51119-1917-Order-of-His-Majesty-in-Council-amending-the-Order-of-11th-March-1915 — Page 1

THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, APRIL 13, 1917.

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No. 156. The following Order of His Majesty in Council which appeared in the London Gazette of the 12th January, 1917, is published for general information.

13th April, 1917.

CLAUD SEVERN,

Colonial Secretary.

AT THE COURT AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE,

THE 10TH DAY OF JANUARY, 1917.

PRESENT,

THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.

WHEREAS, on the 11th day of March, 1915, an Order was issued by His Majesty

in Council directing that all ships which sailed from their ports of departure after the 1st day of March, 1915, might be required to discharge in a British or Allied port goods which were of enemy origin or of enemy destination or which were enemy property:

And whereas such Order in Council was consequent upon certain Örders issued by the German Government purporting to declare, in violation of the usages of war, the waters surrounding the United Kingdom a military area, in which all British and Allied merchant vessels would be destroyed, irrespective of the lives of passengers and crew, and in which neutral shipping would be exposed to similar danger, in view of the uncertainties of naval warfare :

And whereas the sinking of British, Allied, and neutral merchant ships, irrespective of the lives of passengers and crews, and in violation of the usages of war, has not been confined to the waters surrounding the United Kingdom, but has taken place in a large portion of the area of naval operations:

And whereas such illegal acts have been committed not only by German warships but by warships flying the flag of cach of the enemy countries:

And whereas on account of the extension of the scope of the illegal operations carried out under the said German Orders, and in retaliation therefor, vessels have been required under the provisions of the Order in Council aforementioned to discharge in a British or Allied port goods which were of enemy origin or of enemy destination or which were enemy property, irrespective of the enemy country from or to which such goods were going or of the enemy country in which was domiciled the person whose property they

were:

And whereas doubts have arisen as to whether the term "enemy in articles 3 and 4 of the said Order in Council includes enemy countries other than Germany:

Now, therefore, His Majesty is pleased, by and with the advice of His Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows :—

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1. In articles 3 and 4 of the said Order in Council of the 11th March, 1915, afore- mentioned, the terms enemy destination" and enemy origin" shall be deemed to apply and shall apply to goods destined for or originating in any enemy country, and the term enemy property" shall be deemed to apply and shall apply to goods belonging to any person domiciled in any enemy country.

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2. Effect shall be given to this Order in the application of the said Order in Council of the 11th March, 1915, to goods which previous to the date of this Order have been discharged at a British or Allied port, being goods of destination or origin or property which was enemy though not German, and all such goods shall be detained and dealt with in all respects as is provided in the said Order in Council of the 11th March, 1915.

J. C. LEDLIE.

NOTE.-The Order in Council of the 11th March, 1915, was published in the Hongkong Government Gazette of the 18th June, 1915.