Directory_and_Chronicle_1886 — Page 871

CHARTER OF THE COLONY OF HONGKONG.

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III. And we do hereby require and command all our officers and ministers, civil and military, and all other the inhabitants of our said Colony of Hongkong, to be obedient, aiding, and assisting to such person as may, in the event of the death, incapacity, or absence of the Governor of our said Colony of Hongkong, assume and exercise, under the provisions of these our Letters Patent, the functions of such Governor.

IV. And we do hereby reserve to us, our heirs and successors, full

power and authority, from time to time, to revoke, alter, or amend these our Letters Patent as to us or them shall seem meet.

In witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made Patent. Witness ourself at Westminster, the Eighth day of June, in the Thirty-eighth year of our Reign.

By Warrant under the Queen's Sign Manual,

C. ROMILLY.

SUPPLEMENTARY CHARTER, 9TH APRIL, 1877. Victoria by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India: To all to whom these Presents shall come, Greeting:

Whereas we did, by certain Letters Patent (hereinafter called our said Charter) under the great seal of our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster the fifth day of April, 1843, in the sixth year of our Reign, erect the Island of Hongkong and its dependencies into a separate Colony, to be known and designated as the Colony of Hongkong, and did make provision for the government of our said Colony: And whereas by our Order in our Privy Council, bearing date the fourth day of February, 1861, in the twenty-fourth year of our Reign, it was ordered that the Kowloon district therein described should be part and parcel of our said Colony: And whereas we did, by certain other Letters Patent, under the great seal of our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the thirteenth day of February, 1872, in the thirty-fifth year of our Reign, constitute and appoint our trusty and well beloved Sir Arthur Edward Kennedy, Knight Commander of our most distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Companion of our most honourable Order of the Bath, to be, during our will and pleasure, our Governor and Commander-in-chief in and over our said Colony of Hongkong and its dependencies, and over all forts and garrisons which are now or may hereafter be erected and established therein: And whereas we did, by certain other Letters Patent, under the great seal of our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the eighth day of June, 1875, in the thirty-eighth year of our Reign, amend our said Charter: And whereas we are desirous of making effectual and permanent provision for the office of Governor and Commander-in-chief in and over our said Colony of Hongkong and its dependencies, without making new Letters Patent on each demise of the said office: Now know that we have revoked and determined, and by these presents do revoke and determine the said recited Letters Patent of the thirteenth day of February, 1872, and the eighth day of June, 1875, and every clause, article, and thing therein contained, provided that such revocation shall not extend to or affect the repeal of the eleventh clause of our said Charter contained in the last-mentioned Letters Patent, but that the said eleventh clause shall be and remain repealed: And further know ye, that we, of our special grace, certain knowledge, and mere motion, have thought fit to constitute, order, and declare, and do by these presents constitute, order, and declare, that there shall be a Governor and Commander-in-chief (hereinafter called our said Governor) in and over our Colony of Hongkong and its dependencies (hereinafter called our said Colony), and that the person who shall fill the said office of Governor shall be from time to time appointed by commission under our sign manual and signet: And we do hereby authorize and command our said Governor to do and execute in due manner all things that shall belong to his said command, and to the trust we have reposed in him, according to the several powers and authorities granted or appointed him by

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