Official notification., this 1st day of September, A. D. 1866

Official notification.

The undersigned, her Britannic Majesty’s envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary in Japan, having been officially informed by the ministers of the Tycoon that the forces of the government of Japan have been moved against Mori Daizen, the lord of the Japanese provinces of Nagato and Suwo, and the navigation of the strait of Simonoseki being endangered by the hostilities that have already commenced between the parties above-named, the undersigned, in the exercise of the powers vested in him by section 95 of the order of her Majesty in council of the 9th of March, 1865, has this day made the following regulation, which he hereby notifies to all subjects of her Majesty for their information and guidance.

As coal, wood, water, and fresh provisions cannot, during the period that this regulation remains in force, be obtained as hitherto at the town of Simonoseki, British ships are hereby informed that they may purchase supplies of this nature at the town of Kokura, near the western entrance of the straits:

Regulation.

From this date and until further notice, every British merchant vessel passing through the strait of Simonoseki must do so without anchoring or stopping in the waters of the said strait, which, for the purpose of this regulation, shall be held to be comprised between a line drawn on the western side of the strait from Entrance Head to the eastern extremity of the town of Kokura, and a line drawn on the eastern side of the strait from Cape Kusi Saki to the eastern extremity of the town of Tanoura, or such other limits as may from time to time be indicated by the commanding officer of any of her Majesty’s ships.

Furthermore, on being warned by the officer commanding any vessel of war of her Majesty that the passage through the said strait is unsafe, every British merchant vessel must abstain from entering the said strait until informed by the said commanding officer that she can do so without danger.

Any British merchant vessel committing an infraction of this regulation forfeits all claim to her Majesty’s protection, and, as provided by the 97th section of the order in council aforesaid, may be compelled by the said commanding officer to desist from violating the above regulation, or may be seized and detained at the place of seizure, or may be taken to any port or place in Japan or elsewhere where the offence so committed may be most conveniently prosecuted.

In addition to the above proceedings against the vessel, every person convicted of a breach of this regulation may be punished by any of the penalties named in the eighty-sixth section of the order in council aforesaid, viz:

Imprisonment for any term not exceeding three months, with or without hard labor, and with or without a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars, or a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars without imprisonment.