date hereof, and that the same shall be, and shall henceforth continue to be, in full force and effect until the same shall be altered, amended, or repealed by me; and that the same shall be observed by all owners and captains of such vessels and boats as shall be licensed by virtue of the foregoing order and regulations, and by all masters and commanders of all vessels and ships, and by all persons duly licensed or appointed to act as pilots for the harbors of Victoria and Esquimalt, or employed on the waters of either of the said bays or ports, and all other bays and ports in Vancouver's island and its dependencies. Given under my hand and seal, at government house, Victoria, this twentyfifth day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, and in the twenty-second year of her Majesty's reign. By his excellency's command. God save the Queen. JAMES DOUGLAS, Governor. [L. S.] WILLIAM CHARLES, Secretary. AN ACT to amend the scale of fees charged for the entrance and clearance of vessels; licenses to scows, boats, and other craft; and dues for landing permits; as well as other matters relating to the same, in the port of Victoria, including Esquimalt. Whereas it is expedient to amend the scale of fees charged for the entrance and clearance of vessels into the port of Victoria and Esquimalt; for the licenses to scows, boats, and other craft plying in the said port; and of landing permits : Be it enacted by the governor, on her Majesty's behalf, by and with the advice and consent of the legislative council and assembly of Vancouver's island and its dependencies Clearance and entrance fees in the Schedule A to be levied from the passage of this act. I. That, from and after the passage of this act, there shall be raised, levied, collected, and paid to the harbor-master of Victoria, to and for the use of her Majesty, her heirs and successors, in lieu of the charges heretofore made, in respect of the charges aforesaid, the scale of fees, upon vessels entering or departing from the harbor of Victoria or Esquimalt, in Schedule A, to this act annexed. Coasters may take out a license. II. All vessels whilst employed exclusively in the coasting or carrying trade between places within this colony and either of the aforesaid harbors shall be exempt from the charges for entrance and clearance aforesaid; but the masters of such vessels shall report themselves to the harbor-master of Victoria harbor whenever such vessels shall enter or depart from either of the said harbors; and such vessels as last aforesaid shall be liable to the licenses mentioned in Schedule B, hereunto annexed. Licenses on scows and small craft. III. There shall be charged upon scows and other craft employed in unlading ships, or carrying goods or passengers between the harbors of Victoria and Esquimalt, or vice versa, or plying in either of the said harbors, the licenses mentioned in Schedule C, to this act annexed. Penalty for carrying passengers or goods without license. IV. Any vessel or craft carrying goods or passengers as aforesaid, or being employed in the coasting trade as aforesaid, without having paid the necessary license, shall be liable to confiscation. Permit to be obtained before landing. V. No goods other than the produce of the colony and passengers' luggage shall be landed from any vessel in Victoria or Esquimalt until the same and the value thereof shall have been first reported to the harbor-master of Victoria, and the permit to land the same shall have been received from the said harbor-master, or his deputy or deputies, and there shall be charged and paid for such landing permit the sum mentioned in Schedule D, to this act annexed. Penalty of landing without permit. VI. Any person landing any goods, save as aforesaid, shall be liable to a fine of not more than fifty pounds, (£50,) to be recovered by a summary process before any justice of the peace, and, in default of payment, to imprisonment, with or without hard labor, for a period not exceeding one month, and the goods so landed may be confiscated to the use of her Majesty, her heirs and successors. Appropriation of amounts payable. VII. The sums arising from all the above sources shall be paid into the treasury of Vancouver's island, and carried to a separate fund, to be called "the harbor fund." Short title. VIII. This act may be cited as "the Victoria and Esquimalt harbor dues act, 1860." Passed the house of assembly the 26th day of October, A. D. 1860. JAMES DOUGLAS, Governor. SCHEDULE A. Fees for entrance and clearance for vessels entering and clearing the ports of Victoria and Esquimalt. All steamers bona fide carrying mails to pay half the amount of the above scale of fees, according to their tonnage. Wherries and skiffs plying for hire, and licensed to carry not exceeding six passengers, per quarter, one pound. Row-boats and yawls plying for hire, and licensed to carry more than six passengers, and under ten tons burden, per quarter, one pound ten shillings. Lighters and scows employed in freighting or discharging vessels, or otherwise, for hire, under ten tons burden, per quarter, two pounds. Lighters and scows exceeding ten tons burden, two pounds per quarter, with one shilling additional for every ton exceeding ten tons and up to one hundred tons burden. SCHEDULE D. For invoices under £100 in value............ For invoices above £100 and under £250 in value.. SEPTEMBER 30, 1862. I have the honor, in accordance with instructions, of submitting the following report: This city has two harbors, Esquimalt and Victoria. Vessels drawing eighteen to twenty feet water can enter the former, and those drawing twelve to fourteen the latter. There is no law establishing a pilot commission, but vessels generally take on board a pilot before entering either harbor. The cost of pilotage is two dollars per foot draught. The distance between the two harbors is about two and a half miles, and a good macadamized road has been constructed by the colonial government between the two ports. This consulate includes only two ports of entrance and clearance, Victoria, Vancouver's island, and New Wesminster, British Columbia. So far as I can learn, only four or five sailing vessels have entered the latter port since the 1st January last. Victoria appears to be the great depot for Vancouver's island and British Columbia. The number of vessels under the American and other national flags entering this port since the 1st January, 1862, to the 30th June, their tonnage and number of crew, will be found in table No. 1. Victoria, in one sense, is a free port; that is, no duties are collected on imports, but all merchandise, produce, &c., before landing, are required to take out "landing permits," the cost of which is governed by their value. TABLE No. 2. For each invoice under £100 in value...... For each invoice of £100 and not exceeding £250... For each invoice of £500 and not exceeding £1,000.. For every additional £100 in value For the entrance and clearance of vessels, under the new act of September 2, 1862, the charges are as follows: For the statistics of imports into and exports from Victoria, from the 1st January, 1862, to the 30th June, I am in part indebted to Mr. Henry Wotten, harbor-master and collector. They exceed $200,000 in value more than for the same period last season. I am enabled to give only their description and value. H. Ex. Doc. 63-10 |