and ammunition she will be permitted to return to Bangkok to trade.

Art. III-When a British vessel shall have cast anchor at Bangkok, the master, unless a Sunday shou'd intervene, will within four-and-twenty hours after arrival proceed to the British Consulate, and deposit there bis hip's papers, bills of lading, &c., together with a true manifest of his import cargo; and upon the Consul's reporting these particulars to the Custom-house, permission to break bulk will at once be given by the latter.

For neglecting so to report his arrival, or for presenting a false manif et, the master will subject himself, in each instance, to a penalty of four hundred ticals; but he will be allowed to correct, within twenty-four hours after delivery of it to the Consul, any mistake he may discover in his manifest, without incurring the above- mentioned penalty,

Art. IV-A British vessel breaking bulk, and commencing to discharge, before due permission shall be obtained, or smuggling, either when in the river or outside the bar, shall be subject to the penalty of eight hundred ticals, and confiscation of the goods so smuggled or discharged.

Art. V.-As soon as a British vessel shall have discharged her cargo, and completed her outward 1 ding, paid all her duties, and delivered a true manifest of her outward cargo to the British Consul, a Siamese port-clearance shall be granted her on application from the Consul, who, in the absence of any legal impediment to her departure, will then return to the master his ship's papers, and allow the vessel to leave. A Custom-house officer will accompany the vessel to Paknam; and on arriving there she will be inspected by the Custom-house officer of that station, and will receive from them the guns and ammunition previously delivered into their charge. The above regulations, numbered from 1 to 5, are obligatory under the treaty concluded between Great Britain and Siam; those which follow, numbered from 6 to 14, are equally to be observed by masters of British vessels and their crews. Art. VI.-Masters of British vessels when reporting their arrival at Her Majesty's Consulate, at the port of Bangkok, as directed by the fourth regulation above quoted, shall notify in writing the names of all passengers and persons not forming part of the registered crew.

Notice must likewise be given of the number and names of persons, who, as passengers or in any other capacity (seamen borne ou the muster-roll excepted) in- tend to leave S'am in a British vessel.

Art. VII.-Seamen, lascars, and others belonging to British vessels in the port are strictly prohibited to wear side knives and other weapons while on shore.

Art. VIII.-Should any seaman or apprentice absent himself without leave, the master will report his absence, if such exceeds twenty-four hours, a: the Consulate office.

Art. IX.-Any British subject who entices a seaman or apprentice to desert, incurs, according to the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854, paragraph 257, a penalty not exceeding ten pounds; or any such subject who wilfully harbours or secretes a person deserted from his ship, incurs a penalty not exceeding twenty pounds, if it be proved that he had knowledge of bis being a deserter.