默示条文

1 序言

解释合约的大精神还是要从合约文件本身去寻找、确定当事人的订约意愿。法官/仲裁员
在解释合约时不能随意增删或修改合约的内容，他的职能只是解释而不是重写
（rewrite）合约。但由于知识水平、订约能力、行业惯例等种种原因，经常可见合约条
文并不完整但合约双方却已经开始或完成了合约的履行，反正双方都承认有一个有效
合约的存在，在这种情况下一旦双方对合约没有写明的内容有了争议，法官/仲裁员该
怎么办呢？所以鉴于解释合约的最终目标是为了客观地寻找合约双方当事人的意愿，
法律出于必须性的考虑，因为合约中所遗留的一个不完整之处必须有一个说法才能去
补这个漏洞，还是允许法官/仲裁员给合约增加一些其原本没有明示的内容，这就是我
们通常所指的默示条文（implied terms）了。所谓默示条文，就是订约时双方从来没
有写明或提到，而由法官/仲裁员依据有关事实或法律而引入合约的条文，在很大程度
上就把此当作是订约双方假设/假定的订约意图（presumed intention）。相对来说合
约中的明示条文显然是双方的真正订约意图（actual intention）。

由于这类条文无需写进合约也构成合约的内容，从而对合约方构成约束，因此出于商
业稳定性的要求，法律对其限定的条件也是较为严格的。总体而言，默示条文可分为事
实的默示与法律的默示，而要想成功默示条文进合约，此条文也必须满足一些先决条
件如：（i）必须合理与公平；（ii）必须是合约的商业效力所必要，如果缺少此条文
合约仍能运作则不会默示；（iii）必须在订约时可以去假设双方会理所当然或异口同
声地同意这个说法；（iv）必须可以被清楚地表达；（v）不能与合约明示条文起冲突。
法官/仲裁员在决定是否默示一条条文进合约时，会采用“商业效力”或“好事第三
者”的标准，以上一些大精神/大原则后详。

2 默示条文的性质与分类：

默示条文取决于订约双方假定的订约意图，有些情况下默示条文从个别合约内的明示
条文和订约语境来确定，另有情况是根据订约双方的法定关系本质来确定。这两种情况
表示了默示条文可分为两种，前一种是法律的默示（implied by law），后一种是事
实的默示（implied in fact）。 Wright 勋爵在 Luxor (Eastbourne) Ltd v. Cooper
(1941) A.C. 108 是这样说：
“The expression ‘implied term’ is used in different senses. Sometimes it
denotes some term which does not depend on the actual intention of the
parties but on a rule of law, such as the terms, warranties or conditions
which, if not a rule of law, such as the terms, warranties or conditions
which, if not expressly excluded, the law imports, as for instance under
the Sale of Goods Act and the Marine Insurance Act. But a case like the
present is different because what it is sought to imply is based on an
intention imputed to the parties from their actual circumstances.”。

在后期的案件，Wright 勋爵的这个分类开始引人注意，Simonds 子爵与 Tucker 勋爵在

Lister v. Romford Ice and Cold Storage Co Ltd (1957) A.C. 555 也有提到。但这
个两分法真正发展起来是在 Liverpool City Council v. Irwin (1977) A.C. 239，在
这个先例中，贵族院的 Cross 勋爵对这两种默示有区分如下：
“When it implies a term in a contract the court is sometimes laying down a
general rule that in all contracts of a certain type—sale of goods, master
and servant, landlord and tenant, and so on—some provision is to be
implied unless the parties have expressly exclude it. In deciding whether
or not to lay down such a prima facie rule the court will naturally ask
itself whether in the general run of such cases the term in question would
be one which it would be reasonable to insert. Sometimes, however, there is
no defined type but what the court is being in effect asked to do is to
rectify a particular—often a very detailed—contract by inserting in it a
term which the parties have not expressed. Here it is not enough for the
court to say that the suggested term is one the presence of which would
make the contract a better or fairer one; it must be able to say that the
insertion of the term is necessary to give—as it is put—business efficacy
to the contract and that if its absence had been pointed out at the time
both parties—assuming them to have been reasonable men—would have agreed
without hesitation to its insertion.”。

2.1 默示类别之一：法律的默示

这里可去举一些简单的例子让读者更好地理解这两种不同的默示条文。首先是举法律的
默示，这默示可来自商业习惯作法/惯例（请看本章第 10 段）、立法或普通法/案例法。
上述 Wright 勋爵的判词中就提到了两个立法，一是《货物销售法》（《Sale of Goods
Act》），另是《海上保险法》（《Marine Insurance Act》）。在 1979 年英国《货物销售
法》，它内中有许多的默示条文，其中最重要的例子是卖方对出售的货物有一个默示条
文，即他有权出售该有关货物，货物也没有债务与押记，及买方可宁静地占有该货物 ，
等。这是在第 12 条文，可去部分节录如下：
“12. Implied terms about title, etc.
(1) In a contract of sale, other than one to which subsection (3) below
applies, there is an implied (term) on the part of the seller that in the
case4 of a sale he has a right to sell the goods, and in the case of an
agreement to sell he will have such a right at the time when the property
is to pass.
(2) In a contract of sale, other than one to which subsection (3) below
applies, there is also an implied (term) that –
(a) the goods are free, and will remain free until the time when the
property is to pass, from any charge or encumbrance not disclosed or known
to the buyer before the contract is made, and
(b) the buyer will enjoy quiet possession of the goods except so far as it
may be disturbed by the owner or other person entitled to the benefit of
any charge or encumbrance so disclosed or know…”。

另是针对将来的货物，《货物销售法》之第 14 条文有各种不同的针对。一是默示有关货
物是满意的质量（satisfactory quality）。这是第 14 (2)条文，如下：
“14. Implied terms about quality or fitness
…
(2) Where the seller sells goods in the course of a business, there is an
implied term that the goods supplied under the contract are of satisfactory
quality.

(2A) For the purposes of this Act, goods are of satisfactory quality if
they meet the standard that a reasonable person would regard as
satisfactory, taking account of any description of the goods, the price (if
relevant) and all the other relevant circumstances.

(2B) For the purposes of this Act, the quality of goods includes their
state and condition and the following (among others) are in appropriate
cases aspects of the quality of goods—

(a) fitness for all the purposes for which goods of the kind in question
are commonly supplied,

(b) appearance and finish,

(c) freedom from minor defects,

(d) safety, and

(e) durability.
(2C) The term implied by subsection (2) above does not extend to any matter
making the quality of goods unsatisfactory—

(a) which is specifically dra2wn to the buyer’s attention before the

contract is made,

(b) where the buyer examines the goods before the contract is made, which
that examination ought to reveal, or

(c) in the case of contract for sale by sample, which would have been
apparent on a reasonable examination of the sample.”。

笔者无意再多去介绍有关《货物销售法》，反而想去介绍这些立法的默示条文是如何操
作。举例说，在一个船舶买卖，买方在接受船舶的时候才发觉船舶以前留下了大量的债
务，导致船舶在一些港口不断被扣押。这一来，买方的损失显然应该可以向卖方索赔。
但要成功索赔首先在责任方面要证明卖方违反买卖合约的条文。如果双方的买卖合约是
以一些草拟得严谨的标准格式合约，例如 1993 年挪威格式，它是有一条明示条文去针
对卖方不能遗留债务，这是第 9 条文如下：
“9. Encumbrances
The sellers warrant that the Vessel, at the time of delivery, is free from
all charters, encumbrances, mortgages and maritime liens or any other debts
whatsoever. The sellers hereby undertake to indemnify the Buyers against
all consequences of claims made against the Vessel which have been incurred
prior to the time of delivery.”。

在这个情况下，买方很容易就能证明卖方违反了买卖合约的第 9 条明示条文，接下去
只是去计算赔偿损失的金额。但不难想到有一些订约没有这么正规的情况，例如是游艇
或内河船舶的买卖，买卖双方根本不知道也不会去使用挪威格式。这一来，订约双方没
有去想到也自然去漏掉如上述的挪威格式第 9 条文可能性就很大了，这正是 Steyn 勋
爵在近期的 Equitable Life Assurance Society v. Hyman (2002) 1 A.C. 408, CA,
HL 所说的“general default”的情况。这一来，难道无辜的买方买下了一艘留有许多
债务的船舶难道就没有救济了吗？显然，这并不公道。加上，这种情况会是很普遍，因
为《货物销售法》适用在所有种类货物的买卖包括船舶。所以，为了公平、公共政策或法
治的需要，有了这一个立法去强加这些默示条文。这一来，买方向卖方索赔损失，如果
卖方扯皮说：“我从来没有对你作出任何承诺说该船舶没有债务。”，买方就可以回答
说：“就算是没有明示条文去作出这种承诺，但《货物销售法》有默示条文要求该船舶
没有债务与可以让我作为买方享有宁静的占有，但你做不到，所以违反了默示条文。”。
当然，即使是立法的默示条文，如果不是像 1924 年《海牙规则》这样规定不能以明示条
文改变的话，也不影响双方的订约自由。所以默示条文是应该屈服于明示条文，例如上
述船舶的卖方以明示条文说明该船舶有一笔债务，而买方也接受了，这一来《货物销售
法》的有关默示条文就在此方面不适用了。

Wright 勋爵提到的另一个立法就是 1906 年《海上保险法》，这里面也是有大量的默示

条 文 。 最 为 人 所 知 的 是 第 17 条 文 说 明 保 险 合 约 是 要 “ 绝 对 善 意 ” （ utmost
goodfaith），再多举一个例子是立法的第 39 条文针对航次保险，受保人的船东有一
个在航次开始前使船舶必须绝对/严格适航的默示保证。

这些默示条文的操作如上述例子，笔者不去多介绍。至于以保险合约明示条文去否定或
更改立法的默示条文，针对“绝对善意”就很少会出现，但针对航次保险对必须适航
的默示保证，就比较多见到有明示条文去作出改变以减轻或避免对船东的绝对适航责
任。例如在货物保险，由于这种保险也是受 1906 年《海上保险法》的管辖，就有一条标
准条文可简称为“Seaworthiness Admitted Clause”去放弃这一个默示责任，因为今
天 的 货 方 根 本 管 不 了 船 舶 是 否 适 航 。 例 如 在 1982 年 的 “ 学 会 货 物 条 文
(A)”（Institute Cargo Clauses [A]），就有第 5.2 条文说：
“The underwriters waive any breach of the implied warranties of
seaworthiness of the ship and fitness pf the ship to carry the subject-
matter insured to destination, unless the Assured or their servants are
privy to such unseaworthiness or unfitness.”。

除了立法外，普通法也会去增加默示条文。例如 Mahmud v. Bank of Credit and

Commerce International SA (1998) AC 20, HL，贵族院在雇佣合约确认了有一个默
示条文就是双方有一个相互信任的关系（trust of confidence）。例如雇主不应做一
些不诚实与腐败的事情，而这些事情会导致雇员的前途受损。

在 Lister v. Romford Ice and Cold Storage Co Ltd (1957) A.C. 555，案情也是涉
及一份雇佣合约中，争议是是否在雇主疏忽情况下雇主要负责赔偿其雇员。Simonds 子
爵说这不是个别合约的问题，他说：
“with a general question, which if not correctly described as a question
of status, yet can only be answered by considering the relation in which
the drivers of motor-vehicles and their employers generally stand to each
other. … If I were to try to apply the familiar tests where the question
is whether a term should be implied in a particular contract in order to
give it what is called business efficacy, I should lose myself in the
attempt to formulate it with the necessary precision. But this is not
conclusive, for as I have said, the solution of the problem does not rest
on the implication of a term in a particular contract but upon more general
considerations.”。

读者可以注意到上述举的例子是普遍性地默示在每一不同类别的合约，而不是个别情
况。法律默示也不理会每一个案件不同的事实， 唯一只屈服于明示条文，因为大原则
还是订约自由。这种默示也不追究订约双方的真正或假设订约意图， 甚至是默示最重
要的一个要求是它是否必要（necessary）才可让有关的合约有商业效力（business
efficacy）并可以运行（workable）也会较宽松，因为有一些法律的默示是出于更广
泛的考虑，例如是公共政策与整体的合理性。唯一能去否定这种法律默示条文就是以清
楚无误的明示条文去加以否定， 换言之订约自由与双方的订约意愿仍是至高无上的大
原则。这里可去节录《Chitty on Contracts》一书第 29 版第一册 13-003 段如下：
“Terms implied by law. The implication of a term is a matter of law for
the court, and whether or not a term is implied is usually said to depend
upon the intention of the parties as collected from the words of the
agreement and the surrounding circumstances. In many classes of contract,
however, implied terms have become standardized, and it is somewhat
artificial to attribute such terms to the unexpressed intention of the
parties. The court is, in fact, laying down a general rule of law that in
all contracts of a defined type—for example, sale of goods, landlord and
tenant, employment, the carriage of goods by land or sea—certain terms
will be implied, unless the implication of such a term would be contrary to
the express words of the agreement. Such implications do not depend on the
intentions of the parties, actual or presumed, but on more general
considerations.”。

另 可 节 录 Diplock 勋 爵 在 Photo Productions Ltd v. Securicor Transport Ltd

(1980) A.C. 827, HL 中强调了“法律默示”对商业合约的重要性，他说：
“A basic principle of the common law of contract, to which there are no
exceptions that are relevant in the instant case, is that parties to a
contract are free to determine for themselves what primary obligations they
will accept. They may state these in express words in the contract itself
and, where they do, the statement is determinative; but in practice a
commercial contract never states all the primary obligations of the parties
in full; many are left to be incorporated by implication of law from the
legal nature of the contract into which the parties are entering. But if
the parties wish to reject or modify primary obligations which would
otherwise be so incorporated, they are fully at liberty to do so by express
terms.”。（一个有关普通法下合约法的基本精神是双方当事人有订约自由可去决定他
们愿意接受哪一些主要合约责任/承诺。做法上是以明示的文字写在合约内，这一来这
些明示的责任/承诺就是决定性的。但在现实中，商业合约永远不会把所有的主要责任/
承诺去写出来，导致剩下了不少是根据不同性质的商业合约去靠法律作出默示。如果订
约双方想去拒绝或改变这些会被默示合并进来的主要责任/承诺，他们完全有自由去以
明示条文排除或修改。）

在 Ashmore v. Lloyd’s (1992) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 620，高院的 Gatehouse 大法官也

有针对法律的默示，把它称为“第三类默示条文”，说：
“The third, described as a term ‘implied in law’ does not depend on the
presumed joint intention of the parties, but upon the principle derived, as
the plaintiffs say, from Liverpool City Council v. Irwin [1977] A.C. 239.
Strictly, I think the principle emerged much earlier and Liverpool v. Irwin
is merely an example of its application. It was recognized by Lord Wight in
Luxor (Eastbourne) Ltd. v. Cooper [1941] A.C. 108 at p. 137, and again, in
rather more detail, by Viscount Simonds and Lord Tucker in Lister v.
Romford sup., at pp. 516 and 524; pp. 576 and where the relationship
between the parties is one of a particular type or category but is
‘incomplete’ in that the parties have failed to express a term which the
law will then imply as a necessary term of all contracts within the
category; unless, of course, the parties have expressly excluded it or it
is otherwise inconsistent with the express terms of their contract.”。

这就带来了下一个问题，即如何去把有争议的合约去分类，因为它们有不同的法律默
示条文。这里会有十分容易分类的合约，例如 FOB 或 CIF 买卖就肯定是受《货物销售法》
的管辖并会引进该立法下的法律默示条文。

确 定 合 约 的 定 性 / 分 类 是 解 释 合 约 的 工 作 ： Wong Mee Wan v. Kwan Kin Travel

Service Ltd (1996) 1 W.L.R. 38, 42, PC。在确定合约分类时，可考虑双方之前的交
易，合约的订约的环境等事实。

但看来还是有困难，例如目前在英国法律下电脑软件的买卖是否归 1979 年《货物销售

法》管辖或归 1982 年《货物与服务提供法》管辖还不明朗： St Albans City and
District Council v. International Computers Ltd (1996) 4 All E.R. 481, CA。
同样的不明朗也出现在造船合约，虽然已经有一连串先例判其是属于买卖将来货物
（future goods）的合约。Diplock 大法官在 McDougall v. Aeromarine of Emsworth
Ltd (1958) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 345 说：
“… it seems well settled by authority that, although a shipbuilding
contract is, in form, a contract for the construction of the vessel, it is
in law a contract for the sale of goods …”。

