Whereas by the 2nd section of " The Merchant Shipping Act Amendment Act, 1855," of the United Kingdom it is enacted that " In any case in which any lighthouse, buoy, or beacon has been or is hereafter erected or placed on or near the coasts of any British possession, by or with the consent of the legislative authority of such possession, Her Majesty may, by Order in Council, fix such dues in respect thereof, to be paid by the owner or master of every ship which passes the same or derives benefit therefrom, as Her Majesty may deem reasonable, and may in like manner from time to time increase, diminish, or repeal such dues ; and from the time specified in such Order for the commencement of the dues thereby fixed, increased, or diminished, the same shall be leviable throughout Her Majesty's dominions, in manner hereinafter mentioned " :

And whereas by the 3rd section of the said Act it is further enacted that " No such dues as aforesaid shall be levied in any Colony unless and until the legislative authority in such Colony has, either by address to the Crown or by an Act or Ordinance duly passed, signified its opinion that the same ought to be levied in such Colony" :

And whereas it is proposed to erect a lighthouse on Minicoy Island, near the coasts of this Island, with the consent of the Legislature thereof, and it is expedient that such consent should be given, and also that the Legislature should, by Ordinance, signify its opinion that such dues as aforesaid ought to be levied in the Island:

And whereas Her Majesty has signified through Her Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies that the dues to be levied by Her Order in Council in Ceylon on each vessel will be as follows, namely :—In respect of the lighthouse of the Island of Minicoy at cents (2-1/2) two and a half per ton ; in respect of the lighthouse on the Great Basses Rocks and the lighthouse on the Little Basses Rocks at cents (7-1/2) seven and a half per ton:

It is hereby enacted by the Governor of Ceylon, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council thereof, as follows : -

1. This Ordinance may be cited as the Minicoy Lighthouse and Lighthouse Dues Ordinance.

2. The consent of the Legislature is hereby given to the erection of a lighthouse on the Island of Minicoy.

3. The opinion of the Legislature is hereby signified that the dues so to be fixed by Her Majesty by Order in Council under the authority of section 2 of the said recited Act in respect of the said lighthouse on the Island of Minicoy, and in respect of the lighthouse on the Great Basses Rocks and of the lighthouse on the Little Basses Rocks, ought to be and may be levied in Ceylon on all ships (other than ships belonging to the Government of Ceylon) arriving or touching at any port or place therein, before or after passing any such lighthouse, or deriving benefit therefrom.