XII.-BRITISH ORDER IN COUNCIL, in furtherance of Her Majesty's Declaration of March 28, 1854,* respecting the Trade of Neutrals and British Subjects.—April 15, 1854.

At the Court at Windsor, the 15th day of April, 1854.

PRESENT,

THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.

WHEREAS Her Majesty was graciously pleased, on the 28th day of March last, to issue her Royal Declaration in the following

terms:

"Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, having been compelled to take up arms in support of an Ally, is desirous of rendering the war as little onerous as possible to the Powers with whom she remains at peace.

"To preserve the commerce of neutrals from all unnecessary obstruction, Her Majesty is willing, for the present, to waive a part of the belligerent rights appertaining to her by the law of nations.

"It is impossible for Her Majesty to forego the exercise of her right of seizing articles contraband of war, and of preventing neutrals from bearing the enemy's despatches, and she must maintain the right of a belligerent to prevent neutrals from breaking any effective blockade which may be established with an adequate force against the enemy's forts, harbours, or coasts.

"But Her Majesty will waive the right of seizing enemy's property laden on board a neutral vessel unless it be contraband of war.

"It is not Her Majesty's intention to claim the confiscation of neutral property, not being contraband of war, found on board enemy's ships; and Her Majesty further declares, that being anxious. to lessen as much as possible the evils of war, and to restrict its operations to the regularly organized forces of the country, it is not her present intention to issue letters of marque for the commissioning of privateers."

Now it is this day ordered, by and with the advice of her Privy Council, that all vessels under a neutral or friendly flag, being neutral or friendly property, shall be permitted to import into any port or place in Her Majesty's dominions all goods and merchandize whatsoever, to whomsoever the same may belong; and to export from any port or place in Her Majesty's dominions to any port not blockaded any cargo or goods, not being contraband of war, or not requiring a special permission, to whomsoever the same may belong.

And Her Majesty is further pleased, by and with the advice of
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her Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby further ordered, that, save and except only as aforesaid, all the subjects of Her Majesty and the subjects or citizens of any neutral or friendly State shall and may, during and notwithstanding the present hostilities with Russia, freely trade with all ports and places wheresoever situate which shall not be in a state of blockade, save and except that no British vessel shall under any circumstances whatsoever, either under or by virtue of this order or otherwise, be permitted or empowered to enter or communicate with any port or place which shall belong to or be in the possession or occupation of Her Majesty's enemies.

And the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, and Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, are to give the necessary directions herein as to them may respectively appertain.

C. C. GREVILLE.

XIII.-BRITISH ORDER IN COUNCIL, to extend to May 15, 1854,* the Indulgence granted to Russian Vessels which shall have sailed from a Russian Port in the Baltic or White Sea prior to that date.-April 15, 1854.

At the Court at Windsor, the 15th day of April, 1854.

PRESENT,

THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.

WHEREAS by an Order of Her Majesty in Council of the 29th of March last, it was amongst other things ordered, "that any Russian merchant-vessel which, prior to the date of this order, shall have sailed from any foreign port, bound for any port or place in Her Majesty's dominions, shall be permitted to enter such port or place and to discharge her cargo, and afterwards forthwith to depart without molestation, and that any such vessel, if met at sea by any of Her Majesty's ships, shall be permitted to continue her voyage to any port not blockaded:"

And whereas Her Majesty, by and with the advice of her said Council, is now pleased to alter and extend such part of the said order it is hereby ordered, by and with such advice as aforesaid, as follows; that is to say, that any Russian merchant-vessel which, prior to the 15th day of May, 1854, shall have sailed from any port of Russia, situated either in or upon the shores or coasts of the Baltic Sea or of the White Sea, bound for any port or place in Her Majesty's dominions, shall be permitted to enter such last-mentioned

port or place, and to discharge her cargo, and afterwards forthwith to depart without molestation; and that any such vessel, if met at sea by any of Her Majesty's ships, shall be permitted to continue her voyage to any port not blockaded.

And Her Majesty is pleased, by and with the advice aforesaid, further to order, and it is hereby further ordered, that in all other respects Her Majesty's aforesaid Order in Council, of the 29th day of March last shall be and remain in full force, effect, and operation.

And the Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, are to give the necessary directions herein as to them may respectively appertain.

C. C. GREVILLE.

XIV.-BRITISH ORDERS IN COUNCIL, to prohibit the Exportation of Arms, &c. from Malta and Gibraltar without Licence.—April 15,

1854.