要知道一个货物买卖合约与提供建造服务合约有各自不同的默示条文，所以必须能够
去分类。

2.2 默示类别之二：事实的默示

在 近 期 的 Equitable Life Assurance Society v. Hyman (2002) 1 A.C. 408, CA,

HL，Steyn 勋爵把把事实的默示称为“ad hoc gap fillers”，从“随意”（ad hoc）
一词我们也可看出事实的默示的特点。它是针对个别合约，往往也没有任何直接的先例
或立法针对，而判了之后也不会可去适用在将来的类似合约。这是因为每一个合约在订
约自由下都会有不大相同的写法，也往往有它不同的语境/环境，导致了很容易去作出
区分并给与不同的解释。 由于解释合约条文是一个法律问题：The “Nema” (1982)
A.C. 724，而法律问题在伦敦仲裁是可以去上诉，但由于在“ Nema Guideline”有所
收紧，上诉是要先去取得上诉批文，而在“一次过”（one-off）的案件，可以说是不
会有成功的希望去取得上诉批文。这就可以得出一个结论就是大部分的“ ad hoc gap
fillers”，特别只是影响个别的合约与相关的当事人，都会是一次过的案件。相反，
在上一小段的法律的默示就会是影响面广，上诉就会是机会大得多了。

先去举一个简单的例子有关事实的默示，就是订约双方同意在一条明示条文去支付一
笔钱（或做一件事）。如果双方的合约完整，就应想到也应去明示付钱的期限。这一来，
如果有明示约定付钱必须准时在某一天，或马上（ immediately）/立即（forthwith）
等措辞，这去解释起来就十分容易了。但如果双方的合约根本没有提到，加上双方有了
争议，例如收款人说是在订约后的第二天就应该支付，但付款人说是订约后 50 年才需
要支付，就存在怎样在双方的两个极端之间去认定付款的时间了。注意是由于没有明示
条文，所以剩下了只有靠默示条文。而且，必须要有一个说法，否则该合约就有了一个
大漏洞，不去填补的话订约双方根本无法去走这付款的一步。这一来，法官/仲裁员就
会去作出一个合理时间必须付钱的默示条文。合理是因为默示条文本质上必须是合理，
因为这是去假设双方的订约意图，而肯定双方在订约时都不会提出异议的当然就只能
是对大家都合理。这合理就要去看该合约的其他明示条文，例如该笔钱是人民币，另是
付款人所在地是中国大陆，但收款人是在外国。这一来，考虑到中国大陆有外汇管制，
再加上收款人所在地会是不方便与有关的时间碰巧又是长假期，法官/仲裁员在这种环
境下取得有关的汇款证据/事实后会认定付款的合理时间是在订约后的两个星期内，既
不是收款人所说的第二天，更不是付款人所说的 50 年。

从上述的例子也可以去看到在另一个合约，有类似的情况出现，但事实上有一点改变
例如有关的一笔钱是美元，而付款人与收款人都是在香港的公司，这一来默示的合理
时间可能只有一/两天的银行工作日，而不再是两个星期了。

在此可去简单介绍英国在这方面的第一个案例 The “Moorcock” (1889) 14 P.D.

64，案情是被告拥有泰晤士河畔的一个码头，他将此码头租用给原告“Moorcock”轮
的船东，当时双方都知道船舶在低潮期间是肯定要搁浅来作业的，结果因为河床凹凸
不平而导致船舶损坏。但船东与码头所有人之间的租用合约没有明示条文保证卸货码头
是安全，所以要去依赖默示条文，就是码头所有人保证船东卸货码头安全。而上诉庭也
是去这样做，即把原来不在合约存在的去加上一条默示条文，其中 Bowen 大法官说：
“Now, an implied warranty, or, as it is called, a covenant in law, as
distinguished from an express contract or express warranty, really is in
all cases founded upon the presumed intention of the parties, and upon
reason. The implication which the law draws from what must obviously have
been the intention of the parties, the law draws with the object of giving
efficacy to the transaction and preventing such a failure of consideration
as cannot have been within the contemplation of either sides; and I believe
if one were to take all the cases, and there are many, of implied
warranties or covenants in law, it will be found that in all of them the
law is raising an implication from the presumed intention of the parties
with the object of giving to the transaction such efficacy as both parties
must have intended that at all events it should have.”。

另一个可去简单介绍的重要先例是 Shirlaw v. Southern Foundries (1926) Ltd

(1939) 2 K.B. 206。此先例是一个公司与其常务董事之间的一个 10 年雇佣合约，签约
三年后公司被收购，新的母公司重写了其公司章程，使其有权解雇任何董事。上诉庭多
数判是这一个 10 年的雇佣合约内有默示条文该公司是不能事后去改变公司章程以影响
或改变该合约。

去简单地总结说，事实的默示经常发生，也是法官/仲裁员经常要面对的问题，这显示
了一般订约当事人水平会有问题，导致合约不完整或有缺陷，非要填补这个漏洞。而法
官/仲裁员是否要去默示就是根据一些主要先例规定下来的先决条件，而这些先决条件
与上一小段的法律的默示也不尽相同，例如事实的默示十分重视双方订约时能否肯定
去假设他们是有这种意图，所以有 Shirlaw v. Southern Foundries 先例所说的“好
事第三者”（officious bystander）的考验，这是法律的默示不要求的。这些方面在
接下去的段节会比较详细介绍。

2.3 其他有关默示条文分类的说法

以上介绍了主要两种的默示条文，但要指出它们之间的区分也不是那么严格与明确的 ，
可 能 法 院 默 示 只 是 “ 一 个 连 续 光 谱 上 的 图 案 ” （ shades on a continuous
spectrum ） ， 即 有 重 叠 模 糊 地 带 ， 并 不 是 黑 白 分 明 那 么 简 单 。 例 如 在 The
“Moorcock” (1889) 14 PD 64, 68, CA 先 例 ， Treitel 教 授 在 《 The Law of
Contract》一书中就指出了该先例并不明确是否是事实或是法律的默示，虽然一般的说
法是该先例是第一个有关事实的默示。这两者之间最主要的一个分别就是事实的默示必
须在订约的时候要通过一个“好事第三者”的考验，就是如果有一位第三者去问订约
双方：“如果河道浅会有危险导致船舶搁浅时受损，码头所有人是否保证这一方面的
安全？”（undertaken to see that the bottom of the river is reasonably fit,
or at all events that they have taken reasonable care to find out that the
bottom of the river is reasonably fit for the purpose….），Treitel 教授相信
订约双方不会是异口同声说“是”，至少码头所有人就不大可能这样说。这就表示双方
并没有这一个意图的订约意愿，也就不能算是事实的默示了，而只能是一个法律的默
示。当然，在该先例是否是重要也不见得，反正法律肯去默示就已经有这个默示条文的
存在。但会有情况这个区分是重要，因为法律的默示并不是随便就能成立，而一去成立
了它的适用面也会是广泛，所以去成立前必须要深思熟虑。

有关默示条文的分类也有其他的说法， 例如 Glanville Williams 教授在“Language

and the Law”(1945) 61 L.Q.R. 71 第 401 页将默示条文分为三种：
(1) 双方订约时可能想到但没有费力去写明的；
(2) 不管订约双方当时有没有想到，如果有人提出，他们会写明的；
(3) 不管订约双方当时有没有想到，也不管他们如果预见到困难会不会写明，只要法
院为了公平或政策或法治的需要（consequence of rules of law），就可以默示。

他指出(1)是为了努力找出双方的真实意图；(2)是努力通过假设来找出双方的假定或
有条件的意图，即如果双方预见到会有此困难就会有的意图；(3)不关心订约双方的订
约意图也要去默示，除非双方可以用明示来排除这种默示的情况。

在实际操作中，法院并不拘泥于对默示条文分类的严格区分而是把它们当作“连续光
谱上的图案”（shades on a continuous spectrum），也即是两者有中间难以区分乃
至重叠的模糊地带，这是 Liverpool City Council v. Irwin (1977) A.C. 239 之 253
页 Wilberforce 勋爵的话。他将默示条文分为四大类（但其实只同意有三类），其中第
一类是商业惯例的默示，第二类是事实的默示，第三类是被他以不合传统而否定的由
Denning 勋爵倡导的合理性的默示，第四类就是法律的默示，而它们之间就是一个“连
续光谱上的图案”的关系：
“To say that the construction of a complete contract out of these elements
involves a process of ‘implication’ may be correct; it would be so if
implication means the supplying of what is not expressed. But there are
varieties of implications which the courts think fit to make and they do
not necessarily involve the same process.

[1] Where there is, on the face of it, a complete, bilateral contract, the
courts are sometimes willing to add terms to it, as implied terms: this is
very common in mercantile contracts where there is an established usage: in
that case the courts are spelling out what both parties know and would, if
asked, unhesitatingly agree to be part of the bargain.

[2] In other cases, where there is an apparently complete bargain, the

courts are willing to add a term on the ground that without it the contract
will not work—this is the case, if not of The Moorcock … it self on its
facts, at least the doctrine of the Court of Appeal, a strict test—though
the degree of strictness seems to vary with the current judicial trend—and
I think that they were right not to accept it as applicable here.

[3] There is a third variety of implication, that which I think Lord

Denning MR favours, or at least did devour in this case, and that is the
implication of reasonable terms. But although I agree with many of his
instances, which in fact fall under one or other of the preceding heads, I
cannot go so far as to endorse his principle; indeed, it seems to me, with
respect, to extend a long, and desirable, way beyond sound authority.

[4] The present case, in my opinion, represents a fourth category, or I

would rather say a fourth shade on a continuous spectrum. The court here is
simply concerned to establish what the contract is, the parties not having
themselves fully stated the terms. In this sense the court is searching for
what must be implied.”。

在 The “Damodar General T.J. Park” (1986) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 68，Steyn 大法官
将默示条文分为三类，除了上述两类，第三类则是任何一个合理人士看来再明显不过
（go without saying）的默示，他说：
“Sometimes it is said that a term is implied into the contract when in
truth a positive rule of law of contract is applied because of the category
in which a particular contract falls. Another type of implied term is a
term in order to give business efficacy to the contract. The basis of such
an implication is that the contract is unworkable without it. There is,
however, another form of implication…. it is possible to imply a term, if
the court or arbitrator, as the case may be, is satisfied that reasonable
men, faced with the suggested term which ex hypothesi was not expressed in
the contract, would without hesitation say: ‘yes, of course that is so
obvious that it goes without saying.’”。

2.4 清晰分类的困难

这“连续光谱”的分类困难问题，一个明显的例子可见仲裁的机密性，在《仲裁法—从
1996 年英国仲裁法到国际商务仲裁》一书第十三章 2.1 段有提到，它到底是根据每一个
案 件 不 同 情 况 来 看 的 事 实 的 默 示 还 是 统 一 的 法 律 的 默 示 ？ 在 Dolling Baker v.
Merrett (1990) 1 WLR 1205 一案, 上诉庭判由于仲裁的私人性质, 理应有一默示责任
约束仲裁当事方要对仲裁的文件保密。 Parker 大法官在判词中说:
“… As between parties to an arbitration, although the proceedings are
consensual and may thus be regarded as wholly voluntary, their very nature
is such that there must, in my judgment, be some implied obligation on both
parties not to disclose or use for any other purpose any documents prepared
for and used in the arbitration, or disclosed or produced in the course of
the arbitration, or transcripts or notes of the evidence in the arbitration
or the award, and indeed not to disclose in any other way what evidence had
been given by any witness in an arbitration, save with the consent of the
other party, or pursuant to an order or leave of the court. The
qualification is necessary, just as it is in the case of the implied
obligation of secrecy between banker and customer.”

但 Parker 大法官上述的讲话没有清楚说明这保密的默示责任是依事实默示的条文
(implied term in fact)、依习惯默示的条文(implied term by custom)还是由法律默
示的条文(implied term in law), 而只是把它等同银行与客户之间的保密责任(见
Tournier v. National Provincial and Union Bank of England (1924) 1 K.B.
461)。 若该责任属依据事实默示的条文, 则每一案件都必须要考虑事实上是否需要有
此默示条文, 要构成事实上的默示条文要通过两个考验, 第一是从商业意义上看, 默
示引入该条文是否 赋予仲裁条文完整的效力 (give efficacy to the arbitration
clause), 第 二 是 要 达 到 “ 好 事 第 三 者 ” 的 考 验 (the “officious bystander”
test), 即是说, 一好事的旁观者问仲裁条文应否有需要对仲裁保密这默示条文, 当事
双方都异口同声说当然需要, 那么即使仲裁条文没有明言仲裁属机密, 也构成事实上
的默示条文。 若属按习惯而默示的条文, 则要考虑是否去仲裁都有保守秘密这习惯做
法。 若属由法律默示的条文, 有关的默示条文的存在是由于仲裁条文的本质有此必要
（necessity）而需由法律硬性规定。

在 Hassneh Insurance Co. of Israel and others v. Steuart J. Mew (1993) 2

Lloyd’s Rep 243 一案, 高院 Colman 大法官对 Parker 大法官在 Dolling Baker v.
Merrett (1990) 1 WLR 1205 一案所指的默示责任有以下的看法:
“… Such an obligation can exist only because it is implied in the
agreement to arbitrate and like any other implied term must be capable of
reasonably precise definition. The implication of the term must be based on
custom or business efficacy.
If the parties to an English law contract refer their disputes to
arbitration they are entitled to assume at the least that the hearing will
be conducted in private. That assumption arises from a practice which has
been universal in London for hundreds of years and, I believe, undisputed.
It is a practice which represents an important advantage of arbitration
over the Courts as a means of dispute resolution. The informality attaching
to a hearing held in private and the candour to which it may give rise is
an essential ingredient of arbitration, so essential that if privacy were
denied by an officious bystander, I have no doubt that, in the case of
practically every arbitration agreement, both the parties would object.”

不难看到, Colman 大法官认为这私下开庭, 不许外人旁听是英国仲裁的一贯做法, 而

这亦是支持他对仲裁的材料/资料及仲裁裁决书予以保密。

但在最近的一个上诉庭的权威案件 Ali Shipping Corporation v. Shipyard Trogir

(1998) 1 Lloyd’s Rep 643, Potter 大法官认为这默示条文不是来自习惯上的做法或
商业效力的考虑, 而应属于法律上的默示条文, 从仲裁过程不受公众注目而推断仲裁
的机密性:
“… I consider that the implied term ought properly to be regarded as
attaching as a matter of law. It seems to me that, in holding as a matter
of principle that the obligation of confidentiality (whatever its precise
limits) arises as an essential corollary of the privacy of arbitration
proceedings, the Court is propounding a term which arises “as the nature
of the contract itself implicitly requires”… As Lord Bridge observed in
Scally v. Southern Health Board, [1992] 1 A.C. 294 at p. 307, a clear
distinction is to be drawn –
…. Between the search for an implied term necessary to give
business efficacy to a particular contract and the search, based
on wider considerations, for a term which the law will
necessarily imply as a necessary incident of a definable category
of contractual relationship.
In my view an arbitration clause is a good example of the latter type of
implied term.”

