Directory_and_Chronicle_1892 — Page 228

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ORDER IN COUNCIL

97. If any person navigating a British vessel wilfully violates, or wilfully attempts to vio'a'e, any such Regulation, the officer commanding any vess 1 of war of Her Majesty, or in charge of any boat belonging to such vessel of war, may use force for the purpose of compelling him to desist from the violation or attempted violation of the Regulation, and if it appears necessary or expedient may seize the vessel, and such C mmand- ing Officer may either detain her at the place of seizure, or take her, or cause he to be taken, to any port or place in Japan or elsewhere where the offender may be more conveniently prosecuted for such offence.

Any such vessel may lawfully be detained at the place of seizure, or at the port or place to which she is so taken, un'er the authority of any such Commanding Officer, or of any of Her Majesty's Consular Officers in Jan until the conclusion of any proceedings taken in respect of the offence.

X. PIRACY.

98. Any British s'ject leing in China or in Japan may be proceeded against, tried, and punished under this Order for the crime of piracy

wherever committed,

99. If the Court before which a British subject charged with the crin e of piracy is brought is a Provincial Court, the Court shall repo t to the Judge of the Supreme Court the pendency of the case.

The Judge of the Supreme Court shall thereupon direct in what mode and where the case shall be heard and determined, and (notwithstanding anything in this Order) the case shall be so heard and determined accord- ingly.

XI.-OFFENCES AGAINST Religion.

100. If any British subject is guilty of publicly deriding, mocking, or the public sult insulting any religion established or observed in China or in Japan- or of publicly offering any insult to any religious service, feast, or ceremony established or kept in any part of China or in Japan, or to any place for worship, temb, or sanctuary belonging to any such religion, or to the minist ters or professors thereof,—or of wilfully committing any act tending to brin g any such religion or its ceremonies, mode of worship, or observances into hatred, ridicule, or contemp and thereby to provoke a breach of the public peace, he shall be liable (in the discretion of the Court before which he is convicted) to imprisonment for any term not exceeding two years, with or without harbour, and with or without a fine not exceed- ing 500 dollars, orto a fine not exceeding 500 dollars ithout in prisonment.

triadiction of Courts in China Gad Japan.

Notwithstanding an' thing in this Order, every charge against a British subject of having committed any such offence shall be heard and deter- mined in a summary way, and any Provincial Court shall have power to im ore the unishment aforesaid.

Her Majesty's Consular Officers shall take such precautionary messures as seem to them proper and expedient for the prevention of such offences.

XIL-AUTHORITY WITHIN 100 MILES OF THE Coast of China.

101. Where a British subject, being aft r the commencement of this Order in China or in Jaran, is charged with having committed, either before or after the commercement of this Order, any crime or offence within a British vessel at a distance of not more than 100 miles from the ccast of China,—or within a Chinese or Japanese vessel at such a distance as aforesaid,—or within a vessel not lawfully entitled to claim the protec- tion of the flag of any State, at such vistance as aforesaid,-any of Her Majesty's Courts in China or in Japan within the jurisdiction whereof be is found may cause him to be apprehended and brought before it, and may take the reliminary examination and commit him for

1 trial.