V. And be it further enacted and ordained, that all expenses incidental to the apprehension, confinement, and removal of any seaman, under and by virtue of any of the powers and authorities conferred by this Ordinance, shall be paid by the master of the ship to which such seaman may belong, and be recoverable from him at the suit of the Superintendent of Police, as a debt due to the Government of this colony; and the subsistence money for every such seaman confined in gaol shall be paid weekly in advance to the keeper of the gaol, and in default of such payment, the gaoler may release such seaman.

VI. And be it further enacted and ordained that, at the requisition of the Consul resident at Hong Kong, of any foreign nation, it shall be lawful for the Governor of the said colony to suspend the operation of this Ordinance in regard to the ships of that nation, for so long a period as such Consul may require or the said Governor may think fit; and that, on like requisition, it shall and may be lawful for the said Governor, if he deem it fit, to cause any pending proceeding or case under this Ordinance to be discontinued and abated.

S. G. BONHAM.

Passed the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, this 17th day of December, 1850.

CHAS. ST. GEO. CLEVERLY, Officiating Clerk of Councils.

BRITISH ORDINANCE, for the removal of Doubts regarding the Right of Aliens to hold and transfer Property within the Colony of Hong Kong.-Hong Kong, November 17, 1853.

[17 Vict. No. 2, of 1853.]

WHEREAS doubts have arisen regarding the right of aliens to hold and transfer property within the colony of Hong Kong: be it therefore enacted and ordained by his Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong, with the advice of the Legislative Council thereof, in pursuance of the Act made and passed at a session holden in the 10th and 11th years of the reign of Her Majesty, intituled, “An Act for the Naturalization of Aliens,"* and of the power inherent in the said Governor and Council:

1. That it shall be lawful for any alien, and he or she is hereby declared entitled by grant, conveyance, lease, assignment, or bequest, or otherwise, to take, acquire, hold, and possess any lands or other immoveable property situated in this island; and the said lands or * Vol. XXXV. Page 1196.

other property as aforesaid, to sell, transfer, assign, or bequeath to any other person, as fully and effectually to all intents and purposes, and with the same rights, remedies, exemptions, and privileges, as if he or she were a natural born subject of Her Majesty residing in this island.

II. And that every such grant, conveyance, lease, assignment, or bequest, sale, transfer, or other act, heretofore made or done by or with any such alien shall be deemed in law as valid and effectual as if it had been made or done by or with any natural born British subject.

S. G. BONHAM.

Passed the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, this 17th day of November, 1853.

L. D'ALMADA E CASTRO, Clerk of Councils.

BRITISH ORDINANCE, for the prevention of Desertion amongst Her Majesty's Naval and Military Forces, serving in the Colony of Hong Kong, or in China.-Hong Kong, January 19, 1854.

[17 Vict. No. 1, of 1854.]

WHEREAS deserters from Her Majesty's forces aforesaid have heretofore concealed themselves in and on board vessels frequenting the ports, havens, and roadsteads of the coast of China; and it is deemed expedient to provide a remedy in such cases:

Be it therefore enacted and ordained by his Excellency the Governor and Chief Superintendent of the Trade of Her Majesty's subjects in China, with the advice of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, that, after the passing of this Ordinance, it shall be lawful for Her Majesty's Chief Superintendent of Trade, or, in his absence, for the officer administering the Government of the said colony, or for any of Her Majesty's Consuls in China, on satisfactory information being afforded to him or them that any soldier, sailor, or marine, has deserted from such forces and concealed himself in any British ship or vessel being within 100 miles of the coast of China, or within any ship or vessel on the high seas aforesaid within the same limits, and not being lawfully entitled to claim the protection of the flag of any State or Nation, in pursuance of such information to issue his or their warrant for the search after, and apprehension of, any such deserter; and that, on the said Superintendent or officer so administering the Government as

aforesaid, or Consul being satisfied on due investigation that any person so apprehended is a deserter as aforesaid, the said Superintendent or officer as aforesaid, or Consul shall and may cause every such deserter to be delivered over with all convenient expedition to the nearest military station of such forces, or to any naval officer in command of any of Her Majesty's ships serving in China.

S. G. BONHAM.

Passed the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, this 19th day of January, 1854. L. D'ALMADA E CASTRO, Clerk of Councils.

LIST OF FEES, receivable by Her Majesty's Consuls in China, for the granting of Probates or Letters of Administration; established in conformity with the Provisions of Article XXXVII of Her Majesty's Order in Council of the 13th day of June, 1853.*-Hong Kong, March 25, 1854.

Fees in Matters Ecclesiastical.

Dollars.

