Drawing of the Flag to be hoisted by all Butish Vessels for a Pilot Vix : A British Union Jack with a border of White of one fifth of the breadth of the Pack . avoiding lawful capture by the cruisers of Her Majesty or of Her Allies in time of war, or of defrauding the Revenue, or of doing some other act manifestly contrary to public policy. (See paragraphs 19 to 21.) Passes from Her Majesty's domi 15. The Consul will observe, that in certain cases the Provisional Commissioners of Customs and the Governors of Colonies, one part of may grant a Pass, enabling a ship to make a single voyage. from one port in Her Majesty's dominions to another, with- nions to anoout a Certificate of Registry. ther. S. 98. dex. 16. A General Index will be kept by the Registrar-General General Inof Seamen and Shipping in London, in which will be entered, for reference, all particulars concerning the titles to British ships wherever registered; but the actual title to a ship will depend, not on the entries in this index, but on those contained in the Register Book kept at the Port of Registry. A list of the ships whose registers are cancelled will from time to time be sent to the Consul by the Registrar. Flags to be carried by British Ships. carried by ships. Appendix. 17. The flag to be carried by British ships is the Red Flags to be Ensign, a drawing of which is annexed, Form (C. 4) in British Appendix. The flag to be hoisted by British ships for a pilot S. 105. is the Union Jack with a white border, a drawing of which is Forms (C. 4) also annexed, Form (C. 5) in Appendix. If any colours and (C. 5.) in usually worn by Her Majesty's ships, or any pendant, or any distinctive national colours, except those above mentioned, be hoisted in any British ship or boat without warrant from Her Majesty or the Admiralty, the master, the owner, if on board, and every other person concerned, is liable to a penalty not exceeding 500l.: and Consuls and other public officers may board the vessel, and take away such colours or pendants. taken when carried. 18. The Consul will make known in the most public man- Steps to be ner throughout the district of his Consulate the above rules. improper concerning flags, and he will cause a notice of such rules, flags are with a copy of the flags to be used to be exhibited in some S. 105. conspicuous part of his office. If he is informed that any British vessel hoists improper colours, he will send or go on board, and will seize the pendant or colours so hoisted, and will for that purpose order the master to haul them down and deliver them up to him. If the colours are delivered up, care should be taken that the person to whom they are delivered is able, if called on, to prove their identity, either by Penalties for false assumption or of national character. keeping them in his custody, or putting some mark upon them. In every case of offence, the Consul will report the facts to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in order that the Admiralty may consider whether any further steps should be taken. In so doing, he will state the official number, name, tonnage, port of registry, and destination of the ship, the name of the master, the nature of the pendant or colours improperly carried, the names, addresses, and destinations of any persons who have been witnesses of the offence, and the steps taken by the Consul and the result, with any statement or explanation given by the master. Simulation or Concealment of National Character. 19. It is, as already noticed, of the utmost importance that the single remaining condition requisite to give to a ship the concealment character and privileges of a British ship should be strictly performed, and it is also very important that the national character of a ship should neither be falsely assumed nor unduly concealed; so that on the one hand Her Majesty's Government may not be involved in any difficulties from claims to protection on the part of persons not entitled to use the British Flag, and so that on the other British ships may not, by concealing their national character, attempt to avoid obligations under which they are placed by British law. With the view of preventing these evils, the following offences are made punishable by forfeiture; that is to say:- S. 103. S. 62, 63, 64. (a). Using the British flag and assuming the British character on board any ship owned or partly owned by persons not duly qualified for the purpose of making the ship appear to be a British ship, unless the assumption is made either for the purpose of escaping capture by an enemy, or by a foreign ship of war in exercise of some belligerent right: (b). Carrying or permitting to be carried on board a British ship any papers or documents, or doing or permitting anything to be done with respect to such ship, with intention to assume a foreign character, or to conceal the British character of the ship from any person entitled by law to inquire into the same : (c). The acquisition as an owner by an unqualified person of any interest in a ship assuming to be a British ship, except in certain cases of descent and transmission, for which special provision is made in the Act: |