705719-1870-PROCLAMATION — Page 1

DI

ROIT.

THE HONGKONG

Government Gazette.

No. 39.

No. 113.

Published by Authority.

VICTORIA, SATURDAY, 17TH SEPTEMBER, 1870.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

VOL. XVI.

The subjoined Proclamation by Her Most Gracious Majesty, for the Maintenance of Neutrality ending the State of War existing between His Imperial Majesty The EMPEROR of the French and His Majesty The KING of Prussia, is published for general information, pursuant to Instructions from The Right Honorable The Earl of KIMBERLEY, Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the

Colonies.

By Command,

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 6th September, 1870.

J. GARDINER AUSTIN, Colonial Secretary.

VICTORIA R.

BY THE QUEEN.

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas We are happily at Peace with all Sovereigns, Powers, and States:

And whereas, notwithstanding Our utmost Exertions to preserve Peace between all Sovereign Powers and States, a State of War unhappily exists between His Imperial Majesty The Emperor of the French and His Majesty the King of Prussia, and between their respective Subjects and others inhabiting within their Countries, Territories, or Dominions:

And whereas We are on Terms of Friendship and amicable Intercourse with each of these Sovereigns, and with their several Subjects and others inhabiting within their Countries, Territories,

Dominions:

or

And whereas great Numbers of Our loyal Subjects reside and carry on Commerce, and possess Property and Establishments, and enjoy various Rights and Privileges, within the Dominions of each of the aforesaid Sovereigns, protected by the Faith of Treaties between Us and each of the aforesaid Sovereigns:

And whereas We, being desirous of preserving to Our Subjects the Blessings of Peace, which they now happily enjoy, are firmly purposed and determined to abstain altogether from taking any Part, directly or indirectly, in the War now unhappily existing between the said Sovereigns, their Subjects and Territories, and to remain at Peace with and to maintain a peaceful and friendly Inter- course with each of them, and their respective Subjects, and others inhabiting within any of their espective Countries, Territories, and Dominions, and to maintain a strict and impartial Neutrality in the said State of War unhappily existing between them:

We, therefore, have thought fit, by and with the Advice of Our Privy Council, to issue this Our Royal Proclamation :

And We do hereby.strictly charge and command all Our loving Subjects to govern themselves Recordingly, and to observe a strict Neutrality in and during the aforesaid War, and to abstain from lating or contravening either the Laws and Statutes of the Realm in this behalf, or the Law of Nations in relation thereto, as they will answer to the contrary at their Peril :