For filing and entering petition for probate or letters of

2

For filing and entering bond by administrator

For every certificate by the Consul or other officer of accounts and inventories being filed when the sum realized shall amount to 200 dollars

For every subsequent 100 dollars, or fractional part thereof
Swearing party to the truth of account or inventory

Every exemplification of will per folio

For every order of Court or Consul

2

1

1

1 1

NOTE.-No fees payable where the estate is sworn to be under 200 dollars. Superintendency of Trade, Victoria, Hong Kong, March 25,

1854.

(By Order.) W. H. MEDHURST, Officiating Secretary to H.B.M.'s Plenipotentiary, &c.

* Vol. XLII. Page 251.

BRITISH ORDINANCE, to invest Her Majesty's Consuls at the Ports of China, with Jurisdiction over the Persons and Property of Lunatics and Persons of Unsound Mind, as also with the Power inherent in the Office of Coroner.- Hong Kong, March 31, 1854.

[17 Vict. No. 2, of 1854.]

WHEREAS it is deemed expedient that the jurisdiction and power above-mentioned should be vested in manuer aforesaid: be it therefore enacted and ordained by his Excellency the Governor and Chief Superintendent of the Trade of Her Majesty's subjects in China, with the advice of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong,

that:

I. The Consul or Acting Consul at each of the ports in China shall possess and exercise within the limits of the district in which he may be personally appointed, the same power and jurisdiction over the persons and property of lunatics and persons of unsound mind therein being, as the Supreme Court of Hong Kong possesses and exercises within that colony; and that any Commission of Inquiry shall consist of such Consul or Acting Consul as aforesaid; and such Consul shall call to his assistance three British subjects of the age of not less than 21 years, who shall act as jurors. Provided always such court shall have and exercise concurrent jurisdiction with such Consuls in regard to such matters. But it shall not be bound, unless in a fit case it shall deem it right so to do by injunction, order or otherwise, to debar or prohibit any such Consul or Committee appointed by him of the person or estate of any person of unsound mind, from dealing with such persons or their property; nor shall such court, unless in like case, be bound to stay, alter, or reverse any proceedings of any such Consul or Committee.

II. Every such Consul or Acting Consul within his district aforesaid shall, by virtue of his office, act as Coroner of such district, and shall and may discharge the duties appertaining to the office of Coroner, summoning when necessary a jury of British subjects, which it is hereby declared may be constituted of three persons only of the full age of 21 years; and any person not attending when duly summoned as a juror to serve on such jury shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 50 dollars.

S. G. BONHAM. Passed the Legislative Council of Hong Kong this 31st day of March, 1854.

L. D'ALMADA E CASTRO, Clerk of Councils.

GENERAL REGULATIONS for British Trade, in the Five Ports of China.-Hong Kong, May, 18, 1854.

THE following General and Local Consular Regulations for the five ports of Canton, Amoy, Foochow, Ningpo, and Shanghae, based upon the stipulations of the Treaties now existing between the Governments of Great Britain and China, and intended to secure the due observance of the said Treaties, are hereby published, in accordance with Articles III and IV of the Order of Her Majesty in Council, dated the 13th day of June, 1853," for the information and guidance of British subjects resorting to the five ports open for trade.

(By Order.) W. H. MEDHURST, Officiating Secretary to H.B.M.'s Plenipotentiary in China, &c. Superintendency of Trade, Victoria, Hong Kong, May 18, 1854.

General Regulations for the Five Ports of Canton, Amoy, Foochow Ningpo and Shanghae.

I. ALL rules and regulations, heretofore in force to secure the observance of Treaties, having reference to any of the five ports open for trade in China, are repealed from and after the date of the publication of the present regulations.

II. The Consulate offices shall be open for public business from 10 o'clock, A.M., to 4 o'clock, P.M., daily, excepting on Sundays, and those holidays upon which public offices in England are closed.

III. Every master of a vessel shall deposit his ship's papers, together with a summary of the manifest of her cargo, at the Consulate Office within 48 hours after her arrival in the port or anchorage, unless a Sunday or holiday should intervene. Masters not conforming to this regulation will render themselves liable to a penalty of 200 dollars.

IV. Every British vessel must show her colours on entering the port or anchorage, and keep them hoisted until she shall have been reported at the Consulate, and her papers deposited there. Masters not conforming to this regulation will render themselves liable to a penalty not exceeding 100 dollars for each offence.

V. Should any vessel, the property of a British subject, but not provided with a British sailing-letter or certificate of registry, hoist the Britssh ensign within any port or anchorage, or should she exhibit within such limits any flag so similar to the British ensign as not to be distinguishable from it, the master of such vessel will be liable for every such offence to a penalty not exceeding 100 dollars.

VI. In accordance with the provisions of Article XII of the General Regulations of Trade, masters of vessels in any port or * Vol. XLII. Page 254.