Directory_and_Chronicle_1900 — Page 259

H.B.M. SUBJECTS IN CHINA AND JAPAN

XI.-OFFENCES AGAINST RELIGION

199

summary way

or religious

100. If any British subject is guilty of publicly deriding, mocking, or insulting any religion established or observed in China or in Japan -or of Punishment in publicly offering any insult to any religious service, feast, or ceremony for public insult established or kept in any part of China or in Japan, or to any place for to religion worship, tomb, or sanctuary belonging to any such religion, or to the institutions. ministers or professors thereof,-or of wilfully committing any act tending to bring any such religion or its ceremonies, mode of worship, or observances into hatred, ridicule, or contempt 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 hard labour, and with or without a fine not exceed- ing 500 dollars, or to a fine not exceeding 500 dollars without imprisonment. Notwithstanding anything 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 impose the punishment aforesaid.

Her Majest.'s Consular Officers shall take such precautionary measures as seem to them proper and expedient for the prevention of such offences. XII.-AUTHORITY WITHIN 100 MILES OF THE COAST OF CHINA

and Japan.

101. Where a British subject, being after the cominencement of this Jurisdiction of Order in China or in Japan, is charged with having committed, either Courts in China before or after the commencement of this Order, auy crime or offence within a British vessel at a distance of not more than 100 miles from the coast 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 uistance as aforesaid, -any of Her Majesty's Courts in China or in Japan within the jurisdiction whereof he is found may cause him to be apprehended and brought before it, and may take the preliminary examination and commit him for trial.

102. If the Court before which the accused is brought is a Provin- Report by cial Court, the Court shall report to the Judge of the Supreme Court the Provincial 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.

Court.

103. The provisions of this Order relat ve to crimes and offences, and Application of proceedings in criminal matters, shall in all respects, as far as may be, other provisions. extend and apply to every such case, in like manner as if the crime or offence had been committed in China or Japan.

Jurisdiction at

104. Where a British subject, being after the commencement of this Order in Hongkong, is charged with having committed, either before or Hongkong. after the commencement of this Order, any crime or offence within any British, Chinese, Japanese, or other such vessel at such a distance as aforesaid, the Supreme Court at Hongkong shall have and may exe'cise authority and jurisdiction with respect to the crime or offence as fully as if it had been committed in Hongkong.

105. Her Majesty's Minister in China or in Japan, the Judge or Military and Assistant Judge of the Supreme Court, and any of Her Majesty's Consular Naval Desertera. Officers in China or in Japan, or the Governor or person administering the Government of Hongkong, on receiving satisfactory information that any soldier, sailor, marine, or other person belonging to any of Her Majesty's Military or Naval forces has deserted therefrom, and has concealed himself in any British, Chinese, Japanese, or other such vessel at such a distance as aforesaid, may, in pursuance of such information, issue his warrant for a search after and apprehension of such deserter, and on being satisfied