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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, DECEMBER 12, 1919.

DESPATCHES FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

No. 562.

CIRCULAR.

DOWNING STREET,

16th October, 1919.

SIR,With reference to my predecessor's Circular despatch of 1st August, 1918, I have the honour to transmit to you, for your information, copies of the further amended Statutes of the Order of the British Empire dated the 28th March, 1919.

2. It will be observed that each of the five Classes of the Order now contains two

Civil". sub-divisions of which the first is the Military" and the second the

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3. I also enclose copies of a notification issued by the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood with regard to promotions from the Civil to the Military Division or from the Military to the Civil Division.

I have, &c.,

The Officer Administering the Government of

HONGKONG.

MILNER.

George R. & I.

CENTRAL CHANCERY OF THE ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD.

St. James's Palace, S.W.

FURTHER AMENDED STATUTES OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. GEORGE THE FIFTH, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, to all to whom these Presents shall come.

Greeting!

WHEREAS by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the said United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster the Fourth day of June, 1917, in the Eighth year of Our Reign, We have thought fit and been pleased to institute, erect, constitute, and create an Order of Knighthood, to be called and known for ever hereafter by the name, style, and designation of "The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire," whereof We, Our heirs and successors for ever shall be Sovereigns :

And whereas by Our aforesaid Letters Patent We did ordain that the said Order should be governed by Statutes and Ordinances and that the Statutes to be observed within the said Order should be established by Us and sealed by the Seal of the Said Order which Statutes so given and in future to be given by Us, Our heirs and successors, to which the said Seal shall be affixed, should be of the same validity and taken and read as if the same and every Article of them had been verbatim recited in the said Letters Patent and passed under the Great Seal of Our said United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland:

And whereas in conformity with the said Letters Patent of the fourth day of June, 1917, We did enact and issue certain Statutes and Ordinances to be observed within the said Order bearing the same date wherein a power was reserved to Us, Our heirs and successors of annulling, altering, augmenting, interpreting, or dispensing with these Statutes and Regulations or any part thereof by a notification under the Sign Manual of the Sovereign of the Order: