Numb. 28.

191

The New Zealand Gazette.
Published by Authority.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 1859.

A PROCLAMATION.
BY THE QUEEN.
VICTORIA R.

WHEREAS We are happily at Peace with
all Sovereigns, Powers, and States;

And whereas, notwithstanding Our utmost
Exertions to preserve Peace between all the
Sovereign Powers and States now at War,
Hostilities have unhappily commenced between
His Imperial Majesty The Emperor of Aus-
tria on the one Part, and His Majesty the
King of Sardinia and His Imperial Majesty
the Emperor of the French on the other Part:

And whereas a State of War now exists be-
tween His Imperial Majesty The Emperor of
Austria on the one Part, and His Ma-
jesty The King of Sardinia and His Im-
perial Majesty the Emperor of the French on
the other Part, and between their respective
Subjects and others inhabiting within their
Countries, Territories, or Dominions:

And whereas We are on Terms of Friendship
and amicable Intercourse with all and each of
these Sovereigns, and with their several Sub-
jects and others inhabiting within their Coun-
tries, Territories, or Dominions:

And whereas great Numbers of Our loyal
Subjects reside and carry on Commerce, and
possess Property and Establishments, and enjoy
various Rights and Privileges, within the Do-
minions of each of the aforesaid Sovereigns,
protected by the Faith of Treaties between Us
and each of the aforesaid Sovereigns:

And whereas We, being desirous of pre-
serving to Our Subjects the Blessings of Peace,
which they now happily enjoy, are firmly
purposed and determined to abstain altogether
from taking any Part, directly or indirectly, in
the War now unhappily existing between the
said Sovereigns, their Subjects and Territories,
and to remain at Peace with and to maintain a
peaceful and friendly Intercourse with all and
with each of them, and their respective Sub-
jects, and others inhabiting within any of their
Countries, Territories and Dominions, and to
maintain a strict and impartial Neutrality in
the said Hostilities and War unhappily existing
between them :

We, therefore, have thought fit, by and with
the Advice of Our Privy Council, to issue this
Our Royal Proclamation :

And We do hereby strictly charge and
command all Our loving Subjects to govern
themselves accordingly, and to observe a strict
Neutrality in and during the aforesaid Hostil-
ities and War, and to abstain from violating
or contravening either the Laws and Statutes
of the Realm in this Behalf, or the Law of
Nations in relation thereto, as they will answer
to the contrary at their Peril :

And whereas in and by a certain Statute
made and passed in the Fifty-ninth Year of
His Majesty King George the Third, intituled,
"An Act to prevent the enlisting or En-
gagement of His Majesty's Subjects to serve in
a Foreign Service, and the fitting out or equip-
ping, in His Majesty's Dominions, Vessels for
Warlike Purposes, without His Majesty's Li-
cense," it is amongst other Things declared and
enacted as follows:--

That if any person within any Part of the United
Kingdom, or in any Part of His Majesty's Dominions
beyond the Seas, shall, without the Leave and the Li-
cence of His Majesty for that Purpose first had and
obtained as aforesaid, equip, furnish, fit out, or arm, or
attempt or endeavour to equip, furnish, fit out, or arm,
or procure to be equipped, furnished, fitted out, or
armed, or shall knowingly aid, assist, or be concerned
in the equipping, furnishing, fitting out, or arming, of