41095-1915-Order-by-the-King-in-Council-dated-the-11th-March — Page 1

314

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, JUNE 18,

1915.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

No. 267. His Majesty the King has not been advised to exercise his power of dis- allowance with respect to the following Ordinances :-

Ordinance No. 1 of 1915.--An Ordinance to amend the Stamp Ordinance, 1901. Ordinance No. 5 of 1915.-An Ordinance to provide for the payment of fees in

respect of Private Bills.

COUNCIL. CHAMBER,

17th June, 1915.

NOTICES.

A. G. M. FLETCHER,

Clerk of Councils.

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S DEPARTMENT.

No. 268. The following is published for general information.

AT THE COURT AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE,

THE 11TH DAY OF MARCH, 1915.

PRESENT,

THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.

WHEREAS the German Government has issued certain Orders which, in violation

of the usages of war, purport to declare the waters surrounding the United Kingdom a military area, in which all British and allied merchant vessels will be des- troyed irrespective of the safety of the lives of passengers and crew, and in which neutral shipping will be exposed to similar danger in view of the uncertainties of naval warfare;

And whereas in a memorandum accompanying the said Orders neutrals are warned against entrusting crews, passengers, or goods to British or allied ships;

And whereas such attempts on the part of the enemy give to His Majesty an unques- tionable right of retaliation;

And whereas His Majesty has therefore decided to adopt further measures in order to prevent commodities of any kind from reaching or leaving Germany, though such measures will be enforced without risk to neutral ships or to neutral or non-combatant life, and in strict observance of the dictates of humanity ;

And whereas the Allies of His Majesty are associated with Him in the steps now to be announced for restricting further the commerce of Germany :

HIS MAJESTY is therefore pleased, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, to order and it is hereby ordered as follows:-

1.- No merchant vessel which sailed from her port of departure after the 1st March,

1915, shall be allowed to proceed on her voyage to any German port.

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Unless the vessel receives a pass enabling her to proceed to some neutral or allied port to be named in the pass, goods on board any such vessel must be discharged in a British port and placed in the custody of the Marshal of the Prize Court. Goods so discharged, not being contraband of war, shall, if not requisitioned for the use of His Majesty, be restored by order of the Court, upon such terms as the Court may in the circumstances deem to be just, to the person entitled thereto.

II.----No merchant vessel which sailed from any German port after the 1st March, 1915, shall be allowed to proceed on her voyage with any goods on board laden at such port.