716177-1864-PROCLAMATION — Page 2

78 THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 27TH FEBRUARY, 1864.

Whereas by an Ordinance No. 3 of 1862, intituled "An Ordinance to authorize His Excellency the Governor by Proclamation to prohibit the Exportation of Military Stores and other Articles,” it was enacted that it should be lawful for His Excellency the Governor by and with the Advice of the Executive Council by Proclamation to be published in the Hongkong Government Gazette or in any Extraordinary Gazette to prohibit for such period as should be mentioned in such Proclamation either to be exported from the Colony of Hongkong or to be carried Coastwise within the said Colony, Arms, Ammunition, and Gunpowder, Military and Naval Stores, and any Articles which His Excellency might judge capable of being converted into or made useful in increasing the quantity of Military and Naval Stores, Provisions, or any sort of Victual which may be used as food by man, or any or either of such Arms, Ammunition, Gunpowder, Stores, Goods, or Articles respectively. And in case any such Arms, Ammunition, Gunpowder, Stores, Goods or Articles which shall have been so prohibited should be exported from the said Colony or should be carried Coastwise or be Waterborne to be so exported, or carried, they should be forfeited, and should vest in Her Majesty, and that forthwith thereupon it should be the duty of the Harbor Master of this Colony by Warrant under his Hand upon his own view or upon an information made upon Oath before any Justice of the Peace for the said Colony, to cause all such Goods and Articles so thereinbefore declared forfeited to be seized and to detain the same to the use of Her Majesty, and to be disposed of as His Excellency the Governor should by order under his Hand and Seal direct;

And whereas on the 28th day of February, 1863, a Proclamation under the said Ordinance was issued prohibiting the Export of Arms and Military Stores from this Port for the period of one year from that date, and whereas it is expedient that such prohibition be continued for a further period:

Now, therefore, I, SIR HERCULES GEORGE ROBERT ROBINSON do under the Ordinance above cited, by and with the advice of the Executive Council of this Colony, hereby for a further period of twelve months from the 28th day of February current, and for such further period as shall from time to time be specified in any Proclamation to be hereafter issued, prohibit either to export from the Colony of Hongkong or to be carried Coastwise within the said Colony, Arms, Ammunition and Gunpowder, Military and Naval Stores;

And I do with the Advice aforesaid hereby declare, that all such proceedings for the suppression of such several acts as are provided by the said Ordinance or by Law, shall and may be taken for the suppression of such exportation and carrying Coastwise and for the forfeiture, seizure and detention and disposition of the same articles and things and the punishment of offenders against the said Laws. By His Excellency's Command,

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN.

Given at Victoria, Hongkong, this 27th Day of February, 1864.

No. 38.

GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.

W. T. MERCER, Colonial Secretary.

The subjoined letter from Captain NOLLOTH, Senior Naval Officer, on the subject of Piracy in the neighbouring Waters, is published for general information; and attention is again drawn to Government Notification No. 44 of 8th April, 1863, in which Rewards are offered for such information as shall lead to the apprehension of the Europeans and Americans associating with Pirates.

Those offers are hereby renewed.

By Order,

W. T. MERCER, Colonial Secretary.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Hongkong, 26th February, 1864.

SIR,I have the honor to forward for your information-

1. Extract from a letter recently received from the British Consul at Amoy ;-

H. M S. Princess Charlotte, HONGKONG, 26th February, 1864.

"I have to add in conclusion that the increasing fearlessness of the pirates in this neighbourhood in not caring to avoid foreign Merchant Vessels as they formerly did (together with other circumstances that have come to my knowledge) lead me to believe that they must have some Europeans among them. If my belief is well founded, there can be no doubt that ere long they will not only not avoid foreign Vessels, but will seek opportunities of attacking the more defenceless of them."

2. Extract from a letter addressed by the Master of the British Merchant Vessel Whampoa to the Consul at Amoy;— "Being forced to seek shelter on my voyage to Formosa I put into Leo-loo Bay and was informed by my Supercargo that four Cantonese boats lying there were piratical, and that we should certainly be attacked in the night if we remained. I therefore put to sea though blowing a gale of wind.

"In one of the boats Europeans were observed.”

-I have the honor to be, Sir, your most obedient Servant,

HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR, &c., &c., &C.,

M. S. NOLLOTH, Captain and Senior Officer.

Hongkong.