TNAG-1314-FCO40-1696-Working-papers-for-use-at-talks-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 19

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registration applying to the United kingdom, the Dominions

and Colonies which then formed the British Empire. Under

that Act, ships which are wholly owned by British subjects

or by companies "established under and subject to the laws

of some part of Her Majesty's dominions, and having their

principal place of business in those dominions" are deemed

to be British and, unless exempted, are required "to be

registered under this Act." Ships so registered could,

and to some extent still can be transferred from one British

port of registry to another by simple administrative action,

regardless of where the owning company is based within Her

Majesty's dominions. Undoubtedly, such flexibility has

contributed in the past to the growth and the strength of

British shipping.

6.

However, in the course of the last 90 years important

changes have occurred which have brought into question

the continuation of the "British ship" system. Although

the present arrangements may have been valuable in the past

to Commonwealth countries and territories for whom the

establishment of a marine administration was not a practical

proposition, this no longer appears to be the case (as

witnessed by the small number of Commonwealth-owned ships

on the UK register). Most of the dominions and colonies

have achieved independence and established their own

separate register and shipping law. The Commonwealth

Shipping Agreement of 1931 which provided, inter alia, that

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