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THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 3RD MAY, 1884.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.-No. 168.

357

The following Circular despatch accompanying copy of an Order of the QUEEN in Council, dated the 2nd February, 1884, is published for general information.

By Command,

FREDERICK STEWART,

Acting Colonial Secretary.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 3rd May, 1884.

CIRCULAR.

DOWNING STREET,

28th February, 1884.

SIR,I have the honour to transmit to you, for information and publication in the Colony under your Government, a copy of an Order of the Queen in Council, dated the 2nd of February last, exempting Norwegian Ships from re-measurement for tonnage in this Country, and revoking the Order in Council of the 17th of May, 1876, enclosed in the Earl of Carnarvon's Circular Despatch of the 13th of July of that year.

The Officer Administering the Government of

HONGKONG.

I have, &c.,

DERBY.

AT THE COURT AT OSBORNE HOUSE, ISLE OF WIGHT, The 2nd day of February 1884. PRESENT,

THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.

WHEREAS by the Merchant Shipping Act Amendment Act, 1862, it is enacted that "when- ever it is made to appear to Her Majesty that the rules concerning the measurement of tonnage of "merchant ships for the time being in force under the principal Act have been adopted by the Government of any foreign country, and are in force in that country, it shall be lawful for Her Majesty by Order in Council to direct that the Ships of such foreign country shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in their certificates of registry, or other national papers, and thereupon it "shall no longer be necessary for such ships to be remeasured in any port or place in Her Majesty's dominions, but such ships shall be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in their Certificates of Registry, or others papers, in the same manner, to the same extent, and for the same purposes, in, to, and for which the tonnage denoted in the Certificate of Registry of British Ships is to be deemed the tonnage of such ships."

And whereas by The Merchant Shipping Act, 1876, it is enacted that "where Her Majesty has power under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854, or any Act passed, or hereafter to be passed, amending the same, to make an Order in Council, it shall be lawful for Her Majesty from time to "time to make such Order in Council, and by Order in Council to revoke, alter or add to any Order

so made:"

And whereas it was made to appear to Her Majesty that the rules concerning the measurement of tonnage of merchant ships now in force under The Merchant Shipping Act, 1854, had been adopted by the Royal Norwegian Government, and came into force in Norway on the 1st day of April,

1876:

And whereas by Order in Council dated the 17th day of May, 1876, Her Majesty was pleased by and with the advice of Her Privy Council to direct that the merchant ships belonging to the said Kingdom of Norway, the measurement whereof had after the said 1st day of April, 1876, been ascer- tained and denoted in the registers, and other national papers of such ships, testified by the dates thereof, should be deemed to be of the tonnage denoted in such registers, or other national papers, in the same manner, and to the same extent, and for the same purpose, in, to, and for which the tonnage denoted in the certificate of Registry of British ships is deemed to be the tonnage of such ships; Provided nevertheless, that should the owner or master of any Norwegian steam-ship desire the deduction for engine room in his ships to be estimated under the rules for engine room measurement and deduction applicable to British ships instead of under the Norwegian rule, the engine room should be measured and the deduction calculated according to the British rules: