Directory_and_Chronicle_1882 — Page 944

PORT, CONSULAR, CUSTOMS, SAILING, AND HARBOUR REGULATIONS, &c., FOR THE TREATY PORTS OF CHINA.

GENERAL REGULATIONS.

Port Regula'ions to secure the observance of Treaties, and the maintenance of friendly relations between British subjects and Chinese subjects and authorities, made in pursuance of Section 85 of the China and Japan Order in Council, 1865.

I.-All port rules an 1 regulations heretofore in force to secure the observance of Treaties and the maintenanc› of friendly relations between British subjects and Chinese subjects and authorities, having reference to any of the 13 ports open for trade in China, are repealed, and from which day the following regulations have been made :

II.-Toe British Consulate offices at the sveral open ports shall be opened for public business from 10 o'clock A.M. to 4 o'clock P.M. daily, excepting Sundays, Caristmas day, Good Fri lay, Queen's birthday, Easter Monday, and those holidays upon which public offices in England are clos 1, Chinese New Your's day, and such Chinese boli lays as the Chinese Customs authorities may observe.

III.—On the arrival of any British vessel at the anchorage of any of the open ports, the master shall, within 24 hours, deposit his ship's papers together with a summary of the manifest of her cargo at the Consulate office, unless a Sun lay or holiday should intervene.

IV. Every British vessel must show her national colours on entering the port or. anch rage, and keep them hoisted until she shall have been reporte l at the Consulate and her papers deposited there.

V. No British vessel or any vessel the property of a British subject, unless provided with a certificate of registry, or provisional or other pass from the Superinten lent of Trade at Peking or from the Colonial Government at Hongkong, shall hoist the British ensign within any port or anchorage, or any flag similar to the British ensign, or of a character not to be easily distinguishable from it. Nor shall any registered British vessl flying the Red ensign hoist any other ensign or flag (except she be entitled to fly the Blue ensig›) in use by Her Majesty's vessels of war, or the nitio al ensign of any foreign State or any ensign or flag not plainly distinguishable from the ensigns used by Her Majesty's ships of war or from thos flown by ships of foreign States.

VI.-Should any seaman absent himself without permission, the master shall forthwith report the sime at the Consulate office, and take the necessary measures for the recovery of the absentee, and it shall be lawful for the Consul, if circumstances shall require it, in his discretion to prohibit leave being given to seamen to come ashore, and any master who shall violate such prohibition shall incur the penalties hereinafter declared.

VII.-The discharge of guns or other firearms from vessels in harbour is strictly prohibited, unless permission shall have been granted by the Consul.

VIII.-Masters of vessels when reporting their arrival at a port shall notify in writing the names of all passengers and persons not forming part of the articled crew on board, and previous to leaving, notice must be given of the number and names of all persons, not forming part of the articled crew, intending to leave the port on board any vessel.

IX.-All cases of death occurring at sea must be reported to the Consul within 24 hours of the vessel's arriving in port or harbour, and all cases of death, on board vessels in harbour, or in the residences of British subjects on shore, must be immediately reported at the Consulate office, and in the event of su iden or accidental