总结上述案例, 英国普通法一直承认仲裁的机密性质, 是源自当事方订定的仲裁条文,

有一个对仲裁保密的默示责任, 而按 Ali Shipping Corporation v. Shipyard Trogir
(1998) 1 Lloyd’s Rep 643 的上诉庭先例, 这默示责任是根据法律默示的条文, 硬性
规定引入于仲裁条文中, 不需像事实默示的条文般, 每次考虑所有事实或当事人在订
约时的意愿(parties’ intention), 决定仲裁保密的默示责任的条文能否通过“发挥
合 约 的 效 力 ” (give efficacy to contract) 及 “ 好 事 第 三 者 ” (the “officious
bystander” test)这两项考验。

3 合理是否足够去默示？

这是笔者认为经常会引起误解的地方，特别是对英国法律不了解的人士。他们一遇上对
他们不利、不明朗或是不希望发生的情况，而且没有明示条文去针对的时候，就想去求
助默示条文，理由是他们认为这样做才是合理。但这是完全说不通的，不去说他们认为
的合理通常只是主观上的合理，更重要的是默示其实是相当严格的，因为这一个做法
是与订约自由与合约的相互关系（privity of contract）起严重的冲突。法官/仲裁员
并不是合约的一方，他们只是去解释该合约中产生的争议，所以无权去自说自话，增
加或删除该合约明示了的条文。而去增加默示条文这正是去做这种有严重冲突的行为，
除非是完全符合法律的要求，而其中就是能够肯定去假设默示的部分正是双方订约的
意图。正如 Steyn 大法官在 The “Damodar General T.J. Park” (1986) 2 Lloyd’s
Rep. 68 中所说的：
“It is not permissible to imply a term simply because the court considers
it to be reasonable. To do so would amount to be a process of rewriting
contracts.”。

除了合理是不足以去默示，另在 Shirlaw v. Southern Foundries (1926) Ltd (1939)

2 K.B. 206，McKinnon 大法官也提到说是法院过多被要求因不肯定与含糊为由来默示
（… a Court is too often invited to do so upon vague and uncertain
grounds.），这也应该不足去这样做。

也是在同样的理由下，有说法是法官/仲裁员应该尽量抗拒去在合约中加入默示条文，
除非这是必须的，否则没有一个说法去填补一个合约的漏洞会导致合约无法顺利履行
或使得双方当事人无所适从。Bingham 大法官在 Philips Electronique Grand Public
S.A. v. British Sky Broadcasting Ltd (1995) E.M.L.R. 472 中在这一点说得很清
楚：
“The court’s usual role in contractual interpretation is, by resolving
ambiguities or reconciling apparent inconsistencies, to attribute the true
meaning to the language in which the parties have themselves expressed
their contract. The implication of contract terms involves a different and
altogether more ambitious undertaking: the interpolation of terms to deal
with matters which, ex hypothesi, the parties themselves have made no
provision. It is because the implication of terms is so potentially
intrusive that the law imposes strict constraints on the excise of this
extraordinary power … ”。

针对上述的说法，可去举一些有关的先例强调默示条文，要达到“必要”
（necessary）的要求才去作出。

先 是 Scrutton 大 法 官 在 Reigate v. Union Manufacturing Co (Ramsbottom) Ltd

(1918) 1 K.B. 592, CA 说：
“The first thing is to see that the parties have expressed in the
contract; and then an implied term is not to be added because the court
thinks that it would have been reasonable to have inserted it.”。（首先去看
订约双方有否在合约中明示，之后才去考虑是否默示。但不该只因为法院认为这样做是
合理就去增加的默示条文。）

另是 Denning 勋爵在 Shell UK Ltd v. Lostock Garage Ltd (1976) 1 W.L.R. 1187
中说：
“Such an imputation is only to be made when it is necessary to imply a
term to give efficacy to the contract and make it a workable agreement in
such manner as the parties would clearly have done if they had applied
their mind to the contingency which has arisen. There are the ‘officious
bystander’ type of case.”。（只应该去默示因为是必须这样做才能给与合约效力
并且可行，是双方明显会是这样约定的，只要他们订约时曾经考虑到如果出现这种变
数。这是一个“好事第三者”的考验。）

还有 Bingham 大法官在 The “Manifest Lipkowy” (1989) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 138 中

说的：
“I take it to be well-established law that a term will be implied only
where it is necessary in a business sense to give efficacy to a contract,
or where the term is one which the parties must obviously have intended.”。
（法律已经十分明确，默示条文只适用在一种必要的情况，去给一个合约商业上的效
力，或是双方订约时明显有这一个意图。）

在 Liverpool City Council v. Irwin (1977) A.C. 239，Edmund-Davies 勋爵也有说：

“The touchstone is always necessary and not merely reasonableness。”。

4 是否是必要才能去默示？

上一段介绍了法律是十分明确，即默示条文是在必要的情况下才去给与，这尤其是在
事实的默示（implied in fact）。但看来在法律的默示（implied by law），有说法
是“必要”的要求太严格，在许多情况下是做不到，所以应该有更多的其他考虑，包
括“合理的必要”（reasonably necessary）或政策方面的合理，等。举例说，仲裁的
保密是在最近十几年才兴起的说法，在 Dolling Banker v. Merret (1990) 1 W.L.R.
1205 以前并不存在。这是默示条文，即双方不必在仲裁条文去明示规定要保密。从这一
个近期的变化，就已经可以看得出仲裁的保密并非是严格的必要性，否则难以解释以
前可以不必要。这一个默示显然是为了鼓励仲裁而带来的政策性改变与政策性地认为这
样才是在今天的商业环境下合理。

这 方 面 可 去 列 举 一 些 著 名 的 书 籍 中 的 有 关 说 法 ， 先 是 在 Lewison 所 著 的 《 The
Interpretation of Contracts》一书 2004 年第三版第 6.19 段对法律默示的要求预计
可能发展趋势是“必要性”要求适用。 在 Atiyah 教授的《An Introduction to the
Law of Contract》一书 1995 年第五版中第 207 页对此的分析是完全的“必要性”要求
是不现实的，合理性亦应加以考虑，最后发展趋势可能只是需要“合理的必要性”就
可以去默示，如下：
“… the difference in opinion between the judges on this point seems,
however, to have been somewhat unreal. For it is evident that the formula
that implications can only be made when necessary is not to be taken too
literally. It is not necessary to have lifts in blocks of flats ten storeys
high (indeed high rise buildings existed long before lifts were invented),
though it would no doubt be exceedingly inconvenient not to have them. So
‘necessary’ really seems to mean ‘reasonably necessary’, and that must
mean, ‘reasonably necessary having regard to the context and the price’.
So in the end there does not seems to be much difference between what is
necessary and what is reasonable.”。（Atiyah 教授认为“必要”不应该太死板。
例如是一个 10 层高的房屋应否去默示有电梯[或对电梯保持良好状态]，虽然在电梯没
有发明之前就已经存在有很高的房屋了。显然，电梯并不是必要，只不过是对住在高层
的住户极不方便罢了。所以，如果要去默示，就应该根据一个说法是“合理的必要”而
无法说成是严格的必要，特别考虑到当时的情况[例如电梯已经变得十分普及]与房屋
的价值或管理费。这表示必要与合理有一定的分别。）

而 这 个 观 点 也 被 Ewan McKendrick 教 授 在 《 Contract Law—Text, Cases and

Materials》一书中接受，他在分析著名的 Liverpool City Council v. Irwin (1976)
Q.B. 319, CA; (1977) A.C. 239, HL 先例时说到要求可能是这个“合理的必要性”而
非严格的“必要性”，在 385-386 页他说：
“The case is generally regarded as an authority on terms implied by law,
on the basis that the term that … Where then did the decision of the House
of Lords in Liverpool City Council v. Irwin leave the law? In the first
replace it re-affirmed that the test to be applied when deciding whether or
not to imply a term is based on necessity and not simply on reasonableness.
But it left some uncertainty in relation to terms implied in law because
the terms implied into the tenancy contract did not seem to be necessary
ingredient of all contracts of this type. It might have been ‘reasonably
necessary’ but not ‘necessary’. That the test for the implication of
terms as a matter of law might be slightly less stringent than that
applicable to terms implied in fact is evidenced by the fact that Lord
Cross concluded that a term was not to be implied on the basis of the
officious bystander test but that it was nevertheless appropriate to imply
a term as a matter of law into all contracts of this type.”。

而 在 Gerard McMeel 教 授 的 《 The Construction of Contracts—Interpretation,

Implication and Rectification》一书第 10.03 段说虽然有些针对法律默示的判决建
议“必要性”的要求适用，但实际操作中法院还是适用一些较广泛的“合理性”要求 ，
并对案件事实情况加以考虑：
“At bottom the implication of terms in law is a matter of public policy,
and despite occasional judicial statements suggesting that the test is one
of necessity in practice broader standards of reasonableness and an
analysis of competing factors will determine whether or not the courts will
recognize a new implied term in law.”。

Elizabeth Peden 女士则感叹这方面法律缺少学术研究导致了法律的不明确，她在

“Law Quarterly Review”的分析认为法院应考虑许多因素，包括商业惯例、法律（法
规与侵权法）默示责任之间的关系、哪一方适合承担损失或对风险投保、双方各自的谈
判地位和商业规模、双方的责任可能受标准格式管辖以及与普遍大原则的协调、对社会
的影响和公正性。

上 述 的 说 法 有 一 定 影 响 力 ， 近 期 的 Crossly v. Faithful & Gould Holdings Ltd

(2004) EWCA Civ 293 中 Dyson 大法官建议“合理性的问题、公平和政策考虑的冲突与
平 衡 ” （ questions of reasonableness, fairness and balancing of competing
policy considerations”比“必要性”的要求更为重要。
5 案例介绍之 The “Star Texas”(1993) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 445

为了更好了解有必要才去默示，笔者不妨去详细介绍笔者处理的一个著名案例，就是
The “Star Texas”。该先例是涉及了中国外运公司去租了一艘挪威船舶装运一批货物，
包括了一些危险的化学品从中国青岛去欧洲。但由于装在集装箱内的危险化学品其中一
桶没有把盖子拧紧而在航次中途发生泄漏，导致船员的伤亡。船舶想紧急绕航去新加坡
也被拒绝进港，直到找到世界上仅有的一两位专家给建议关于如何处理这个事故才说
服新加坡当局被允许进港让伤亡的船员上岸。但之后，船舶还是只能回航去青岛才能进
行清洁与把问题解决。可想而知这是一个巨大的损失与争议，而有关的租约是有一条仲
裁条文说明是由被告选择在北京或伦敦仲裁，说：
“35. Any dispute arising under the charter is to be referred to
arbitration in Beijing or London in defendant’s option.”。

显然，挪威船东在出了这么大的事情后是不会想去北京仲裁，所以他就委任了英国律
师并在英国法院起诉。这样做显然就是当作租约内的仲裁条文无效，或是希望中国外运
公司作为被告不去抗拒，不向英国法院申请中止（stay）法院程序。

但中国外运显然是希望去北京仲裁，毕竟在这个案件从表面看来对他不像是有利，因
为涉及了不准装运危险品的合约条文与英国普通法下的严格责任。可以说，如果能够去
北京仲裁，至少能够占有地利，加上如果挪威船东感到疑惑，就有较大机会可达成一
个有利的庭外和解，进而减少损失。

所以，中国外运作为被告就向英国法院提出了根据 1958 年《纽约公约》的中止申请，要

求英国法院让出对案件的审理给被告选择的北京仲裁。

这里要先去提到一个 The “Iran Vojdan” (1984) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 380 的先例，案

情是涉及了提单有一条管辖法律的条文，说是在货方要求下，由承运人选择哪一套法
律适用。而有 3 套法律可供选择，一是伊朗法（该船舶是伊朗旗），二是德国法（有关
货物是在德国装船），三是英国法。该浮动管辖法律条文被法院判是无效，这是因为一
个合约的管辖法律是对该合约的成立、有效性、解释与履行有根本的关系，不能任由一
方随意去选择，而是一开始就应该稳定下来。否则双方会假设一套法律承认这一个合约
有效去履行，但履行了一半的时候另一方去选择另一套法律，而该法律认为该合约是
无效或以前认为是正确的履行现在变得不正确。这是英国法院认为无法接受， Bingham
大法官是这样说：
“As a matter of English law, it is, I think, clear and not disputed that
this clause in the bill of lading is bad insofar as it envisages what may
be called a ‘floating proper law’. … The proper law is something so
fundamental to questions relating to the formation, validity,
interpretation and performance of a contract that it must, in my judgment,
be built into the fabric of the contract from the start and cannot float in
an indeterminate way until finally determined at the option of one party.
As I say, it is, as I understand, common ground that as a matter of English
law effect cannot be given to that part of this clause. That is, however,
the limit of the common ground.”。

但问题是一条浮动管辖法律条文是判作无效，并不表示一条浮动仲裁条文也是无效。所
以在 The “Star Texas”案例，由于租约内没有明示管辖法律条文，挪威船东其中一
个重要争议是该浮动的仲裁条文也默示了浮动的管辖法律，即默示中国法律或英国法
律，由被告（中国外运）选择。毕竟在现实中，管辖权/仲裁条文经常与适用法是出现
在同一条文。这就会导致整条条文（包括了浮动仲裁部分）变为无效。

但这被上诉庭拒绝，主要理由第一是估计双方在订约的时候不可能有一个真正的共同
意图去接受一条浮动的管辖权法律条文，应该是双方根本没有去想到这方面。第二是完
全没有必要去作出这个事实的默示，光是挪威船东认为合理是不足够。没有必要的原因
是浮动仲裁条文，但说明是由被告选择，完全可以运作。至于什么是管辖的法律，就由
仲裁庭去找出根据合约最密切关系的法律为准， 不会令合约无法产生效用或不可行。
这里不妨去节录 Steyn 大法官所说的：
“It is necessary to pause to consider what kind of implication is under
consideration, I have not understood Mr. Rix(挪威船东大律师) to submit that
it can be inferred that the Norwegain charterers and the Chinese owners had
an actual common intention to select a floating proper law. That is not
surprising: one would not expect it to be a subject of conversation among
shipping people in the suburbs of Oslo and Beijing, It would in my
respectful view be preposterous to imagine that those parties would have
considered such an obscure concept. How is the matter then to be
approached? Our law recognizes a distinction between what Professor Treitel
(The Law of Contract, 8th Ed., 185-194) has described as terms implied in
fact and terms implied by law. In Scally v. Southern Health and Social
Services Board, [1991] 3 W.L.R. 778 the House of Lords recognized this
distinction. Lord Bridge in the only speech in the case explained (at p.
787G):
A clear distinction is drawn in the speeches of Viscount Simonds in Lister
v. Romford Ice and Cold Storage Co. Ltd. [1957] A.C. 555 and Lord
Wilberforce in Liverpool City Council v. Irwin [1977] A.C. 239 between the
search for an implied term necessary to give business efficacy to a
particular contract and the search, based on wider considerations, for a
term which the law will imply as a necessary incident of a definable
category of contractual relationship …
I understood Mr. Rix to argue in favour of the first kind of implication,
i.e. a term implied in fact. If that were correct, the simple answer is
that the arbitration agreement is entirely workable without the
implication. The implication is not necessary.
…
For these reasons I would reject the submission that the arbitration
agreement is invalid on the ground that it contains a floating applicable
law (by implication).”。

6 默示条文与证据

法官/仲裁员在决定是否默示的时候，可接受的证据与解释明示条文大致上是一样。例
如可以接受有关语境（factual matrix）的证据。另是在涉及商业习惯做法/惯例的默
示，也可去接受这方面的证据，正如 Parke B 在 Hutton v. Warren (1836) 1 M & W
466, 150 E.R. 517 中所说的：
“It has long been settled that in commercial transactions, extrinsic
evidence of custom and usage is admissible to annex incidents to written
contracts in matters with respect to which they are silent. The same rule
has been applied to contracts in other transactions of life, in which known
usages have been established and prevailed; and this has been done upon the
principle of presumption that, in such transactions, the parties did not
mean to express in writing the whole of the contract by which they intended
to be bound, but a contract with reference to those known usage.”。

与解释合约明示条文可能有很大不同的反而是在双方谈判时的证据，所谓的“Parol
Evidence Rule”。虽然法律在这一方面已经在放宽（毕竟在双方谈判中有许多是有关
语境[factual matrix]），但还是没有明确地去推翻这一条证据规则。当然这只是指双
方谈判后达成了协议并去签署了合约，这一来，传统的说法是解释合约只应该去看双
方睁了眼睛签署了的合约明示条文，而不许任何一方以双方谈判时候的证据去否定或
改变签署了的合约。一个例外是合约变更（rectification），这就是申请变更的一方
要证明双方真正在谈判时候最后同意了的与签署的合约并不一致，后者有一个文书上
的错误。这方面的举证责任是非常沉重的，所以申请合约变更并非易事。但笔者在这里
去多举一个例外情况可会允许去看双方谈判时的证据，即使已经有了签署的合约，这
就是在考虑是否去作出默示条文。举一个简单的例子，如果在谈判中双方曾经提到过这
个问题，甚至有一方草拟了有关的条文但被另一方拒绝，最后双方对这个问题就不了
了之并达成与签署合约。这一来，如果双方事后有了应否去默示的争议，而要去默示的
问题恰恰就是双方在谈判时已经探讨过并且是放弃了的，看来就不应该去默示，等于
强加一个假设的订约意图但实际上有证据证明了他们并没有这个意图。

这一方面的说法，可去节录 Gerard Mcmeel 教授的《the Construction of Contracts

—Interpretation, Implication and Rectification》一书有关内容如下：
“Evidence that the parties rejected a particular draft provision
Where the prior negotiations of the parties evidence the consideration by
both of a particular draft term or proposed formulation of a provision
which is then rejected the courts will consider such material. In effect
the rejection of a particular term or formulation should preclude any later
argument that a term should be implied akin to the discarded provision.

