BRITISH AND FOREIGN

STATE PAPERS.

SPEECH of the King on the Closing of the British Parliament.-Westminster, September 18, 1914.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

I ADDRESS you in circumstances that call for action rather than for speech.

After every endeavour had been made by my Government to preserve the peace of the world, I was compelled, in the assertion of treaty obligations deliberately set at nought, and for the protection of the public law of Europe and the vital interests of my Empire, to go to war.

My navy and army have, with unceasing vigilance, courage, and skill, sustained, in association with gallant and faithful allies, a just and righteous cause.

From every part of my Empire there has been a spontaneous and enthusiastic rally to our common flag.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

I thank you for the liberality with which you have met a great emergency.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

We are fighting for a worthy purpose, and we shall not lay down our arms until that purpose has been fully achieved.

I rely with confidence upon the loyal and united efforts of all my subjects, and I pray that Almighty God may give us His blessing.

Then a Commission for proroguing the Parliament was read.

After which the Lord Chancellor said:

My Lords and Gentlemen,

By virtue of His Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in His Majesty's name and in obedience to his commands, prorogue this Parliament to Tuesday, the 27th day of October, 1914, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Tuesday, the 27th day of October, 1914.

SPEECH of the King on the Opening of the British Parliament.-Westminster, November 11, 1914.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

THE energies and sympathies of my subjects in every part of the Empire are concentrated on the prosecution to a victorious issue of the war on which we are engaged. I have summoned you now in order that sharing, as I am aware you do, my conviction that this is a duty of paramount and supreme importance, you should take whatever steps are needed for its adequate discharge.

Since I last addressed you, the area of the war has been enlarged by the participation in the struggle of the Ottoman Empire. In conjunction with my allies, and in spite of repeated and continuous provocations, I strove to preserve, in regard to Turkey, a friendly neutrality. Bad counsels and alien influences have driven her into a policy of wanton and defiant aggression, and a state of war now exists between us. My Mussulman subjects know well that a rupture with Turkey has been forced upon me against my will, and I recognize with appreciation and gratitude the proofs which they have hastened to give of their loyal devotion and support.

My navy and army continue, throughout the area of conflict, to maintain in full measure their glorious traditions. We watch and follow their steadfastness and valour with thankfulness and pride, and there is throughout my Empire a fixed determination to secure, at whatever sacrifice, the triumph of our arms and the vindication of our cause.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

You will be asked to make due financial provision for the effective conduct of the war.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

The only measures which will be submitted to you, at this stage of the session, are such as seem necessary to my advisers for the attainment of the great purpose upon which the efforts of the Empire are set.

I confidently commend them to your patriotism and loyalty, and I pray that the Almighty will give His blessing to your counsels.

ACT of the British Parliament to authorise His Majesty by Proclamation to Suspend temporarily the Payment of Bills of Exchange and Payments in pursuance of other Obligations. [August 3, 1914.]

[4 & 5 Geo. V, c. 11.]

BE it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal,

and Cominons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

1.-1.) His Majesty may by proclamation authorize the postponement of the payment of any bill of exchange, or of any negotiable instrument, or any other payment in pursuance of any contract, to such an extent, for such time, and subject to such conditions or other provisions as may be specified in the proclamation.

(2.) No additional stamp duty shall be payable in respect of any instrument as a consequence of any postponement of payment in pursuance of a proclamation under this Act, unless the proclamation otherwise directs.

(3.) Any such proclamation may be varied, extended, or revoked by any subsequent proclamation, and separate proclamations may be made dealing with separate subjects.

(4.) The proclamation, dated the 3rd August, 1914, relating to the postponement of payment of certain bills of exchange is hereby confirmed, and shall be deemed to have been made under this Act.

2.—(1.) This Act may be cited as "The Postponement of Payments Act, 1914."

(2.) This Act shall remain in force for a period of six months from the date of the passing thereof.

ACT of the British Parliament to enable His Majesty in Time of War or Imminent National Danger or Great Emergency by Order in Council to Impose Restrictions on Aliens, and make such Provisions as appear necessary or expedient for carrying such Restrictions into Effect.

[4 & 5 Geo. V, c. 12.]

[August 5, 1914.]