At the Court at Windsor, the 15th day of April, 1854.

PRESENT,

THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL.

WHEREAS it has appeared expedient and necessary to Her Majesty, by and with the advice of her Privy Council, by reason of the hostilities now subsisting between herself and His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, to prohibit the goods hereinafter mentioned to be exported from the Island of Malta and its dependencies, except as hereinafter provided:

Her Majesty is pleased, by and with the advice of her Privy Council aforesaid, to order, and it is hereby ordered, that from and after the publication of this order in the said island, all arms, ammunition, and gunpowder, military and naval stores, and the following articles, being articles deemed capable of being converted into or made useful in increasing the quantity of military or naval stores; that is to say, marine engines, screw propellers, paddle wheels, cylinders, cranks, shafts, boilers, tubes for boilers, boiler plates, fire-bars, and every article, or any other component part of an engine or boiler, or any article whatsoever which is, can, or may become applicable for the manufacture of marine machinery, shall be and the same are hereby prohibited to be exported from the said Island of Malta and its dependencies, except with the licence of the Governor or other officer administering the government thereof for that purpose first had and obtained.

And the Most Noble the Duke of Newcastle, one of Her

Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, is to give the necessary directions herein accordingly.

C. C. GREVILLE,

An Order similar to the above was also issued, prohibiting the exportation of arms, &c. from the "town and garrison of Gibraltar."

XV.-BRITISH ORDER of the Lords of the Council, to limit the Operation of Her Majesty's Proclamation of February 18, with reference to the Export of prohibited Articles.—April 24,

1854.

At the Council Chamber, Whitehall, the 24th day of April, 1854. BY THE LORDS OF HER MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL.

THE Lords of the Council, having taken into consideration certain applications for leave to export various articles of which the exportation is prohibited by Her Majesty's Proclamation of the 18th February, 1854,* are pleased to order, and it is hereby ordered, that the officers of Her Majesty's Customs do not hereafter prevent the export of any articles, except only

Gunpowder, saltpetre, and brimstone;
Arms and ammunition;

Marine engines and boilers, and the component parts thereof. And that such last-named articles be prohibited from export only when destined to any place in Europe north of Dunkirk, or to any place in the Mediterranean Sea east of Malta; and that the officers of Her Majesty's Customs do permit the export of the said enumerated articles to any other part of the world, upon taking, from the persons exporting the same, a bond that they shall be landed and entered at the port of destination.

Whereof the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, and officers of Her Majesty's Customs, and all other persons whom it may concern, are to take notice, and govern themselves accordingly.

C. C. GREVILLE.

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XVI.-BRITISH ORDER of the Lords of the Council, to prohibit the Exportation of certain additional Articles :-Blue Lias, Cement, &c.-November 30, 1854.

At the Council Chamber, Whitehall, the 30th day of November, 1854. BY THE LORDS OF HER MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL.

THE Lords of the Council, having taken into consideration the expediency of prohibiting the exportation of certain additional articles capable of being converted into or made useful in inreasing the quantity of military and naval stores (in pursuance of Her Majesty's Proclamation of the 18th February, 1854), are pleased to order, and it is hereby ordered, that the officers of Her Majesty's Customs do hereafter prevent the exportation of lead and of nitrate of soda, and likewise of blue lias, Portland cement, or any article commonly used in the manufacture of marine cement, to any place in Europe north of Dunkirk, and that the officers of Her Majesty's Customs do permit the export of the articles herein mentioned to any other part of the world upon taking from the persons exporting the same a bond that they shall be landed and entered at the port of destination:

Whereof the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury and the Commissioners of Customs, and all other persons whom it may concern, are to take notice and govern themselves accordingly. C. C. GREVILLE.

XVII.—BRITISH ORDER of the Lords of the Council, rescinding the Order of November 30, 1854,* prohibiting the Export of Blue Lias, Cement, &c.—January 2, 1855.

At the Council Chamber, Whitehall, the 2nd day of January, 1855. BY THE LORDS OF HER MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL.

WHEREAS the Lords of the Council were pleased, by their order of the 30th day of November last, to prohibit the exportation of blue lias, Portland cement, and other articles commonly used in the manufacture of marine cement, to any place north of Dunkirk, their Lordships are hereby pleased to order, that the said prohibition, as far as it extends to the articles aforesaid, be and the same is hereby rescinded.

Whereof the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury and the Commissioners of Customs, and all other persons whom it may concern, are to take notice, and govern themselves accordingly. C. C. GREVILLE.