In Codelfa Construciton Prop Ltd v. State Rail Authority of New South Wales
(1982) 149 C.L.R. 337, Mason J tentatively suggested that this might be the
case:

There may perhaps be one situation in which evidence of the actual

intention of the parties should be allowed to prevail over their presumed
intention. If it transpires that the parties have refused to include in
their contract a provision which would give effect to the presumed
intention of persons in their position it may be proper to receive evidence
of that refusal. After all, the court is interpreting the contract which
the parties have made and in that exercise the court takes into account
what reasonable men in that situation would have intended to convey by
words of the contract a meaning which the parties have united in rejecting?
It is possible that evidence of mutual intention, if amounting to
concurrence, is receivable so as to negative an inference sought to be
drawn for the surrounding circumstances.”。

7 默示条文与合约变更（rectification）之间的关系

其实在合约的默示条文与变更之间的关系密切，两者都是为了找出合约的意 图和目的，
在 Liverpool City Council v. Irwin (1977) A.C. 239 中 Cross 勋爵说：
“Sometimes, however, there is no question of laying down any prima facie
rule applicable to all cases of defined type but what the court is being in
effect asked to do is to rectify a particular—often very detailed—
contract by inserting in it a term which the parties have not expressed.”。
合约变更与默示条文有一致之处是它们都涉及了合约本身有缺陷，要不是它记录错了
双方真正达成的协议，要就是有所遗漏令合约无法生效而必须找出一个说法。前者的情
况是通过变更合约来使其与双方的真正达成了的协议一致而只是在签署的合约内记录
错误，而后者是用来假设双方应该有的协议。两者之间还有许多其他的重要差异，例如
是合约变更通常是不容易成功，因为法律不会善待申请方，毕竟他是睁开眼睛签署了
合约然后反悔说他签错了。而且去证明双方以前达成协议，一路在谈判没有任何改变，
直到签署合约才被记录错误也不容易。合约变更发生的频率也不高，毕竟许多合约也没
有去签署就履行了，例如是租船合约通常就是如此，这就不存在需要任何合约变更了。
相反，去增加默示条文所发生的频率就高得多了，不管一个合约是有否签署，只要有
所遗漏，或明示条文不够明确或全面，难逃就有默示条文之争。事实上，每一个合约都
会有或多或少的默示条文，小部分会在本章接下去的例子作出介绍。

在一些案件，默示条文与合约的变更会达致一致的效果，但要注意的是默示条文不能
与合约的明示条文起冲突，而合约的变更可以重写（re-write）合约，即可改写合约
内的明示条文。

虽然两者都是基于客观的基础，但两者关注的焦点有所不同，默示条文注重看双方如
果在订约时对某一方面有所关注或被“好事第三者”提醒，会同意些什么，而合约的
变更注重确保双方的书面合约与他们的原来协议相一致。所以可以说默示是订约双方假
设订约意图（presumed intention）的肯定而变更是对双方实际订约意图（ actual
intention）的肯定。

在 Codelfa Construction Prop Ltd v. State Rail Authority of New South Wales
(1982) 149 C.L.R. 337，Mason 大法官评论如下：
“The implication of a term is to be compared, and at the same time
contrasted, with rectification of a contract. In each case the problem is
caused by a deficiency in the expression of the contractual agreement. A
term which should have been included has been omitted. The difference is
that with rectification the term which has been omitted and should have
been included was actually agreed upon; with implication the term is one
which it is presumed that the parties would have agreed upon had they
turned their minds to it—it is not a term that they have actually agreed
upon. Thus, in the case of the implied term the deficiency in the
expression of the consensual agreement is caused by the failure of the
parties to direct their minds to a particular eventuality and to make
explicit provision for it. Rectification ensures that the contract gives
effect to the parties’ actual intention; the implication of a term is
designed to give effect to the parties’ presumed intention.”。
8 默示条文和完整合约条文（entire agreement clause）的关系

这种完整合约条文在本书另章会有介绍，它的危险（或优点）是去肯定合约本身的明
示 条 文 就 已 经 包 罗 万 有 ， 不 再 存 在 有 其 他 的 陈 述 （ representation ） 、 保 证
（warranty）、附带协议（collateral agreement）等的争议（不管是否存在）。主要
是看该条文的写法是否广泛，如果够广泛的话会可以去排除其他方面例如是商业习惯
做法的默示。

在 Exxonmobil Sales and Supply Corp v. Texaco Ltd (2003) EWCH 1964 (Comm);
(2004) 1 All E.R. (Comm) 435，合约有一完整合约条文说明合约：“ contains the
entire agreement of the parties … and there is no other promise,
representation, warranty, usage or course of dealing affecting it.”。

Nigel Teare 大法官判是这完整合约条文可以排除有关商业习惯做法/惯例（custom or

usage）的默示，但同时也强调有关其他种类的默示（即法律与事实的默示）要非常小
心：
“It seems to me arguable that where it is necessary to imply a term in
order to make the express terms word such an implied term may not be
excluded by the entire agreement clause because it could not be said that
such a term is to be found in the document or documents forming part of the
contract. The same cannot be said of an implied term based on custom or
usage.”。

这里的完整合约条文用字通常不足够来排除不同种类的法律默示，比方说是 1906 年
《保险法》下的“绝对善意”。要想去排除这种法律的默示，就要靠明确的明示条文了。
更加明确是完整合约条文不足够来排除那些对合约商业效力“必要”的默示，否则没
有一个说法就会履行不了。

9 默示条文通常需要满足的 5 个条件

（i）必须合理与公平；（ii）必须是合约的商业效力所必要，如果缺少此条文合约仍
能运作则不会默示；（iii）必须在订约时可以去假设双方会理所当然或异口同声地同
意这个说法；（iv）必须可以被清楚地表达；（v）不能与合约明示条文起冲突。

对上述条件的最清楚的表达可见 Simon 勋爵在 B.P. Refinery (Westernport) Pty Ltd

v. Shire of Hastings (1978) 52 A.L.J.R. 20 的话：
“In their [sc their Lordships’] view, for a term to be implied, the
following conditions (which may overlap) must be satisfied: (1) it must be
reasonable and equitable; (2) it must be necessary to give business
efficacy to the contract, so that no term will be implied if the contract
is effective without it; (3) it must be so obvious that ‘it goes without
saying’; (4) it must be capable of clear expression; (5) it must not
contradict any express term of the contract.”。

上述 Simon 勋爵的话看起来，这些条件是渐进的，例如默示条文首先要合理与能够被
清除表达，然后是条文要对合约的商业效力必不可少与要是明显的。

9.1 条件一：默示的条文一定要合理。

合理性可以分两方面，一是在认定是否需要默示条文，必须有好几个方面，例如是
“必要”等，光是合理与否并不足够去默示；二是认定了需要默示，被默示的条文本
身要合理。毕竟，这是去假设双方的订约意图，显然必须解释双方在一些十分合情合理
但被遗漏了的事情，双方才会在订约的时候异口同声地去无条件接受。不合理的条文当
然经常会出现，但这只是局限在明示条文。而在约定这种不合理条文的过程中，也可以
想得到是双方会经历过艰苦的谈判，而最终是其中一方作出让步，或是由于他心急达
成协议，也或是他谈判水平与知识差劲以致去签了卖身契也不自知，等。

有关被默示条文必须客观合理可见 Reid 勋爵在 Young and Marten Ltd v. McManus

Childs Ltd (1969) 1 A.C. 454 中说的：
“No warranty ought to be implied in a contract unless it is in all the
circumstances reasonable.”。

这也是合理一词在默示条文时经常被挂在嘴边的原因，无论是在合约履约时间没有明
示就会有合理时间（reasonable time）履约的默示，还是合约价格没有明示而要以合
理价格（quantum meruit price）的默示。

9.2 条件二：必须是合约有商业效力所必要。

这 个 也 就 是 默 示 条 文 最 主 要 的 条 件 ， 即 “ 必 要 性 ” 的 要 求 ， 正 如 Steyn 勋 爵 在
Equitable Life Assurance Society v. Hyman (2002) 1 A.C. 408 一案中所说的：
“The legal test of the implication of such a term is a standard of strict
necessity.”。

“ 商 业 效 力 ” （ business efficacy ） 一 词 应 该 是 来 自 Bowen 大 法 官 The

“Moorcock” (1889) 14 P.D. 64 的判决，案情是码头租给船东使用，有默示条文是
码头所有人要保证码头的安全性，他这样说：
“In business transactions such as this, what the law desires to effect by
the implication is to give such business efficacy to the transaction as
must have been intended at all events by both parties who are businessmen
…”。

关 于 这 个 条 件 或 考 验 的 评 论 ， 可 见 Scrutton 大 法 官 在 Reigate v. Union

Manufacturing Co (1918) 1 K.B. 592 所说的：
“A term can only be implied if it is necessary in a business sense to give
efficacy to the contract; that is, if it is such a term that it can be
confidently said that if at the time the contract was being negotiated
someone had said to the parties ‘What will happen in such a case?’, they
would have replied: ‘Of course, so and so will happen; we did not trouble
to say that; it is too clear.’”。

从上述 Scrutton 大法官的话中可看出，要去默示一条条文似乎要同时满足“商业效

力”以及“好事第三者”这两个考验。但看来现在的法律地位发展趋势是只要其中一个
考验得以满足，就可以去默示，这会在下一小段先介绍了“好事第三者”的条件或考
验后才去详及。

9.3 条件三：必须在订约时可以去假设双方会理所当然或异口同声地同意这个说法

上 述 先 例 最 后 一 句 也 就 是 “ 好 事 第 三 者 ” 考 验 ， 但 “ 好 事 第 三 者 ” （ officious
bystander）正 式登场 是在 Shirlaw v. Southern Foundries (1926) Ltd (1939) 2
K.B. 206, CA。此先例是一个公司与其常务董事之间的一个 10 年合约，签约三年后公
司被收购，新的母公司重写了其公司章程，使其有权解雇任何董事。上诉庭多数判是这
一个 10 年的雇佣合约内有默示条文该公司是不能事后去改变公司章程以影响或改变该
合约。McKinnon 大法官提出这个“好事第三者”的考验并说：
“Prima Facie that which in any contract is left to be implied and need not
be expressed is something so obvious that it goes without saying; so that,
if, while the parties were making their bargain, an officious bystander
were to suggest some express provision for it in their agreement, they
would testily suppress him with a common ‘Oh, of course’.”。

有关“好事第三者”的考验，它只适用在事实的默示而不适用在法律的默示，因为前
者才需要去假设订约双方都会在订约的时候去异口同声地同意。

9.3.1 对“好事第三者”考验的批评
9.3.1.1 批评之一：问题怎样设计会影响答案

这一个考验本身也受过不少批评，这也可以理解。毕竟，假设订约双方会否异口同声同
意好事第三者的问题很大程度是依据问的是什么问题。好像 The “Moorcock” (1889)
14 P.D. 64 先例，假设的问题如果是有一位第三者去问订约双方：“码头所有人了解
他的码头状况，是否他应该承担码头的安全，毕竟船东对该码头一无所知？”，看来
订约双方异口同声去同意的机会就颇大。但假设的问题改为是：“如果河道浅会有危险
导致 船舶搁浅会受损，码头所有人是否保证这一方面的安全？”（ undertaken to
see that the bottom of the river is reasonably fit, or at all events that
they have taken reasonable care to find out that the bottom of the river is
reasonably fit for the purpose….），Treitel 教授就已经相信订约双方不会是异
口同声说“是”，至少码头所有人就不大可能这样说。再假设问题是：“是否码头所有
人应该承担码头的安全，不论他是否有过错或疏忽，都要绝对/严格负责船舶安全与作
出损失赔偿，不论这个损失是多大？”，看来更加可以相信订约双方是不会异口同声
同意。估计最有可能是会发生好像在 Bank of Nova Scotia v. Hellenic Mutual War
Risks Association (Bermuda) Ltd (1990) 1 Q.B. 818, CA 先例，得到的答案会是
“需要问过律师才能回答”，后果就是不能去默示。

再去多举一个简单的例子，如果设计的问题是十分中立，估计会得到一个满意的答案
去支持默示条文就机会大。相反如果设计的问题是去比较针对一方面或有敌意，得到满
意的答案机会就低多了。所以，设计问题会是要十分有技巧，这通常是由申请默示条文
的一方当事人先去提出建议。

9.3.1.2 批评之二：问题越复杂就越难假设订约双方会简单地同意

另一个批评是假设的问题如果是越复杂，就越不容易得到订约双方异口同声的同意。本
来要主张默示的当事人要去设计一个或多个适合的问题就已经是不容易，因为要去在
问题内满足合理性与必要性并在同时令对方无法坚持订约时不会同意，才可以说服法
官/仲裁员去作出默示。在 Ashmore v. Lloyd’s (1992) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 620，案情
是涉及了英国劳合社在 80 年代所出的经济问题，即许多加入劳合社作为会员面对大量
索赔（例如像美国的石棉索赔）而面临破产，因为他们根据当时的传统是要承担无限
责任。这些面临困境的会员部分起诉劳合社，指称它没有好好监督一些负责承保的保险
小组（syndicates）管理代理人。但由于双方的合约（如劳合社章程与申请表格，等）
没有相关的明示条文，所以起诉的会员必须去依赖默示条文，其中包括像劳合社有责
任去预先警告会员与监督保险小组管理代理人。而他们律师所设计的问题有几条：
第 一 个 问 题 是 :“… if at the [ 劳 合 社 ] meeting to admit a new Member, an
officious bystander had interrupted the proceedings and said, ‘You
Lloyd’s are asking this applicant underwriting member to engage in a high
risk business and, in effect, entrust his entire personal fortune to an
underwriting agent approved by you with whom he is not to interfere, and
whom you know he relies on and is by the system you impose forced to rely
on: [Question] what if something professionally discreditable is or becomes
known to Lloyd’s about the underwriting agent which might prejudice the
member’s underwriting interests, other than matters which in Lloyd’s
reasonably opinion are not capable of being seriously prejudicial to the
member’s underwriting interests, would you Lloyd’s be obliged to take
reasonable steps to alert the applicant, if thought necessary, in
confidence, and tell the underwriting agent within a reasonable time
thereafter what you have done?

第 二 个 问 题 是 :“Alternatively, the question (within the same introduction)

would be … what if something professionally discreditable is or becomes
known to Lloyd’s about the underwriting agent, in the following
categories:
(a) any disciplinary measures concluded against the underwriting agent or
any of its officers or employees;
(b) the findings of an investigation resulting in any such disciplinary
measures; or
(c) an embargo imposed by Lloyd’s on new Names joining the syndicate or
syndicates of the underwriting agent due to a lack of confidence in the
abilities of the underwriting agent or its staff,
which might prejudice the members’ underwriting interests, other than
matters which in Lloyd’s reasonable opinion are not capable of being
seriously prejudicial to the members’ underwriting interests, would you
Lloyd’s be obliged to take reasonable steps to alert the applicant, if
thought necessary, in confidence, and tell the underwriting agent within a
reasonable time thereafter what you have done?”

Gatehouse 大法官认为问题太过复杂,就算双方能马上回答，答案也不会是一个简单的
同意，他说:
“To start with, I find it impossible to contemplate an officious bystander
at the [劳合社] being capable of thing up sp complex a question; one which
has taken a term of skilled lawyers so long and so many attempts to
formulate. Even if he could, the answer of both parties would certainly not
be, ‘Oh, of course! That is something that is so obvious that it goes
without saying’.
…
The more complicated the question, the less obvious it becomes.
In summary, the original way in which the implied ‘duty to alert’ was
pleaded was too wide to be reasonable, let alone a matter of necessary.
This was recognized by the Plaintiffs’ Counsel and successive attempts
were made to overcome these difficulties. These inevitably made the term
progressively more complex and less likely to satisfy the simple officious
bystander test. There is no possibility of both parties answering the
question posed (assuming the bystander could construct it) with an
immediate, ‘Yes of course, that is so obvious that it goes without
saying”。

9.3.1.3 批评之三：问题可否一直问下去

又另一个批评可见是 Aicken 大法官在 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v. State Rail

Authority of New South Wales (1982) 149 C.L.R. 337 所说的，问题是此好事第三
者的问题经常决定答案。还有，如果第一个问题回答得不满意，能否再问下去，如果不
能，为什么不能？如果能，总会能够涉及到一个问题是双方都不会抗拒或说不同意。

这里涉及了一种技巧就是问题或一连串问题可以去精心设计，进而掌握到会有什么答
案，这本来就是民意调查的惯常手法。

其他一些有关的权威说法与先例批评这个“好事第三者”考验的有：

1）Hoffmann 勋爵也在“The Intolerable Wrestle with Words and Meaning”(1998)

55 SALJ 656 对其有评论如下：
“The trouble with this vivid bit of pantomime is that it puts at the
forefront of the judicial mind the actual parties, in all their
unreasonableness, and invites the submission by counsel that his or her
client would obviously not have said ‘of course’ to any such thing.”。

2） 在 Spring v. National Amalgamated Stevedores and Docker Society (1956) 1

W.L.R. 585 产生了问题是法院的问题看来的答案就只有一个，如果换种方式问可能有
不同的答案。这也显示了问题选择的重要性，这位“好事第三者”既要知道如何问需要
的问题，又不假设他知道得和订约双方一样多。

3）在 Little v. Courage Ltd (1994) 70 P. & C.R. 469, CA，上诉庭觉得订约双方

对好事第三者的问题的第一反应会是你不必问这种傻问题，但法院也说道“好事第三
者”不仅仅要“好事”，也要有耐性，继续问。

大概也是上述的原因，虽然“好事第三者”的考验还是存在，但看来这并非是一个简
单的考验而且会是严格。会是更多的默示条文是来自较早介绍的另一个其实是不同的考
验，即“商业效力”（business efficacy）需要默示来令合约能够运行。特别是现在
有说法去放宽，例如在 Equitable Life Assurance Society v. Hyman (2002) 1 A.C.
408，Steyn 勋爵指默示实质是为了给与双方合理期望效果：“ The implication is
essential to give effect to the reasonable expectations of the parties.”。
看来他的侧重点已经不在默示条文去填补这个合约漏洞（ad hoc gap filler）而让合
约顺利运行，而是合约还能否按照双方合理期望来运行。但这带来了另一个问题，就是
默示的“必要性”是否要同时通过 “商业效力”与“好事第三者”两个考验，或只要
其中一个。这会在下一段探讨。

9.3.2 默示条文是否要同时满足“商业效力”与“好事第三者”两个考验？

有说法是去增加默示条文就必须通过两个条件或考验，一个就是“商业效力”
（ business efficacy ） 的 考 验 ， 而 另 一 个 就 是 “ 好 事 第 三 者 ” （ officious
bystander ） 的 考 验 。 在 Bank of Nava Scotia v. Hellenic Mutual War Risks
Association (Bermuda) Ltd (1990) 1 Q.B. 818, CA，上诉庭判“好事第三者”与
“商业效力”是一样的，即对“必要性”要求的考验。

但近期有更多说法是这两个考验其实并不一样，也不需要去同时通过两个考验才能够
去 默 示 。 在 Associated Japanese Bank (International) Ltd v. Credit du Nord
S.A. (1989) 1 W.L.R. 255， Steyn 勋爵对这两种默示的情况有更详细的分析说：
“In the present contract such a condition may only be held to be implied
if one of two applicable tests is satisfied. The first is that such an
implication is necessary to give business efficacy to the relevant contract
… In other words, the criterion is whether the implication is necessary to
render the contract … workable. That is usually described as the Moorcock
test…. But there is another type of implication, which seems more
appropriate in the present context. It is possible to imply a term if the
court is satisfied that reasonable men, faced with the suggested term which
was ex hopothesi not expressed in the contract, would without hesitation
say: yes, of course, that is ‘so obvious that it goes without saying’….
Although broader in scope than the Moorcock test, it is nevertheless a
stringent test, and it will only be permissible to hold that an implication
has been established on this basis in comparatively rare cases …”。
还有 Bingham 大法官在 The “Manifest Lipkowy” (1989) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 138 中
说的：
“I take it to be well-established law that a term will be implied only
where it is necessary in a business sense to give efficacy to a contract,
or where the term is one which the parties must obviously have intended.”。
（法律已经十分明确，默示条文只适用在一种必要的情况，去给一个合约商业上的效
力，或是双方订约时明显有这一个意图。）

另在 Ashmore v. Corporation of Lloyd’s (No.2) (1992) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 620，

高院的 Gatehouse 大法官明确了这是两种不同的考验，虽然它们经常会重叠。而有不少
去增加默示条文的案件是根据其中一个考验，说：
“The first two tests (这就是指‘商业效力’的第一个考验与‘好事第三者’的第
二个考验) will often overlap and, indeed, have in the past been regarded as
single test embodying both aspects. See, for example, Lord Tucker’s speech
in Lister at page 594. but they are in fact distinct tests with the result
that a term may sometimes be implied on the basis of one but not the other.
A striking example is the decision of Mr. Justice Steyn in (The “Damodar
General T.J. Park” [1986] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 68).
Whichever of the … tests the Court is considering, implication is a matter
of necessity, and the necessity test is a stringent one.”。

9.4 条件四：默示条文必须能够清楚地表达出来

这个条件其实与上一个条件有重复或类同的地方，因为如果不能清楚地表达也就谈不
上会是订约双方可被假设去异口同声地同意与 接受了： R. v. Paddington and St
Marylebone Rent Tribunal Ex p. Bedrock Investments Ltd (1974) K.B. 984。 在
Shell UK Ltd v. Lostock Garage Ltd (1976) 1 W.L.R. 1187，就是由于默示条文过
于 含 糊 而 不 能 清 楚 表 达 被 拒 绝 。 另 在 Sethia (K.C.) (1944) Ltd v. Partabmull
Rameshwar (1950) 1 All E.R. 51 先例，Jenkins 大法官也有类似说法。

在一方主张一个默示条文的时候，要注意是不要有太多可选择的默示条文，选择余地
越 大 ， 越 不 明 显 是 理 所 当 然 ： Trollope & Colls Ltd v. North Western
Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board (1973) 1 W.L.R. 601。

类 似 在 Philips Electronique Grand Public S.A. v. British Sky Broadcasting

Ltd (1995) E.M.L.R. 472，Bingham 大法官也认为要默示一条文，需要只有一个可能
的解决办法或在如果有几个可选择的办法，其中有一个明显优于其他。
介绍了上面的一些说法，笔者要举一些案例才会能让读者深刻了解这方面。先去介绍一
个笔者熟悉的海事案件：The “Badagry” (1985) 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 395。案情是有关
一个 8 年的期租，显然租金相比出事的时候市场高的多。所以，想象得到船东会是千方
百计保持这个值钱的期租合约，因为出事到租约期届满还有 4 年之久，船舶出事是该
船舶在一个航次中发生火灾，结果船舶被拖去巴西的里约热内卢。由于损坏太大，船舶
被接受为推定全损，而船东递交给保险人的弃船通知（ notice of abandonment）是在
1977 年 10 月 13 日。没有争议的是在该天之后，由于 The “Badagry”已经确定是全损，
所以正常情况下租约应该在这个时间或更早在发生火灾的时间已是受阻。但已经提到过
是船东千方百计想保持这个期租，做法就是想去以另一艘同类型的船舶作为替代船舶。
船东能够这样做是因为租约有一条第 33 条文给与他这个选择权，条文如下：
“Owners have the option to substitute the vessel with a similar vessel
type/size during the period of this charter-party.”。

另一条十分有关的条文是 3(d)，它针对了船舶如果发生推定全损，租金停付，说：
“… If the vessel should become a constructive total loss hire shall cease
at the time of the casualty resulting in such loss…”。

船东在船舶发生了火灾后，但还没有确定是推定全损前，船东就已经设法去行使选择
权指定替代船舶。首先是在 9 月 28 日（火灾是早一天发生）船东就心感不妙，马上给
通知承租人说是以另一艘名为“Opobo”的船舶作为替代船舶。但该船舶随即被承租人
拒绝，因为她并非是与 The “Badagry”同类型。看来，船东有困难去找一艘同类型的
船舶，直到 10 月 17 日，船东再给承租人通知说是以另一艘名为“Bonny”的船舶作为
替代船舶。同时并把船舶动向去告诉承租人，指船舶将在 12 月 1 日才估计能抵达里约
热内卢。问题是，到了 10 月 17 日，这已经是船舶明确了是推定全损之后，更不用说是
在火灾发生的 9 月 27 日后不久，就已经是全损，只不过确定需要多几天。这一来，船
东行使选择权不论是在 9 月 28 日或 10 月 17 日，照理由说租约应该受阻，而第 33 条文
的选择权也应该是自动消失。

但船东还是提出了几方面的争辩，例如是因为租约有了第 33 条文，所以可去排除受阻
的说法。但法院不同意这个说法，上诉庭的 Lloyd 大法官认为“替代”一般的解释是你
在一样东西已经不存在的情况下就无法去替代它，说：
“You cannot substitute A for B when B does not exist. Substitution implies
a continuing original. If the original has ceased to exit, it is no longer
possible to substitute.”。

只去说另一个有关默示条文的争辩是租约既然有第 3(d)条文说明租金在推定全损事故
后停付，如果船东可以在 2、3 个月后以“Bonny”作为替代船舶，租金怎么计算，如何
重新开始（迟至 12 月 1 日或较早的合理时间内去替代），在哪里交船给承租人（船东
是说“Bonny”在里约热内卢交船，但到了 12 月 1 日承租人几乎肯定不会是有货在那
里待装）等？注意是这些问题全部没有在第 3(d)条文有针对，变了在船舶全损后租金
停付又可去重新开始，只能去依赖默示条文，并去假设这就是订约双方的意图。它不像
租约内其他条文例如第 11 条的“相等距离条文”，说明船舶怎样在停租后可去重新起
租。

船东的大律师说这一条默示条文即使带来争议，也可以去交给仲裁员作出决定，应该
并不困难。但上诉庭认为去默示会是不能清楚表达，因为有太多不同的可能性。 Sir
John Megaw 大法官说：
“If the parties, by the words used in cl. 33 read in the context of the
other contractual provisions, did indeed intend to give the owners the
option to substitute a vessel after an actual or constructive total loss of
the vessel named in the charter-party, they have left a gap in the express
provisions by failing to provide, in cl. 3(d) or cl. 33 or anywhere else,
for the resumption of hire. That is not a gap which could properly be
filled by any implication of terms. The carious wide-ranging possibilities
contemplated by the arguments before us as to the time and place when and
where the substitution would properly be put into effect show that there
can be no confidence as to the missing terms which the parties would, as
reasonable, sensible shipowners and charterers, have agreed, if it had
occurred to them that the time charter, on its true construction with cl.
33 included, contemplated the possibility of a resumption of hire after it
had once ceased under cl. 3(d). This, I believe, conforms with the view
taken by the learned Judge-Arbitrator.”。

Lloyd 大法官也有说：
“Before a term can be implied in a commercial contract, it must not only
be necessary that a term should be implied in order to give the contract
business efficacy; but the term to be implied must also be capable of being
defined with reasonable precision. Since it is impossible to say with any
precision at all what term should be implied in the case of a total loss, I
am driven to the conclusion that the parties never did intend cl. 33 to
apply to such a case.”。

9.5 条件五：默示条文不能与明示条文起冲突，即明示超越默示。

默示条文是去假设双方的订约意图，这假设是站不住脚如果在合约里已经有明示条文
去针对，因为明示条文代表了双方真正的订约意图。

有关这个条件，可见 Evershed 大法官在 Lynch v. Thorne (1956) 1 W.L.R. 303 中所

说的：
“… a term prima facie to be implied must, according to well established
principle, always yield to the express letter of the bargain.”。

另有 Steyn 勋爵在 Equitable Life Assurance Society v. Hyman (2002) 1 A.C. 408
中说的：
“This principle is sparingly and cautiously used and may never be employed
to imply a term in conflict with the express terms of the text.”。

这个条件也可更进一步变为，当订约双方就某一方面内容在合约内以明示约定，法官/
仲裁员就不会就相关内容作出默示，即使这默示并不会与明示约定实际上起冲突。在
Broome v. Pardess Co-operative Society of Orange Growers (Est. 1900) Ltd
(1940) 1 All E.R. 603，Mackinnon 大法官说：
“Where the parties have made an express provision as regards some matter
with regard to the contract, it is, and must be, extremely difficult for
either of them to say in regard to that subject-matter, as to which there
is an express provision, that there is also an implied provision or
condition in the contract.”。

就这个条件更详尽的评论可见 Parker 大法官在 Tamplin (F.A.) Steamship Co Ltd v.

Anglo-Mexican Petroleum Products Co Ltd (1916) 2 A.C. 387 所说的：
“It is, of course, impossible to imply in a contract any term or condition
inconsistent with its express provisions, or with the intention of the
parties as gathered from those provisions. The first thing, therefore, in
every case is to compare the term or condition which it is sought to imply
with the express provisions of the contract, and with the intention of the
parties as gathered from those provisions, and ascertain whether there is
any inconsistency.”。

这可以带出来一些说法，例如是一个非常详尽与包罗万有的合约，例如一些大型合作
协议，就应该尽量避免去默示。因为明示条文没有去直接或间接地涉及到的漏洞恐怕不
会太多，甚至没有。这些详尽的合约，很可能有多条明示条文针对有争议的一方面，把
所有这些条文合并起来解释就可以找出双方订约的真正意图，这一来就不应该再去增
加任何默示条文去假设他们的订约意图。这方面的说法有不少先例，如一个合约看上去
是双方谈判结果的全面体现的话，这种有了真正意图的可能性就越加明显：Duke of
Westminster v. Guild (1985) Q.B. 688 ； Broome v. Pardess Co-operative
Society of Orange Growers (Est. 1900) Ltd (1940) 1 All E.R. 603 ； Philips
Electronique Grand Public S.A. v. British Sky Broadcasting Ltd (1995)
E.M.L.R. 472, CA。

另 Mason 大法官在 Codelfa Construction Pty Ltd v. State Rail Authority of New
South Wales (1982) 149 C.L.R. 337 曾说：
“For obvious reasons the courts are slow to imply a term. In many cases,
what the parties have actually agreed upon represents the totality of their
willingness to agree; each may be prepared to take his chance in relation
to an eventuality for which no provision is made. The more detailed and
comprehensive the contract the less ground there is for supposing that the
parties have failed to address their minds to the question at issue.”。

反之，如果一份合约明显不完整的话，法官/仲裁员就比较愿意来填补漏洞：
Liverpool City Council v. Irwin (1977) A.C. 239。

另一个情况就是如果订约双方在合约谈判中明确去拒绝或删除部分内容， 会否对默示
条文有影响呢？这里以前会有争议，因为有“口头证据原则“（ Parol Evidence
Rule）这个说法，会导致法官/仲裁员在解释合约时不能去看双方谈判的证据。但这一
个“口头证据原则”在近年来已经几乎不存在了，所以，能够去看订约双方有否去拒
绝或删除部分内容，如果有，就再也不能去默示一些东西假设是他们的订约意图。这可
见 Gerard McMeel 教 授 的 《 the Construction of Contracts—Interpretation,
Implication and Rectification》一书第 11.25 段如下：
“Where the prior negotiations of the parties evidence the consideration by
both of a particular draft term or proposed formulation of a provision
which is then rejected the courts will consider such material. In effect
the rejection of a particular term of formulation should preclude any later
argument that a term should be implied akin to the discarded provision.”。

另在澳大利亚的 Codelfa Construction Prop Ltd v. State Rail Authority of New

South Wales (1982) 149 C.L.R. 337 先例，Mason 大法官将双方删除部分条文和默示
之间的关系看作是双方真正意图和假设意图之间的关系，当有冲突时，前者可能超越
后者，其分析如下：
“There may perhaps be one situation in which evidence of the actual
intention of the parties should be allowed to prevail over their presumed
intention. If it transpires that the parties have refused to include in
their contract a provision which would give effect to the presumed
intention of persons in their position it may be proper to receive evidence
of that refusal. After all, the court is interpreting the contract which
the parties have made and in that exercise the court takes into account
what reasonable men in that situation would have intended to convey by the
words chosen. But is it right to carry that exercise to the point of
placing on the words of the contract a meaning which the parties have
united in rejecting? It is possible that evidence of mutual intention, if
amounting to concurrence, is receivable so as to negative an inference
sought to be drawn for the surrounding circumstances.”。

10 商业习惯做法/惯例的默示

这种默示条文与较早介绍的法律的默示与事实的默示不一样，它是针对一些主要在商
业上的习惯做法或惯例去达至两个方面。（一）是协助解释合约内的明示条文（这表示
习惯做法/惯例是语境[factual matrix]的一部分），（二）是去增加默示条文。

这种默示条文会对一个合约的解释带来极大的冲击，甚至会作出与传统解释完全不一
样的结论，所以必须去严格对待。 这可见 Produce Oil Brokers Co Ltd v. Olympia
Oil and Cake Ltd (1917) 1 K.B. 320 先例所说的：
“The contract construed without the custom will be different from what it
is if construed with the custom, and in that sense every admission of
custom varies the written contract.”。

举例在 Smith v. Wilson (1832) 3 B & Ad 728, 涉及的是合约明示了价格是“60 英

镑每一千只兔子”。但法院接受在有关地方 Suffolk 的习惯是把“一千”（thousand）
视为 1,200。

另一个例子是 The Eurus (1998) 1 Lloyd’s Rep 351 先例， 案情涉及一艘油轮去尼

日利亚装 32,000 吨原油。 船舶是估计在 1992 年 1 月 31 日凌晨抵达装港并可去递交通
知书。 但早在 1 月 23 日，承租人知道 2 月份的油价比 1 月份的油价低，所以需要取得
2 月份的提单。 承租人命令船长不要在 1 月 31 日 1100 时之前递交通知书给发货人/炼
油厂。 承租人这个命令在接下去几天不停被重复， 可见是一件十分重要的事。 船舶
在 1 月 31 日 0030 时抵达装港并马上挂靠装货泊位并在 0636 时开始装货。 但船长的确
是到了 1100 时才递交通知书。 承租人发觉后想尽办法去减低装货速度， 最后货物是
在 2 月 1 日之 0130 时装完。 从这些事实看来，船长可去签发 2 月份的提单应该是理所
当然，但承租人与船东都不知道在尼日利亚的习惯是要到了 2 月 1 日之 0800 时后装完
原油才会去签发 2 月份的提单， 在这个时间之前仍是去签发 1 月份的提单。 结果这
就带来了差价达 700,000 美元的争议。而法院也接受了尼日利亚港口的这一个商业习惯。
10.1 能够被接受为商业习惯做法/惯例的条件

英国法律只会接受为商业习惯做法/惯例如果以下的三个条件可以满足：
（一）一定要肯定；
（二）一定要出名；
（三）一定要合理。

这方面权威的说法可去节录 Fox-Bourne v. Vernon & Co. Ltd. (1894) 10 T.L.R.

647 的 ： “ … a uniform practice so well defined and recognised that
contracting parties must be assumed to have had it in their minds when they
contracted.”。（一个非常明确与受到承认的习惯的做法，可以假设订约双方在订约
的时候就有这些习惯做法/惯例在他们的脑海中。）可以说，这一个说法针对了头两个
条件，就是肯定与出名。

10.1.1 条件之一：肯定

关 于 商 业 惯 例 的 确 定 性 的 要 求 可 见 Mance 大 法 官 在 Roar Marine v. Bimeh Iran

Insurance (1998) 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 423, QBD 中所说的：
“For there to be any relevance in custom or practice, whether in a strict
or informal sense, it must be possible to identify the particular custom or
practice with certainty.”。

该先例的案情可去作出介绍，以让大家更明白这个说法。它是涉及了一艘船舶名为
“Daylan”，船东与受让人（贷款银行）向一些在世界各地的保险公司索赔它们各自
承保的百分比。 该船舶主机的曲轴发生损坏/破裂而需要修理。该船壳保险虽然是涉及
多家保险公司，但带头的是劳合社一个保险小组（Syndicate 724）。修理后该带头保
险人接受事故是出自船员疏忽的受保风险，并作出赔偿他所承保的部分。但其余的保险
公 司 拒 付 ， 虽 然 保 单 有 一 条 文 说 明 是 跟 从 带 头 保 险 人 （ follow the leader
clause），如下：
“It is agreed with or without previous notice to follow leading British
underwriters in regard to … settlements in respect of claims …[the follow
the leader clause].”。

这一来，船东与受让人在英国法院起诉这些保险公司，并认为保单有这种条文下，后
者没有什么可争议的，所以向法院申请简易判决。这些保险公司的其中一个主要抗辩是
声称伦敦市场有一个习惯做法是即使有这一种条文的保单，每一个保险公司还是可以
去个别质疑，即使带头保险人已经作出赔付。至于在证据方面，代表这些保险公司的业
务 律 师 Dowling 先 生 去 与 几 位 保 险 公 司 与 劳 合 社 人 士 查 问 后 作 出 了 一 个 宣 誓 书
（affidavit），其中内容可去小部分节录如下：
“4. Most parties stated that they considered an obligation to follow an
obligation to follow only in relation to legitimate claims. They were
adamant that co-insurers would not pay a claim if they had serious doubts
as to the validity of the claim, and that in practice in such a situation
assureds, through their brokers, habitually treat the co-insurers as
entitled to proof of the validity of the claim, independent of the
leader’s decision on it. I was advised that the only situation in which
the decision of a leader underwriter would be treated as final and binding
was where urgent temporary repairs were carried out. On the other hand,
some stated that it was their view that an obligation to follow was a
strict obligation which applied in all circumstances.

5. I was advised that it was not unusual for following underwriters to

demand further evidence, information or documents relating to a claim in
order to satisfy themselves that the claim was validly made. When such a
demand is made, the follower is invariably given the further information
and documents requested and makes his own decision as to settlement. The
following underwriter will, of course, be under considerable commercial
pressure to settle a claim which has been settled by a lead underwriter, so
as to avoid gaining a reputation as a difficult underwriter. Nevertheless
the advice I received was that, in a case where there was a genuine concern
as to the legitimacy of a claim, the follower would refuse to follow.

6. Additionally, it was maintained that, in order for a leader

underwriter’s evaluation of a claim to be considered satisfactory, the
leader would have to have made a proper investigation of the claim in which
all contemporaneous records and documents relating to the claim were
examined and the claim itself was supposed by expert advise. It was not
considered acceptable for a leader underwriter simply to rely on an
adjustment document. Any refusal or prevarication on the part of an insured
to produce documents and evidence would be viewed with a good deal of
suspicion and would increase the likelihood of the follower refusing to
follow.”。

这一个宣誓书的证据大受 Mance 大法官的批评，并指出即使是接受 Dowling 先生的说

法，他自己也承认在第 4 段是伦敦市场在这一方面没有一个肯定的习惯做法，只不过
是部分的保险人士是一个做法，而另一部分人士是另一种做法。而即使是有大部分保险
人的做法是如 Dowling 先生所讲，这也不足够构成习惯做法可令保单的“follow the
leader clause”去根据他们的做法作出与字面相异的解释。Mance 大法官是这样说：
“Here, Mr. Dowling himself acknowledges at the end of par. 4 (and in the
comment made through Counsel about ‘both sides of the debate’) that there
is no such certain or identifiable custom or practice. If 60, 70, 80 or
even 90 per cent. of the market behave in one way, but 40, 30,20 or only 10
per cent. of the market behave in another, there is still no reason to
assume that any particular contract is to be read in the way in which the
former group behaves, rather than the latter. Even in a case (unlike the
present, in my view) where the wording of a particular clause could,
respectably, be interpreted in alternative ways, the proper interpretation
cannot be determined by majority vote. The mere fact that the behaviour or
attitude of one group of market practitioners may have been tolerated does
not mean that it is right, particularly when there is a significant, even
though minority, group viewing the position and acting differently.

In all these circumstances, the contention that there is any legally

binding custom or practice which could affect the construction of the
present ‘follow the leader’ clause is hopeless. The contention that there
is any relevant market behavious or attitude which could in any way shape
the proper construction is equally untenable.”。

再去举另外一个有关石油买卖的先例： The “Mathraki”(1990) 2 Lloyd’s Rep.

84。案情是有关装在 The “Mathraki”的一批北海石油，它涉及了 31 个买卖合约链，
其中夹在当中的是该先例的原告（Vitol）与被告（Phibro Energy 瑞士）。他们之间
根据标准条文 Inco Term 1980 有条文要求原告作为卖方给买方最少 3 个工作天的指定
通 知 ： “ Sellers to give to buyers minimum 3 working days’ notice of
nomination together with vessels demurrage rates”。

Vitol 在 1987 年 11 月 10 日（周二）之 1658 时（伦敦时间）一收到上一个卖方（Marc

Rich）的指定通知后，就马上转给下一个买方 Phibro Energy，后者是在同一天的
1830 时（瑞士时间）收到该电传。但后者随即拒绝该通知，认为是已经太晚，并非是
最少 3 个工作天。至于他为什么这样做，其中一个很大可能就是市场下跌。但如果该指
定通知是把 11 月 10 日也算作一天，因为作出通知的时候还没有过子夜，其实算到最
后交货日子是足 3 个工作天，Phibro Energy 无权去拒绝。但 Phibro Energy 声称指定
通知是在第二天的 11 月 11 日上午 9 时才收到，从该天起算 3 个工作天就不足了， 令
Phibro Energy 有权拒绝。
照说，根据明确的先例是一天的部分也算是一天（the rule that part of a day is
to be treated as a day）。这可去看《装卸时间与滞期费》一书第十二章第 3 段， 特
别是 Devlin 勋爵在 Vancouver Strikes Cases (1963) 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 12 的说法中
就包括了上一句话。所以，光看 Inco Term 1980 有关条文的写法，Phibro Energy 应该
是无权拒绝该买卖合约，因为 11 月 10 日也算是一天，子夜还没有过。但 Phibro
Energy 说是在该北海石油的市场有一个习惯做法是在任何一个工作天，只去算到 1700
时为止，因为之后大家已经下班。但根据双方提供的专家意见证据，说法各异并显示一
些证据是在市场中通常有指定通知晚过 1700 时，毕竟这是一个涉及广泛地区的石油商
的行业。

这一来，Evans 大法官判是有太多与太不肯定的不同意见，无法显示有一个习惯性的做
法在该行业可去作出默示条文。他说：
“The mere existence of these divergent opinions enabled the plaintiffs to
submit that there could not be, given the difference of opinion among
independent expert witnesses, any such uniform practice or usage of the
trade as could give rise to the alleged implied terms.”。

10.1.2 条件之二：出名

这一个条件是完全可以理解，因为如果一个商业习惯做法/惯例不是出名的，就无法去
合理估计订约双方在订约时有这样的商业习惯做法/惯例在他们的脑海中，有可能其中
一方或是双方都不知道有这种所谓习惯做法。

关 于 商 业 惯 例 的 知 名 度 的 要 求 可 见 Ungoed-Thomas 大 法 官 在 Cunliffe-Owen v.
Teather & Greenwood (1967) 1 W.L.R. 1421 中所说的：
“The practice that has to be established consists of a continuity of acts,
and those acts have to be established by persons familiar with them,
although, as is accepted before me, they may be sufficiently established by
such persons without a detailed recital of instances. Practice is not a
matter of opinion, of even the most highly qualified expert, as to what it
is desirable that the practice should be. However, evidence of those versed
in a market—so it seems to me—may be admissible and valuable in
identifying those features of any transaction that attract usage and in
discounting other features which for such purpose are merely incidental;
and if there is conflict of evidence about this, it is subject to being
resolved like other conflicts of evidence. Arrangements or compromises to
the same effect as the alleged usage do not establish usage; they
contradict it. They may be the precursors of usage; but usage presupposes
that arrangements and compromises are no longer required. It is, in my
view, clearly not necessary that a practice should be challenged and
enforced before it can become a usage, as, otherwise, a practice so
obviously universally accepted and acted upon as not to be challenged could
never be a usage. However, enforcement would be valuable and might be
conclusive in establishing usage. What is necessary is that for a practice
to be a recognized usage it should be established as a practice having
binding effect.”。

10.1.3 条件之三：合理

商业习惯做法/惯例的合理性包括了商业习惯不能是不合理，毕竟在较早的时候讲过，
默示条文必须是合理，不合理的只能是在一些明确无误的明示条文，这是双方的订约
自由，法官/仲裁员管不到。合理不合理可分几方面来看，例如是针对一些基本的法律
大原则与相比订约双方已经同意了的明示条文。以下去探讨。

10.1.3.1 基本法律大原则或规则下不合理

在 Anglo-African Merchants Ltd v. Baylay (1970) 1 Q.B. 311, QBD 与 North and
South Trust Co v. Berkeley (1971) 1 W.L.R. 470, CA。案情有关劳合社市场的经纪
人的做法，他们的身份是作为被保险人的代理人去劳合社市场寻找愿意承保的保险小
组（syndicates）。但后来劳合社市场发展出来一种习惯做法就是后来出了事故，这些
经纪人也代保险小组调查有关的保险索赔是否在承保范围内，这就导致了他们手中有
一些有关的报告例如是检查报告（survey report）。在有关的两个先例，经纪人拒绝
把这些报告披露给被保险人，虽然后者是前者的雇主（principal）。这种劳合社市场
的习惯做法被判是不合理，与代理人的基本法律（law of agency）大原则背道而驰，
例如在同一时间去为两个有利益冲突的雇主服务。 Megaw 大法官在 Anglo-African
Merchants Ltd v. Baylay 说：
“Even if it were established to be a practice well known to persons
seeking insurance—not merely to insurers and brokers—I should hold the
view, in conformity with the passage which I have cited from Bowstead (这是
一本权威书籍有关代理人法律), that a custom will not be upheld by the courts
of this country if it contradicts the vital principle that an agent may not
at the same time serve two masters—two principals—in actual or potential
opposition to one another: unless, he has the explicit, informed, consent
of both principals.”。
在后一个先例，Donaldson 大法官同意 Megaw 大法官的说法，认为这种商业做法“完全
不合理”（wholly unreasonable），不能成为商业习惯做法/惯例。

另一个先例是 London Export Corp Ltd v. Jubilee Coffee Roasting Co Ltd (1958)
1 Lloyd’s Rep. 197，是有关一个商会仲裁（Incorporated Oil Sea Association）
的惯例。 该商会仲裁是有 2 个层面，先是由 2 位当事人委任的仲裁员审理，他们如果
不同意就由一位公断人去作出决定。第二个层面是上诉，上诉由一个上诉委员会决定。
在该案例中，争议由第一层面的公断人裁决后，被上诉去上诉委员会。但原先的公断人
也是上诉委员会的一份子，一并去裁决。这一来，是违反了该商会仲裁规则，说明是不
准第一层面审理的公断人去参与上诉。加上，笔者也感觉到有一定违反自然公正的味道。
所以，高院与上诉庭判是该商会仲裁的这种习惯做法不合理。

10.1.3.2 合约明示条文或架构下不合理

这在 Humfrey v. Dale (1917) 1 K.B. 320, DC 中有说明要此商业习惯做法/惯例当作

明示条文来看与合约其他明示条文不起冲突与不是不合理才能被默示：
“To fall within the exception, therefore of repugnancy, the incident must
be such as if expressed in the written contract would make it insensible or
inconsistent.”。

为了更好表达，笔者又是要去比较详尽地介绍一个先例，这是 Kum and Another v.

Wah Tat Bank Ltd. (1971) 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 439。这一个先例是对提单的课题有认识
的人都会熟悉，它是唯一一个先例承认大副收据可以有提单的作用，依据的就是在该
有关航次中的商业习惯做法。案情是有一票货物（橡胶）从马来西亚沙捞越去新加坡的
短航线，总共签发了好几份大副收据。这些大副收据被用作质押（pledge）向一家沙捞
越的银行融资。但之后发生了无单放货（但这无单是指大副收据，因为根本没有提单的
签发），银行就在新加坡法院向船东起诉，指称船东侵占了他的货物（ conversion of
goods），这一个案例最终上诉去到英国枢密院。 其中的一个争议是沙捞越往返新加坡
的班轮航线习惯做法是只去签发大副收据，根本没有提单，所以大副收据可被视为物
权凭证（document of title）。但这在高院被拒绝，说：
“… no amount of customs as that described in this case can change the
character of this document so as to confer any additional rights and thus
make the mate’s receipt equivalent to documents of title. A local custom
however strong can never achieved this effect.”。

但这在上诉后被推翻并接受这一个在沙捞越往返新加坡航线中的习惯做法。证据显示了
沙捞越去新加坡所运载的货物有 90-95%是只签发大副收据，而新加坡去沙捞越是大约
75-80%。至于会签发提单的，会是一些要去转运的货物，例如从新加坡转运到其他港口
/国家的国际运输。枢密院认为证据显示这一个商业习惯做法是足够肯定，做法上也没
有什么不合理，可以把大副收据视为是物权凭证（document of title），毕竟这只是
一份文件的称呼而已。Devlin 勋爵认为商业人士可以有自由喜欢怎样做，没有要求他
们必须去严格使用某一种表格，普通法并不是官僚主义：
“The function of commercial law is to allow, so fat as it can, commercial
men to do business in the way in which they want do it and not to require
them to stick to forms that they may think to be outmoded. The common law
is not bureaucratic.”。

但在该先例无法把该大幅收据视为是物权凭证反而是因为在大幅收据上印上了“不能
转让”（non-negotiable）一词，Devlin 勋爵认为这样一来，商业习惯做法/惯例就必
须靠边站了，他说：
“There are well established rules of construction which permit the Court
to disregard printed words when they are inconsistent with written words or
with the paramount object which the document appears from its language to
be designed to achieve. But these rules can be used only when there is
conflict between one part of the document and another or between the effect
of a part and the effect of the whole. They are rules for reconciling
different expressions in or of the document itself. They cannot be used to
introduce into the document, either by implication or by force of custom,
what is outside it. The rule is plain and clear that inconsistency with the
document defeats the custom. If this document had ‘Negotiable’ printed in
the right hand corner and ‘not negotiable’ in the left, the argument
could begin. But if the right-hand corner is blank, custom cannot be used
to fill it. Whichever way the argument for the respondents is put, it
amounts in the end to a submission that the force of custom should expel
from the document words that are on it: this is not permissible by law.”。

