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CHAPTER VII (L).
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I. GENERAL ARRANGEMENTS.
1. Object.-The object of these Regulations is to prevent the entry of hostile vessels, other than ships of war, into the port of Hong Kong, and at the same time to avoid unnecessarily or prematurely placing any restriction on vessels using the port, such as would interfere with its full use, or would tend to deter shipping from using it.
No buoys, beacons, &c., are to be removed nor navigation lights extinguished, except such local lights within the defences which may be temporarily extinguished when an attack is imminent, after the concurrence of the Senior Naval Officer has been obtained.
2. When to be put into Force.-His Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong, upon the recommendation of the Senior Naval Officer, will decide when these arrangements are to be put into force, and upon the issue of a Proclamation to this effect the Commodore and the General Officer Commanding the Troops will jointly enforce them.
3. Chief Examining Officer.-The King's Harbour Master will be appointed by his Excellency the Governor as Chief Examining Officer of Shipping when these arrange- ments are brought into action. He will act under the orders of the Commodore, to whom he will be responsible for the identification and, if necessary, examination of vessels other than ships of war entering Hong Kong Harbour, and for their being safely piloted through the harbour defences, for assigning them anchorages, and generally for the internal arrangements of the port.
He will be assisted in carrying out the above duties by the Assistant Colonial Harbour Master, who will be placed under his orders.
4. Steam-launches to be hired.—The launches named in Appendix (A) (page 181), belonging to the port, or similar vessels, will be hired by the Commodore and placed at the disposal of the Chief Examining Officer as examination and towing steamers; one half of these launches is always to be on duty. They are to be manned by their civilian (Chinese) crews, who are to be specially engaged with the vessels.
5. Personnel. The personnel named in Appendix (B) (page 181) will be placed at the disposal of the Chief Examining Officer, to provide Assistant Examining Officers, crews, and relief crews for the examination steamers.
6. Pilots. All pilots belonging to Hong Kong will be placed under the orders of the Chief Examining Officer, who will retain under his immediate direction so many as
from time to time be necessary to carry out these Regulations.
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Merchant-vessels are to be warned by the pilots that no boat is to be lowered or put off from them whilst at the examination anchorage, and that they must not leave the anchorage by night at all, nor by day until they have been given the special signal for the day.
Any infringement of these instructions will cause them to be treated as hostile, and the shore batteries will take immediate action accordingly.
7. Distinguishing Marks of Examination Steamers.-The examination steamers will be distinguished by the following means :---
By Day.-A blue ensign, and at the foremast head the special pilot flag (a square flag, white and red horizontal on a blue ground). When the port is closed she will hoist three red balls in addition.
By Night.-Three lights vertically, 6 feet apart, conspicuously displayed at the end of a yard so as to show an unbroken light round the horizon. When the port is closed these lights will be red, when it is open they will be white. The above lights are to be carried in addition to the ordinary navigation lights, and must be displayed in such a manner as not to be confused with the masthead light.
In case of fog the examination steamer will, if necessary, employ the following
distinguishing signal on syren or whistle (. ).
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8. Merchant Vessel Traffic from Seaward.--All merchant vessels when coming from seaward, whether from the eastward or from the westward, are to enter the port of
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