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53 Geoergii III. Cap. clv.
1139

XXXIII. And whereas it is the Duty of this Country to promote the Interest and happiness of the Native Inhabitants of the British Dominions in India; and Such Measures ought to be adopted as may tend to the Introduction among them Of useful Knowledge, and of religious and moral Improvement; and in Furtherance of the above Objects, sufficient Facilities ought to be afforded by Law to Persons desirous of going to and remaining in India, for the Purpose of accomplishing those benevolent Designs, so as the Authority of the local Governments respecting the Intercourse of Europeans with the Interior of the Country be preserved, and the Principles of the Government, on which the Natives of India have hitherto relied for the free Exercise of their Religion, be inviolably maintained: And whereas it is expedient to make Provision for granting Permission to Persons desirous of going to and remaining in India for the above Purposes, and also to Persons desirous of going to and remaining there for other lawful Purposes; be it therefore enacted. When the Court of Directors refuse per­mission to any Persons to proceed to the East Indies, the Applica­tions to be transmitted to the Board; who may direct Certificates to be granted by the Direc­tors, authorising such Persons to proceed to any of the Principal Settlements.That when and as often as any Application shall be made to the said Court of Directors, for or on Behalf of any Person or Persons desirous of proceeding to the East Indies for Permission so to do, the said Court shall, unless they shall think fit to comply therewith, transmit, every such Application within One Month from the Receipt thereof to the said Board of Commissioners for the Affairs of India; and in Case the said Commissioners shall not see any sufficient Objection thereto, it shall and may be lawful for the said Commissioners to direct that such Person or Persons shall, at his or their own special Charge, be permitted to proceed to any of the said principal Settle­ ments of the said Company, and that such Person Or Persons shall be furnished by the said Court of Directors with a Certificate or Certificates, according to such Form as the said Commissioners shall prescribe, signifying that such Person or Persons hath or have so proceeded with the Cognizance and under the Sanction of the said Court of Directors; and that all such Certificates shall entitle the Persons obtaining the same so long as they shall properly conduct themselves, to the Counte­nance and Protection of the several Governments of the said Company in the East Indies and Parts aforesaid, in their respective Pursuits, subject to all such Provisions and Restrictions as are now in Force, or may hereafter be judged necessary, with regard to Persons residing in India.

Directors may make Representations thereon to the BoardXXXIV. Provided always. That nothing herein contained shall extend or be construed to extend to restrict or prohibit the said Court of Directors from offering such Representations to the said Board of Commissioners respecting Persons so applying for Permission to proceed to the East Indies, as the said Court of Directors n»ay at any Time think fit.

All Persons to be subject to the Regulations of the Local Governments.XXXV. Provided also, and be it further enacted, That all Persons who shall proceed to the East Indies, shall upon their Arrival at any Place within the Limits of the said United Company's Government, be subject to all such Rules and Regulations as now are or hereafter may be in Force within those Limits,

Governments in India may declare Certificates and Licences to be void if it shall appear to them that the Per­sons, to whom granted, have forfeited their Claim to Protection.XXXVI. Provided also, and be it further enacted, That if any Person having obtained a Certi­ficate or Licence from the said Court of Directors, authorizing such Person to proceed to the East Indies, shall at any Time so conduct himself as in the Judgment of the Governor General, or Governor of the Presidency within which such Person shall be found, to have forfeited his Claim to the Countenance and Protection of the Government of such Presidency, it shall and may be lawful for such Governor General, or Governor, by Order, to declare that the Certificate or Licence so ob­tained by such Person, shall be void from a Day to be named in_such Order; and from and after such Day so to be named in such Order, such Person shall be deemed and taken to be a Person residing and being in the East Indies without Licence or Authority for that Purpose, and may be sent forthwith to the United Kingdom; any Matter or Thing whatsoever to the contrary notwith­standing: Persons not to be pro­secuted for residing without a Licence, un­til Two Months after Notice.Provided nevertheless, that no Person Whose Certificate or Licence shall have been so vacated by Order of any of the Governments of the said Company as aforesaid, shall be subject or liable to any Prosecution for residing or being found in the East Indies without Licence or Authority for that Purpose, until Two Months after Notice of such Order shall have been given to such Person, by Delivery to such Person of a Copy thereof, or by leaving the same at the last Place of Abode of such Person, or by Publication of such Order in the Gazette of the Presidency where such Order shall be made.

Governments in India not to sanction the Residence of His Majesty's Subjects without the Authority of the Directors, except under Special Circumstances.XXXVII. And be it farther enacted. That it shall not be lawful for any of the Governments of the said Company at their several Presidencies to license or otherwise authorize the Residence at any Place or Places within the Limits of the said Company's Governments, of any Subject of His Majesty, who shall go thereto after the Tenth Day of April One thousand eight hundred and fourteen, unless such Person shall have been previously furbished with a Licence or Certificate from the Court of Directors of the said Company, or have otherwise been authorized by Law to reside withinthe