10.2 商业习惯做法/惯例订约方知道或不知道的后果

商业习惯做法/惯例只要在有关领域能够成立，即使是双方订约时实际上有一方并不知
悉仍是要受其约束，这可见 Ungoed-Thomas 大法官在 Cunliffe-Owen v. Teather &
Greenwood (1967) 1 W.L.R. 1421 中所说的：
“A party to a contract is bound by usages applicable to it as certain,
notorious and reasonable, although not known to him. If the practice,
though certain and notorious is unreasonable, it of course follows that it
cannot constitute a usage which the court will enforce as a usage.
Nevertheless if a party knows of such a practice and agrees to it, then
though unreasonable, he is bound by it …”。

请注意上述先例中节录的最后一句是说到，如果双方在订约时是有证明知道一些不合
理的商业习惯做法/惯例（例如是其中一方在谈判的时候告诉另一方有这种习惯做法），
这一来他还是开了眼睛去订约，就会受到约束了。看来，这可能是唯一一种例外情况商
业习惯做法/惯例即使是不合理仍是适用。

最后要注意是订约双方如果不是有关商业领域的从业人员，难去假设他们在订约时脑
海中已经想到有关的商业习惯做法/惯例，也会在这种比较罕见的情况下不适用：Holt
& Co v. Collyear (1881) 16 Ch D 718, Ch D。

11 默示条文例子一：造船合约的还款担保

中国造船业蓬勃，这当然是好消息。但笔者也知道问题不少，其中一个就是船厂很难取
得银行的同意去作出还款担保（refund guarantee）。这不光指中国进出口银行，也包
括了其他中国的主要商业银行。 这还款担保是去担保买方在造船期间分期付款但最终
船厂无法顺利去交船的情况下，由银行根据还款担保把买方预付掉的分期付款归还买
方或他的融资银行。据说部分原因是出自该些中方银行不知道风险而不敢去碰，并非是
资金不足。不去离题，在造船合约签妥后，船厂要做的一件重要事情就是以该造船合约
去向银行申请作出还款担保。传统的做法是，由于船厂无法肯定一定能够顺利取得还款
担保，特别是在一些国家像日本，该担保是要日本进出口银行作出，而它由于各种原
因例如年度预算已经用掉而拒绝作出。这一来，如果造船合约在文字上是把船厂要取得
还款担保约定为一个严格/绝对的合约承诺，船厂就变成是毁约。所以国际上的标准造
船合约都把这一个还款担保的要求写作是视为一个造船合约的后决条件，在一条名为
“Effective date of contract”的条文，文字上说明是如果船厂无法在某一个期限
内取得还款担保（加上其他的后决条件例如是出口证或造船批文），该造船合约就自
动取消。

在这种后决条件，法律就有了一个默示条文，就是船厂不能因为是由于他的不作为或
过错，造成了该造船合约的自动取消。举例说，在造船合约签署后，船价急升，船厂想
去脱身或再加价。于是对买方傻乎乎地说：“你除非再加 500 万美元的造船价格，否则
我不申请还款担保让造船合约中断。”这方面的法律默示可节录 Atkinson 勋爵在 New
Zealand Shipping Co. Ltd. v. Societe des Ateliers et Chantiers de France
(1918):
“It the … contract shall be void on the happening of an event which one
or either of them can by his own act or omission bring about, then the
party, who by his own act or omission brings that event about, cannot be
permitted either to insist upon the stipulation himself or to compel the
other party, who is blameless, to insist upon it, because to permit the
blameable party to do either would be to permit him to take advantage of
his own wrong …”。

笔者去提这一个默示条文是因为涉及两个中国船厂的案件，损失金额庞大。第一个正是
上述所讲的中国船厂傻乎乎的去与买方要求抬高造船价格而造成自己毁约
（repudiation）。其实他完全可以做一场好戏，证明是取不到还款担保，让原造船合
约中断后再接触买方试图另去订一个新的造船合约，只是造船价格要抬高 500 万美元
以反映当时市场的船价。

另一个损失更大的案件是中国一家船厂去上了西方船东的当，应该明知还款担保不易
取得，但在造船合约内的有关条文去写成为一个绝对/严格的担保，即把如果在 30 天
不等的期限内取不到还款担保，该造船合约就自动取消这一句话去删除。结果船厂果然
取不到还款担保而造成自己毁约，被西方船东索赔约 8,000 万美元之巨（损失这么大
是加上了一个重要因素是该船厂要求的造船价格比市场低得多，故此毁约后会产生的
损失变了是更加巨大）。这是一个好例子，就是明确的明示条文就超越了默示，或可以
说是再也不需要默示条文的存在。因为已经将这 30 天的期限删除，剩下的就是取得还
款担保的严格/绝对责任，不会再有合理期限的默示了。

12 默示条文例子二：履约需要对方先给通知

在任何一个合约，往往都有双方应去履行的各种义务/事情，这是不需要对方提醒。所
以如果不去依时（合约明示规定的时间或法律默示的合理时间）履行，即会是违约。但
会有情况是在履行前，必须要有对方给恰当的资料或通知，才能去进行。这一来，即使
没有明示条文的规定，法律也有这一方面的默示。

举一个简单的例子，如果一个合约规定了订约一方必须在某一个时间内准时支付一笔
钱，但在合约另一针对付款办法的明示条文中，针对收款人的银行只是说明“ to be
advised”。这也会是在当时的环境确是收款人还没有告知支付方他的银行资料。这一来，
根据整个合约的解释或是根据当时的环境，都可去作出一个事实的默示，就是收款人
必须事前告知支付方他的银行帐号，否则支付方无法去履约。

这一个默示条文，很早的一个先例就已经有说明：Vyse v. Wakefield (1840) 5 M. &

W. 442，内中说道：
“Where a party stipulates to a certain thing in a certain specific event
which may become known to him, or with which he can make himself
acquainted, he is not entitled to any notice, unless he stipulates for it;
but where it is to do a thing which lies within the peculiar knowledge of
the opposite party, then notice ought to be given him.”。

在这一个默示条文下就可以带出了在国际货物买卖与程租合约下的派船一方（FOB 买卖
下的买方）或船东在抵达第一个装港时必须要去通知对方有关船舶抵达与备妥装货，
否则对方（也就是货方）是没有责任去履行他的合约责任，就是提供货物与装货，并
开始起算装卸时间。试想，如果没有通知，货方是不一定容易知道船舶已经抵达装港。
即使抵达与否可以看得见或查得到，货方也没办法知道船舶真正的状况是否已经备妥 ，
例如上一票货物是否已经卸清，货舱是否清洁，装卸设备是否有故障，舱盖能否打开，
等等。当然，普通法的地位只是要求派船方/船东发出通知，没有对该通知作出一些什
么形式上的要求，例如是口述的通知业已足够。对准备就绪通知书有形式上的要求，例
如必须是文书形式，递交的对象必须是谁，递交的时间，等等，这都是来自明示条文。
这一来，当然是明示条文比默示条文分量更重了。

另注意是即使没有明示条文，法律也有默示条文针对这一个“准备就绪通知书”的要
求。但如果买卖合约下的发货人或程租合约下的承租人要求更早的通知，例如抵达装港
前的 10 天或 7 天不等，这就需要明示条文了。因为这种通知恐怕难以达到“必要性”
的要求，例如缺少了这种通知合约就会没有商业效力与不能运行， 所以不会去默示。

13 默示条文例子三：双方必需给与协助/合作

有不少合约的履行，履行方是需要对方给与协助/合作方能成事，这一来，就会有必要
去作出一个默示条文，除非合约已经有明示条文针对。 这方面在大陆法系由“善意”
（good faith）的理论去针对，在英国法律就是默示的说法了。

与其他的默示条文道理一样，只会在“必要”（necessary）的情况下才会去这样做，
光靠合理不合理是不足够。本来英国法律就不愿意插手双方在一个合约中的一般性合作，
以顺利履行。这是双方自己的事情，涉及面亦十分广，加上合作的准则不容易确定，所
以法律也不容易管。这可见 Devlin 大法官在 Mona Oil Equipment & Supply Co Ltd v.
Rhodesia Railways Ltd (1949) 2 All E.R. 1014 所说的：
“It is, no doubt, true that every business contract depends for its smooth
working on co-operation, but in the ordinary business contract, apart, of
course, from express terms, the law can enforce co-operation only in a
limited degree—to the extent that it is necessary to make the contract
workable. For any higher degree of co-operation the parties must rely on
the desire that both of them usually have that the business should get
done.”。

这表示一些经常遇到的情况，就是合约其中一方向对方作出各种要求协助/合作，是没
有在合约内规定的。这种要求会是各种各样，包括是金钱上，或是提供一些文件或资料，
或是延误一方要求对方合作去延长销约期或其他的期限，或是允许做一些事情（例如
承租人要求上船检查， 而这并非是该租约下必要的检查例如是装粮前美国农业部
[USDA] 的 船 舱 检 查 ） ， 或 是 做 合 约 不 要 求 或 与 合 约 不 符 的 事 情 （ 可 见 North Sea
Energy Holdings N.V. v. Petroleum Authority of Thailand [1999] 1 Lloyd’s
Rep. 483），等等。也会是表面看来有一些要求并非是不合理。去提出要求本身是没有
问题，也不会是违约，总不能去阻止人家提出要求。现实中经常会见到被要求的一方如
果对自己的法律地位不了解（即如可否拒绝），加上怕事或一厢情愿地去合作，就会
贸贸然答应，但事后又反悔而造成可能是禁止翻供的行为。所以，遇上这样的情况，被
要求的一方很重要的一点就是了解对方提出的要求协助/合作是否是该合约的履行下所
必要。如果不是，法律是不会去默示被要求的一方要去这样做。换句话说，被要求的一
方无需去合作，甚至不应该去合作。 这里可去节录 Hirst 大法官在 Siporex Trade
S.A. v. Banque Indosuez (1986) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 146 所说如下：
“I do not for a moment doubt that in the would of everyday commerce such
co-operation frequently occurs, nor do I doubt that it is highly desirable,
especially where important matter are left outstanding. But proof of mere
normality of practice, or even of a high degree of desirability, falls far
short of establishing the existence of a contractual duty owed by the buyer
to be implied as a contractual term. See Liverpool City Council v. Irwin,
[1977] A.C.
239—a case which is particularly helpful in the present context as showing
that the stringent business efficacy test applies even where the Court is
being asked to insert implied terms in an incomplete contract…”。

有关订约双方有 协助 / 合作 责任 的默示 早在 Mackay v. Dick (1881) 6 App. Cas.

251，Blackburn 大法官已说：
“… where in a written contract it appears that both parties have agreed
that something shall be done, which cannot be effectually done unless both
parties concur in doing it, the construction of the contract is that each
agrees to do all that is necessary to be done on his part for the carrying
out of that thing, though there may be no express words to that effect.”。

在现实的合约履行中，需要对方合作才能去履行的情况经常有发生。简单的例子是其中
一方需要在一个期限前付出一笔金钱（不论是租约的租金或者是运费，或房屋买卖的
一笔定金），就需要对方的合作去提供银行账号。再多举一个简单例子是如果甲雇用乙
来为他画像，就有默示条文是需要甲本人的配合提供造型。

现在去举一些案例，先是有关油脂的一个 CIF 买卖，名为 Siporex Trade S.A. v.

Banque Indosuez (1986) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 146。案情简单的介绍是由于买方没有准时
开出准确的信用证，结果买卖合约被卖方取消。买方声称卖方有一个法律责任去协助买
方去完成信用证的条文与解决问题，因为在该案例中的买卖合约有许多不明朗的地方 ，
例如有关信用证的最后有效期。买方也声称这种协助/合作在国际贸易是十分普遍的做
法，并提供专家意见。但 Hirst 大法官拒绝去默示卖方需要协助买方去开出信用证，认
为没有这个必要性，而且去默示这种责任会带来严重的后果，说：
“In my judgment, under the normal well established principles of letters
of credit, it is for the buyer to establish the letter of credit as
required by the contract. If the contract terms are themselves incomplete,
and unresolvable by reference to custom, the supposed duty to cooperate
would in effect be no more than an agreement to agree, which is not a
workable contractual term. Moreover, the scope of the proposed duty in any
given case would be impossible to define with the degree of precision
necessary for a workable term.

In these circumstances Mr. Hallgarten(买方大律师)’s proposed implied term

fails the business efficacy test and I am not prepared to hold that there
is any legal duty imposed on the seller to cooperate with the buyer. A
fortiori there is in my judgment no similar duty as between the plaintiffs
and the defendant bank, between whom the only contractual relationship is
that created by the performance bond.”。

这种协助/合作的默示条文在租约中也有不少，在《装卸时间与滞期费》一书第十六章之
第 4 段有大量提到，包括像：

-- The “Aello” (1960) 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 623 先例中，船舶抵达布伊诺斯艾利斯装

运玉米，但进不了港，因为承租人/发货人必需先要向阿根廷的散粮部提出申请一份名
为“Giro”的文件，船舶才会被允许进港。这一来，即使程租合约没有去作出任何规定，
法律也默示承租人有这个责任。

-- 同样的道理在 The “Atlantic Sunbeam” (1973) 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 483，船舶是

去加尔各答港卸货，又是需要一份文件名为“jetty challan”才进得了港口并能够递
交通知书。但这一份文件是收货人的责任向港口当局去取得， 船东自己做不来。法院又
是判承租人有这个默示责任去以合理快速（reasonable despatch）取得这份文件。

-- 承租人也要去在合理时间内指定第一个卸港让船舶可去抵达卸货：The “Timna”
(1970) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 409。
该书也介绍了一个与协助/合作的默示责任同样道理的默示，就是不能去妨碍对方履约。
这 是 在 Ogmore Steamship Co Ltd v. H Borner & Co Ltd (1901) 6 CC 104 中 ，
Gorell Barnes 大法官说的：
“It is the ordinary and natural implication that neither party should
prevent the other from performing that part of the contract which falls to
be performed by that other; and if the charterers by themselves, or by
their agents acting within the scope of their authority, have placed
impediments in the way of the shipowner bringing their vessel into dock,
the charterers ought to be responsible for the delay so caused, as if the
vessel had in fact arrived in dock.”。

除了租约外，国际货物买卖合约也是有类似的默示条文，毕竟它也涉及同样的海上运
输问题。例如在 The “World Navigator” (1991) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 23，涉及是一个
FOB 买卖合约。这一来，就是买方派船，但买方派的船舶 The “World Navigator”去
了阿根廷的罗萨里奥就无法进港靠泊，因为发货人有一些文件还没处理好。这种困难的
情况也会出现在发货人货物没有备妥。这对买方会带来极严重的后果，除了对船舶延误
会要承担滞期费或滞期损失外，更会造成付运的延误。在该先例，高院的 Philips 大法
官判在卖方有一个去提供协助/合作的默示条文或责任，他说：
“… the evidence demonstrated that World Navigator could not berth without
the co-operation of the sellers in providing appropriate loading
documentation and it was common ground that it was necessary to imply into
the f.o.b. contract a term requiring the sellers to provide that co-
operation; there was an implied obligation on the sellers to act with
reasonable dispatch and in accordance with ordinary practice in doing those
acts which were necessary to enable the buyers to present their vessel for
loading at the berth; if availability of goods sold was necessary to enable
the buyers’ vessel to berth there was an absolute obligation on the
sellers to have the goods available when the vessel arrived provided 15
days’ notice had been given; it might be that this obligation could be
extended to cover the procurement of documentation if this was something
solely within the control of the sellers;”。

上诉庭也同意了这一个默示责任，而且无法去说死是哪一些事情因为要根据不同的案
件与当时的环境去作出默示：
“… there was an obligation to do all that was necessary to enable the
vessel to berth on the expiry of the 15 days’ notice; it was probably
impossible and undesirable to define the precise ambit of the obligation
for in all cases what was to be implied would or might be dependent both on
the terms of the contract and the surrounding circumstances.”。

