Directory_and_Chronicle_1892 — Page 409

GENERAL PORT REGULATIONS FOR HER BRITANNIC

MAJESTY'S CONSULATES IN CHINA.

The undersigned, Her Britannic Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary and Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China, acting under the authority conferred upon him by the 85th Section of the China and Japan Order in Council, 1865, hereby declares the following Regulations, made, in pursuance of the above Order in Council, to secure the observance of Treaties and the maintenance of friendly relations between British subjects and Chinese subjects and authorities, to be applicable to all ports which are, or may hereafter become, open to British trade :-

I. The British Consulate offices at the several open ports shall be opened for public business from 10 o'clock A.M. to 4 o'clock P.M. daily, excepting Sundays, Christmas Day, Good Friday, Queen's birthday, Easter Monday, those holidays upon which public offices in England are closed, and Chinese New Year's day, and such Chinese holidays as the Chinese Customs authorities may observe.

II.-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 Sunday or holiday shall intervene.

III.- Every British vessel must show her national colours on entering the port or anchorage, and keep them hoisted until she shall have been reported at the Consulate and her papers deposited there.

IV.-No Britis, vessel or any vessel the property of a British subject, unless provided with a certificate of registry, or provisional or other pass from the Super- intendent 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 vessel flying the Red ensign hoist any other ensign or flag (except she be entitled to fly the Blue ensign) in use by Her Majesty's vessels of war, or the national ensign of any foreign State or any ensign or flag not plainly dis- tinguishable from the ensigns used by Her Majesty's ships of war or from those flown by ships of foreign States.

V.-Sould any seaman absent himself from his ship without permission, the master shall forthwith report the circumstance 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 penal ies bereinafter declared.

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

VII.-Masters of ve sels when reporting their arrival at a port shall notify in writing the ames of all passengers and person. not torming part of the articled crew on board, and pr. vious to leaving, notice must be given of the names of all persons, not forming part of the articled crew, intending to leave the port on board any vessel.

VIII.—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 imme- diately reported at the Consulate office, and in the event of sudden or accidental