THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 9TH APRIL, 1892.
293
Nevertheless, the local authorities may claim the expulsion from on board of persons wanted in pursuance of a regular warrant for any crimes or offences who may have taken refuge or embarked in mail-boats, and, in case of necessity, searches may be carried out on board such vessels by the competent authorities. The individuals in question shall then be handed over to them.
It is, however, agreed that the authorities cannot proceed on board unless they have previously given notice, at least one hour before the search, to the Consulate or Vice-Consulate, in order that the Consul or Vice-Consul, or his delegate, may be present at the searches in question. The letter giving notice shall be addressed to the Consul or Vice-Consul, and shall state the exact hour, and if the Agents neglect either to appear in person or to be represented, the proceedings shall go on in their absence.
The execution of such measures shall not delay the departure of the vessel for more than an hour after the time of departure fixed in the time-tables of the Company, which must be duly communicated by the respective Companies to the authorities of each port of call.
The present Article shall not apply to packets intrusted with a mail service and belonging to Companies subsidized by either State, until a bond has been entered into, once for all, by the said Companies to satisfy, after due hearing and definite decision, the legal consequences of any liability incurred either by the captains of their packets or by the Companies themselves.
The aforesaid bond must be guaranteed by a security within the jurisdiction of the Tribunals of the country in which the bond may have been entered into.
ARTICLE VI.
The packets of the two Administrations shall be at liberty to take on board, or land at the ports of the two countries at which they touch, whether regularly or accidentally, specie and gold and silver bullion, as well as passengers, of whatever nation they may be, with their wearing apparel or baggage, on condition that the captains of those packets shall submit to the Sanitary, Police, and Customs Regulations of those ports concerning the arrival and departure of travellers and mer- chandize.
ARTI ARTICLE VII.
The packets of the two Administrations may enter and leave the ports of the two States at any hour of the day or night. They may also, if they think proper, without anchoring, embark or disembark the mails and passengers, in the roads or at the entrance of the harbours, so long as they observe the Regulations referred to in the preceding Article.
ARTICLE VIII.
Whenever a packet carrying mails shall be compelled to put into any port of either of the two States other than that at which such packet ought to touch, the Administration on whose territory the said mails shall be landed shall use the most certain and expeditious means of forwarding them to their destination.
ARTICLE IX.
In case of war between the two nations, the packets of the two Administrations shall continue their navigation, without impediment or molestation, until a notification is made on the part of either of the two Governments of the discontinuance of postal communications; in which case they shall be permitted to return freely, and under special protection, to their respective ports.
ARTICLE X.
The captains of the packets engaged in the conveyance of the respective mails of the two Admi- nistrations are forbidden to take charge of any letter not included in those mails, with the exception, however, of despatches of their Governments. They must take care that no letters are conveyed illegally by the crews or passengers, and they must give information in the proper quarter of any infringement which may be committed in this respect.
ARTICLE XI.
There shall be reserved in the vans, carriages, or trucks conveying between Modane and Calais the mails from the East Indies for Great Britain, or from Great Britain for the East Indies, a place free of charge for a British courier, who shall keep the said mails under his special care, and who shall have the right to be present at the disinfection of the correspondence contained in those mails whenever it shall take place, and at all other operations to which the said correspondence may be subjected.
The same advantages shall be granted in the territory of Great Britain to the couriers of the French Postal Administration, should that Administration think proper to send a French courier in charge of mails containing correspondence from or for France passing through Great Britain and paid for at special transit rates.
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