Be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in the present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:--

1.-(1.) His Majesty may at any time when a state of war exists between His Majesty and any foreign Power, or when it appears that an occasion of imminent national danger or great emergency has arisen, by Order in Council, impose restrictions on aliens, and provision may be made by the Order—

(a.) For prohibiting aliens from landing in the United Kingdom, either generally or at certain places, and for imposing restrictions or conditions on aliens landing or arriving at any port in the United Kingdom; and

(b.) For prohibiting aliens from embarking in the United Kingdom, either generally or at certain places, and for imposing restrictions and conditions on aliens embarking or about to embark in the United Kingdom; and

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(c.) For the deportation of aliens from the United Kingdom; and

(d.) For requiring aliens to reside and remain within certain places or districts; and

(e.) For prohibiting aliens from residing or remaining in any areas specified in the Order; and

(f) For requiring aliens residing in the United Kingdom to comply with such provisions as to registration, change of abode, travelling, or otherwise, as may be made by the Order; and

(9.) For the appointment of officers to carry the Order into effect, and for conferring on such officers and on the Secretary of State such powers as may be necessary or expedient for the purposes of the Order; and

(h.) For imposing penalties on persons who aid or abet any contravention of the Order, and for imposing such obligations and restrictions on masters of ships or any other persons specified in the Order as appear necessary or expedient for giving full effect to the Order; and

(i.) For conferring upon such persons as may be specified in the Order such powers with respect to arrest, detention, search of premises or persons, and otherwise, as may be specified in the Order, and for any other ancillary matters for which it appears expedient to provide with a view to giving full effect. to the Order; and

(.) For any other matters which appear necessary or expedient with a view to the safety of the realm.

(2.) If any person acts in contravention of, or fails to comply with, any provisions of any such Order, he shall be liable, on conviction under the Summary Jurisdiction Acts, to a fine not exceeding 1007. or to imprisonment, with or without hard labour, for a term not exceeding six months, and the Court before which he is convicted may, either in addition to or in lieu of any such punishment, require that person to enter into recognizances, with or without sureties, to comply with the provisions of the Order in Council or such provisions thereof as the Court may direct.

If any person fails to comply with an Order of the Court requiring him to enter into recognizances, the Court, or any Court of summary jurisdiction sitting for the same place, may order him to be imprisoned, with or without hard labour, for any term not exceeding six months.

(3.) Any provision of any Order in Council made under this section with respect to aliens may relate either to aliens in general or to any class or description of aliens.

(4.) If any question arises on any proceedings under any such Order, or with reference to anything done or proposed to be done under any such Order, whether any person is an alien or not, or is an alien of a particular class or not, the onus of proving that that person is not an alien, or, as the case may be, is not an alien of that class, shall lie upon that

person.

(5.) His Majesty may by Order in Council revoke, alter, or

add to any Order in Council made under this section as occasion requires.

(6.) Any powers given under this section, or under any Order in Council made under this section, shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, any other powers with respect to the expulsion of aliens, or the prohibition of aliens from entering the United Kingdom, or any other powers of His Majesty.

2.-(1.) This Act may be cited as "The Aliens Restriction Act, 1914."

(2.) In the application of this Act to Scotland, the expressions. "the Court" and "any Court of summary jurisdiction" mean the Sheriff; and the expressions "enter into recognizances with or without sureties" and "enter into recognizances" mean "find caution."

ACT of the British Parliament to amend the Law relating to Procedure in Prize Courts.

[4 & 5 Geo. V, c. 13.]

[August 5, 1914.]

BE it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

1.-(1.) As from the date when rules under an Order in Council made after the passing of this Act in pursuance of section 3 of "The Prize Courts Act, 1894,"* regulating the procedure and practice in Prize Courts, come into operation, such of the provisions of "The Naval Prize Act, 1864," as are specified in the Schedule to this Act (being enactments relating to the practice and procedure in Prize Courts) shall be repealed:

Provided that nothing in such repeal shall have the effect of extending section 16 of that Act to ships of war taken as prize, and accordingly that section shall have effect as if the following words were inserted therein: "Nothing in this section shall apply to ships of war taken as prize."

(2.) Any cause or proceeding commenced in any Prize Court before such rules as aforesaid come into operation as respects that Court may, as the Court directs, be either

(a.) Recommenced and proceeded with in accordance with the said rules; or

(b.) Continued in accordance with the said rules, subject to such adaptations as the Court may deem necessary to make them applicable to the case; or

(c.) Continued to the determination thereof in accordance with the procedure applicable to the case at the commencement of the cause or proceeding.

2. This Act may be cited as "The Prize Courts (Procedure)

* Vol. LXXXVI, page 80.