1 . Victoria , by the GRACE of God , of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , Queen , Defender of the Faith , —To all to whom these Presents shall come — GREETING : KNOW YE — that We , of our Special Grace , certain knowledge , and mere motion , have thought fit to erect and do hereby erect our Island of Hong Kong and its Dependencies , situate between twenty two degrees nine minutes , and twenty-two degrees twenty-one minutes North Latitude , and the one hundred and fourteenth degree eighteen minutes East Longtitude from the Meridian of Greenwich , into a Colony , and the said Island and its Dependencies is hereby erected into a separate Colony accordingly , to be known and designated at “ the Colony of Hong Kong ” .

2 . AND WE DO hereby further grant , appoint , and ordain , that the Governor , for the time being , of the said Colony , and such other Persons as are hereinafter designated , shall constitute , and be a Legislative Council for the said Colony : And We do hereby direct and appoint , that in addition to the said Governor , the said Legislative Council shall be composed of such Public Officers within the said Colony , or of such other Persons within the same , as shall from time to time be named or designated for that purpose , by Us , by any Instruction of Instructions , or Warrant , or Warrants , to be by Us for that purpose issued under Our Signet and Sign Manual , and with the advice of Our Privy Councillor , shall hold their places in the said Council , at our pleasure .

3 . And we do hereby grant and ordain , that the Governor for the time being , of the said Colony , with the advice of the said Legislative Council , shall have full power and authority to make and enact all such laws and Ordinances as may from time to time be required for the Peace , Order , and good Government of the said Colony of Hong-Kong : And that , in making all such laws and Ordinances , the said Governor shall exercise all such powers and authorities ; and that the said Legislative Council shall conform to , and observe all such rules and regulations as We , with the advice of Our Privy Council , shall from time to time , make for his and their guidance therein : Provided , nevertheless , and We do hereby reserve to Ourselves , our Heirs and Successors , our and their right and authority to disallow any such Ordinances in the whole or in part , and to make and establish from time to time , with the advice and consent of Parliament , or with the advice of our or their Privy Council , all such Laws as may to Us , to them , appear necessary , for the Order , Peace , and good Government of our said Island and its Dependencies , as full as if these Presents had not been made .

4 . And , whereas , it is expedient , that an Executive Council should be appointed to advise and assist the Governor of our said Colony of Hong-Kong , for the time being , in the administration of the Government thereof — We do therefore , by these , our Letters Patent , authorizing the Governor of said Colony , for the time being , to summon as an Executive Council , such Persons as may from time to time be named or designated by Us , in any Instructions under Our Signet and Sign Manual , addressed to him in that behalf .

5 . And We , do hereby authorize and empower the Governor of Our said Colony of Hong Kong , for the time being , to keep and use the Public Seal appointed for the Sealing of all things whatsoever that shall pass the Seal of our said Colony .

6 . And we do hereby give and grant to the Governor of our said Colony of Hong-Kong , for the time being , full power and authority in our name and on our behalf , but subject , nevertheless , to such provisions as may be , in that respect contained in any instructions which may from time to time be addressed to him by Us , for that purpose , to make and execute in our name , and on our behalf , under the Public Seal of our said Colony , Grants of Land to us belonging within the same , to Private Persons for their own use and benefit , or to any Persons , Bodies Politic or Corporate , in trust for the Public uses of our Subjects there resident , or of any of them .

7 . And We do hereby authorize and empower the Governor of our said Colony of Hong Kong , for the time being , to constitute and appoint Judges , and in cases requisite , Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer , Justices of the Peace , and other necessary Officers and Ministers in our said Colony , for the due and impartial administration of justice , and for putting the Laws into execution , and to administer , or cause to be administered unto them , such Oath , or Oaths as are usually given for the due execution and performance of officers and places , and for the clearing of truth in judicial matters .

8 . And we do hereby give and grant unto the Governor of our said Colony of Hong-Kong , for the time being , full power and authority , as he shall see occasion , in our name , and on our behalf , to remit any fines , penalties , or forfeitures which may accrue , or become payable to us , provided the same do not exceed Fifty Pounds Sterling , in any one case , and to respite and suspend the payment of any such Fine , Penalty or Forfeiture , exceeding the said sum of Fifty Pounds , until our pleasure thereon shall be made known and signified to such Governor .

9 . And we do hereby give and grant unto the Governor of our said Colony of Hong Kong , for the time being , full power and authority , as he shall see occasion , in our name , and on our behalf , to grant to any offender convicted of any crime , in any Court , or before any Judge , Justice or Magistrate within our said Colony , a free and unconditional pardon , or a pardon subject to such conditions , as by any Law or Ordinance hereafter to be in force in our said Colony , may be there unto annexed , or any respite of the execution of the sentence of any such offender , for such period as to such Governor may seem fit .

10 . And we do hereby give and grant unto the Governor of our said Colony of Hong Kong , for the time being , full power and authority , upon sufficient cause to him appearing , to suspend from the exercise of his Office , within our said Colony , any person exercising any office or Warrant granted , or which may be granted by us , or in our name , or under our authority which suspension shall continue and have effect , only until our pleasure therein shall be made known and signified to such Governor : And we do hereby strictly require and enjoin the Governor of our said Colony of Hong Kong , for the time being , in proceeding to any such suspension , to observe the directions in that behalf , given to him by our instructions , under our Signet and Sign Manual , accompanying his Commission of appointment as Governor of the said Colony .

11 . And , in the event of the death or absence out of our said Colony of Hong-Kong , of such person as may be commissioned and appointed by us , to be the Governor thereof We do hereby provide and declare our pleasure to be , that all , and every , the powers and authorities herein granted to the Governor of our said Colony of Hong Kong , for the time being , shall be , and the same are , hereby vested in such person as may be appointed by us , by Warrant , under our Signet and Sign Manual , to be the Lieutenant-Governor of our said Colony ; or , in the event of there being no Person upon the place , Commissioned and appointed by use to be Lieutenant-Governor thereof , then our pleasure is , and we do hereby provide and declare , that in any such contingency , all the powers and authorities herein granted to the Governor , or Lieutenant-Governor of our said Colony shall be , and the same are hereby granted , to the Colonial Secretary of our said Colony of Hong Kong , for the time being , and such Lieutenant-Governor , or such Colonial Secretary , as the case may be , shall execute all , and every , the powers and authorities herein granted , until our further pleasure shall be signified therein .

12 . And we do hereby require and command all our Officers and Ministers , Civil and Military , and all other , the Inhabitants of our said Colony of Hong-Kong , to be obedient in aiding and assisting to such person as may be Commissioned and appointed by us to be Governor of Hong-Kong , or , in the event of his death or absence , to such person as may , under the provision of these , our Letters Patent , assume and exercise the functions of such Governor .

13 . And we do hereby reserve to us , our heirs and successors , full power and authority from time to time , to revoke , alter , or amend , these our Letters Patent , as to us or them shall seem meet :

IN WITNESS WHEREOF , we have caused these , our Letters , to be made Patent .

WITNESS Ourself , at Westminster , the Fifth day of April , in the Sixth year of our Reign .

BY THE QUEEN HERSELF

EDMUNDS .