14 默示条文例子四：经纪人的佣金合约

经纪人的佣金合约，好像其他类别的合约一样，有过一些重要的先例说明在一些情况
下有默示条文及在另一种情况下就没有。第一个情况是判有默示条文就是雇主如果与第
三者通过经纪人达成一个协议，该经纪人在合约履行的时候就有权拿佣金。而雇主是不
能因为他的违约而导致合约无法履行，进而剥夺了该经纪人的佣金。这方面即使是没有
明 示 条 文 说 明 ， 法 律 也 会 去 默 示 ： Alpha Trading Ltd v. Dunnshaw-Patten Ltd.
(1981) 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 122。事实上还有更早的先例，主要是适用在保障房屋买卖的
经纪人。例如在 Luxor (Eastbourne) Ltd. v. Cooper (1941) A.C. 108，贵族院的
Wright 勋爵说：
“The vendor is then no longer free to dispose of his property. Though the
sale is not completed the property in equity has passed from him to the
purchaser. If he refuses to complete he would be guilty of a breach of
agreement vis-à-vis the purchaser. I think, as at present advised, that it
ought then to be held that he is also in breach of his contract with the
commission agent, that is, of some term which can properly be implied.”。

但在许多其他情况，就不会有默示条文去保障经纪人的佣金。这是因为法院不认为这是
合约的商业效力所必需的，以及不认为雇主与经纪人双方在订约时明显是有这一个意
图。

例如是在同一个贵族院先例，就判雇主如果自己另有渠道去把房屋卖掉给其他人，即
使他在与经纪人的合约中有同意如果他促成的买卖成功就会给佣金，也不默示雇主要
去保障赚不到佣金的经纪人。此先例中这样说：
“Where an agent is promised a commission only if he brings about the sale
which he is endeavouring to effect there is no room for an implied term
that the principal will not dispose of the property himself or through
other channels or otherwise act so as to prevent the agent earning his
commission.”。

在另一个情况，是雇主如果不涉及违约而去与合约对方同意中断合约，进而剥夺了经
纪人部分佣金（因为佣金是按期支付），法律也不去默示雇主要赔偿给经纪人少赚的
部分佣金。有关先例是一个 18 个月的租约，约定给船舶经纪人的佣金在租金支付后才
付。4 个月后船东把船舶卖给承租人，租约也随之取消。判是船东没有违反任何默示条
文：French (L.) and co Ltd v. Leeston Shipping Co Ltd (1922) 1 A.C. 451。
在 The “Manifest Lipkowy” (1989) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 139，案情又涉及了另一种情
况。它是有关船舶的买卖，卖方与经纪人达成了一个协议支付佣金并明确规定了佣金将
会在支付船价时授权买方银行扣起。但之后由于交船延误，买方乘机取消买卖合约。这
就带来经纪人向卖方起诉要求赔偿佣金，说是在这种情况下有一个默示条文。这种案情
又是与较早的先例不一样，首先它不涉及卖方（也就是雇主）的违约，而即使交船晚
了涉及违约，中断买卖合约也不是卖方的行为，而是对方买方去行使选择权来取消。结
果是上诉庭拒绝去作出这样的默示，特别是加上市场的做法就是船舶买卖不成交是通
常不支付佣金。Bingham 大法官是这样说：
“… it was well established law that a term would be implied only where it
was necessary to give business efficacy to a contract or where the term was
one which the parties must obviously have intended; there was nothing in
the agreement to suggest that the parties intended the plaintiffs to be
remunerated if there were never, because of the defendants’ default, any
sale proceedings from which the commission could be deducted; the contract
as made was wholly workable without the implied term and the appeal would
be dismissed.”。

15 默示条文例子五：合约期限的默示

当合约没有明示写明何时期满或终止，法院或仲裁庭可以默示合约可以在一个合理期
限后期满或终止，或要给合理的通知后即可去终止。去默示的原因是假设双方不会有意
图是去天长地久，海枯石烂也要把该合约履行下去。今天就算是婚约也不能去做这样的
假设了。这里特别是去考虑到一些合约会受到像通货膨胀，环境改变等影响较大的，更
加不可能是订约双方意图把该合约无限期地去履行。所以可能性应是在双方对合约的期
限在订约时有所遗漏较大，法律可去在这种情况下根据事实与环境作出默示。

这 方 面 可 见 Buckley 大 法 官 在 Re Spenborough Urban District Council’s

Agreement (1968) CH. 139 所说的：
“Authority establishes that, where an agreement does not in terms confer
on the parties or one of them a power to determine the agreement, whether
such a power should be inferred is a question of construction of the
agreement to be determined in accordance with the ordinary principle
applicable to such a question. …An agreement which is silent about
determination will not be determinable unless the facts of the case, such
as the subject matter of the agreement, the nature of the contract or the
circumstances in which the agreement was made, support a finding that the
parties intended it to be determinable, but there is in my judgment, no
presumption one way or the other.”。
可 先 去 介 绍 Staffordshire Area Health Authority v. South Staffordshire
Waterworks Co (1978) 1 W.L.R. 1387 先例，它涉及了一个供水合约，由供水商与一
家医院在 1929 年订立，说明“今后所有时间”（at all times hereafter）由前者供
水给后者，而费用是每 1,000 加仑 7 便士。这到了 1971 年，食水的价格已经上涨到每
1,000 加仑 55 便士。这一来，供水商就给了医院一个 6 个月的合约终止通知。在高院，
先是判“今后所有时间”应被解释为“永久”（forever or in perpetuity）, 供水
商败诉。但去了上诉庭，该判决被推翻，认为供水商有权在合理通知后终止该供水合约。
Goff 大法官认为即使合约期限有明示为“今后所有时间”，合理解释可以是“今后所
有时间只要本合约继续存在”（ at all times hereafter during the subsistence
of this agreement）。另是也可以去默示该合约没有清楚或不去说明期限，就有权去
作出合理通知后终止该合约。

但有一个新西兰的案例是在同样的合约文字下作出相反的判决，案情是一家电力公司
在 1927 年同意以一个固定价格为一个当地政府提供电力。由于通货膨胀与耗电量大增，
到了 1995 年左右，当地政府每年支付的电费只是 16,639 新西兰元但根据市场价格，
是应该支付 204,529 新西兰元。这一来，在 1995 年 2 月 28 日，电力公司向地方政府作
出了 15 个月的通知要终止合约。

该合约内写明有关合约期限是与 Staffordshire Area Health Authority v. South

Staffordshire Waterworks Co 一致的“for all time thereafter”，却被判是合约
不 能 以 合 理 通 知 来 终 止 ： Gore District Council v. Power Co Ltd (1996) 1
N.Z.L.R. 58。

新 西 兰 法 院 也 有 仔 细 考 虑 过 Staffordshire Area Health Authority v. South

Staffordshire Waterworks Co 这个先例，并对两个案件的不同作出了区分。笔者看来
也不觉得这些区分是十分显著与有说服力，估计最重要的还是新西兰法院认为双方已
经有了明示条文就不应该去默示，而这明示条文是十分明确说：
“The words of the agreement are clear. It is difficult to imagine a
clearer way a drafter could impose a permanent obligation than to say "the
provisions of this Deed shall be binding on [the parties] for all time
hereafter". Had the parties wished to make the agreement determinable on
reasonable notice, it is safe to assume that they would have said so.”。

至于其他有关没有或含糊不清的明示合约期限，法律允许一方订约方去给对方合理通
知后终止合约的案例可介绍如下：

案例 1：一家石油公司和当地政府订约，由此石油公司负责当地一切公共照明，从 9 月
1 日开始，直到来年的 5 月 1 日， “每年有效”。 判是合约可通过合理通知来终止：
Credition Gas Co v. Crediton Urban District Council (1928) 1 Ch. 17。

案例 2：一家公司与另一家公司订约，给与后者生产弹射座椅的授权，而回报是后者支
付前者专利使用费。合约没有关于如何终止的说明。McNair 大法官判是可以合理通知来
终止：Martin-Baker Aircraft Co Ltd v. Canadian Flight Equipment Ltd (1955)
2 Q.B. 556。

案例 3：两家公司订约同意相互之间不顾用对方 5 年内雇佣过的人，合约本身没有规定
期 限 ， 判 是 可 以 12 个 月 的 通 知 来 终 止 ： Kores Manufacturing Co Ltd v. Kolok
Manufacturing Co Ltd (1957) 1 W.L.R. 1012。

介绍了上述先例后，笔者也可去介绍自己处理过的案件，其中印象最深刻的涉及《仲裁
法—从 1996 年英国仲裁法到国际商务仲裁》一书第十一章第 9.1 段所介绍的例子，该
仲裁涉及一家身为原告的美国公司向被告的中国一国营公司索赔一笔庞大的金额，达
四亿多美元（这已是从原先约近十亿美元下调后的数字）。索赔金额这么高是因为双方
的“合作协议”（joint venture contract）中没有订下合作的年限或/与双方如何可
解约/脱身。而该合作协议本身也是没有特别的基础，只是中国国营公司为了响应中央
的号召，为了学习美方的先进管理技术而订下的。当双方合作了没几个月，中方发觉美
方是个小公司，管理技术水准没有可取之处，就单方面中断合约。这样一来，由于没有
合约年限，美方便可以算出 50-100 年的利润损失。说真的，这样订合约可真是儿戏。

笔者曾经说过，在被中国公司委任为法律顾问后，很快就想出了 10 个以上的应对方法。
其中一个有效且成功击退美国公司索赔的就是《仲裁法—从 1996 年英国仲裁法到国际
商务仲裁》一书中介绍的仲裁费用担保这一方法，在该书有详述，所以不去重复。在此
只去多介绍一种对策，虽然在该案件根本不需要使用。这就是笔者会去争辩有一个默示
条文该合作协议应该是为期很短，因为该合约的性质只是为了学习美国的先进管理技
术。这一来，总不会 50 年或 100 年一直要学下去。笔者会争辩长则 3 年，短则 1 年也就
已经是足够了，毕竟去哈佛商学院学习也不会长过这个时间。在该合作协议，中方也没
有给合理通知就贸贸然去终止，所以毁约的指控难以抗辩。但能够缩短该合作协议的期
限为 1 年左右，而不是美国公司根据 50 年损失计算出来的 4 亿美元，这损失可就大大
地减少了，恐怕真要赔的话比中国公司付的律师费用更低。

但要注意的是以上所介绍的都是合约期限没有明示的情况，在合约明示无限期继续的
情况。 但在一般订得好一点的合约，总会有或长或短的合约期限的明示条文，而明示
条文还是会超越默示。虽然明示条文会通常是规定几个月或几年不等的时间，相对是十
分容易计算，但也会有情况是说明合约期限直到某一种情况发生。这一来，有了争议就
只能去给这一个明示条文有一个合理解释。如果文字上只有一种解释，就不管合理与否
也必须去依照，因为这是双方表达出来的真正意图。例如在 Harbinger UK Ltd v. GEI
Information Services Ltd (2000) 1 All E.R. (Comm) 166，一个软件供应合约写明
是“永久”（in perpetuity），判是合约不能以合理通知来终止，只能自己终止（例
如通过双方协议、受阻、一方毁约等情况）。这就与上面介绍的“今后所有时间”有所
不同了，因为用字明确与没有另一个更合理的解释。当然，也有看法是这个案例中的
“永久”一词与上面介绍的“今后所有时间”并非有如此大的不同，不应该在判决中
出现这样的南辕北辙的情况。可见，诉讼毕竟还是有一定的风险。

其他有关的先例是：

案 例 1 ： 在 Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council v. Yorkshire Woolen

District Transport Co Ltd (1978) 77 L.G.R. 448，两家当地权力机构与一家公司
签订 99 年的交通服务合约。作为回报此公司将给与两机构一个利润的百分比。公司的继
任者意图通过合约默示条文将其终止，理由是公司不能合法地经营交通服务业务。结果
判是默示不成立。

案例 2：在 Re Berker Sportscraft Ltd’s Agreements (1947) 177 L.T. 420，判是

如果合约内有对于终止合约的明示条文，相关默示就变得非常困难了。

介绍了上述先例后，笔者也可去介绍自己处理过的案件，曾经见过中国船东与承租人
的船舶租约约定的租约期是“直至船舶拆废铁之前的所有时间”（until the vessel
is scrapped）。之后，又是换汤不换药地出现了争议，就是航运市场高涨，而双方约
定的租金相比较十分低，船东想去脱身而承租人抗拒。船东认为这租约期的规定并不明
确，但笔者并不同意。而有了明示规定，也就不应该再去默示什么合理不合理的时间了。
笔者认为租约很清楚承租人使用船舶的时间被限定在船舶被拆废铁以前，而是否拆废
铁是船东的选择。顶多是去解释这个明示期限，应该去找一个合理一点的解释，正如
Staffordshire Area Health Authority v. South Staffordshire Waterworks Co
(1978) 1 W.L.R. 1387 先例。拆船的决定会发生在几种情况，最主要当然是船龄太大 ，
加上废铁价钱高，船东去拆船会比继续营运更划算。第二种情况会是由国际公约通过必
须安装一些昂贵的设备或改装，否则不准营运，这种情况在 80 年代发生很多，大多在
油轮与化学品船舶。第三种情况可能就是涉及该争议即船龄不算太大，例如只有 8、9 年，
但发生损坏。而修理费高昂，船东经过估算觉得不修理而去拆废铁比较划算，特别是有
一个“永远”困身的亏本租约要面对。在笔者看来，船东可去在上述或其他合理的情况
下选择拆船并中断租约。承租人不能强制船东必须不惜代价修好船舶让他继续享用该船
舶，直到船龄达到 15 或 20 年才准拆废铁。笔者没有见过类似的先例，毕竟这样去约定
租约期也会是罕见。但如果笔者给中国船东的分析是正确，而承租人也同样想到，承租
人如果想去保持这份十分划算的租约，就要去向船东提出和解，务求船东不去拆废铁
而去进行修理让船舶继续营运。这可能是去发盘愿意承担部分的修理费用，这里的问题
是如果修理费用是部分或全部由保险人承担，这笔钱就因代位而要把好处给与保险人
而非船东，所以吸引力不够。还有危险是船舶修好之后很快发生真正的全损，就承租人
所出的部分修理费完全投资失败了。所以对承租人而言可能更好的发盘是答应船东去提
高租金，或把租约期从“直至船舶拆废铁之前的所有时间”改为是 3 年 5 年不等。总而
言之，双方能够达成合情合理的和解先决条件也是双方有这方面的法律知识，大家才
能讲得通。

16 默示条文例子六：履行时间的默示

合约会去约定双方各自要去履行的承诺/责任，在一个复杂的合约内，这种承诺会是很
多，而双方也往往不会去以明示条文规定所有的这种承诺必须履行的时间，这一来，
又会需要去默示了，因为这往往是必须有一个说法。总的来说，如果合约没有明示一个
固定的履行时间，法律通常默示要在合理时间内履行，一旦过了合理时间就会构成违
约。

16.1 装卸货物时间的明示或默示条文

这可见在 Hick v. Raymond & Reid (1893) A.C. 22 这个案例，它是有关提单没有提

到收货人卸清货物的期限。这一来，会否是收货人可以海枯石烂地去无限期慢慢卸货，
也不能说他违约？如果没有违约，发货人也不必承担对船舶的滞期损失的赔偿了。法律
不认为这是正确，所以要去默示一个合理时间要收货人必须卸清货物，否则过了合理
时间就是违约了。其中 Watson 勋爵说：
“When the language of a contract does not expressly, or by necessary
implication, fix any time for the performance of a contractual obligation,
the law implies that it shall be performed within a reasonable time. The
rule is general application, and is not confined to contracts for the
carriage of goods by sea. In the case of other contracts the condition of
reasonable time has been frequently interpreted; and has invariably been
held to mean that the party upon whom it is incumbent duly fulfils his
obligation, notwithstanding protracted delay, so long as such delay is
attributable to causes beyond his control, and he has neither acted
negligently nor unreasonably.”。

除卸货外，对装货的时间也是有一样的道理：Carlton Steamship Co Ltd v. Castle

Mail Packets Co Ltd (1898) A.C. 486。

上述的道理除了提单外，也适用在租约或国际货物买卖。这在《装卸时间与滞期费》一
书已经介绍得很清楚，就是装卸时间可分两种。第一种就是固定的装卸时间（fixed
laytime）,即双方以明示条文约定装或卸必须在一个固定时间内完成。这一来，等于是
有了明示条文针对，也就不需要默示了。反正是承租人或者发货人/收货人不能在这个
固定时间内完成装卸作业，就是违反了明示条文而要负责赔偿滞期费或者滞期损失。第
二种就是没有约定任何固定的装卸时间（unfixed laytime），这一来没有明示条文，
法律就会根据合约的其他条文与有关的环境去默示在一个合理时间内必须完成装卸作
业。例如相比矿砂/原油，袋装大米就会应该去默示较长的装卸时间。装或卸刚好是在中
国港口，并遇上春节，又是应该去默示较长的装卸时间，等。

16.2 付款限期的明示与默示条文

不少合约也经常有约定付款的承诺，例如在一个期租合约就有承租人承诺按期支付租
金与其他的各种费用，例如是交船燃油价格，给船员的奖金，保险加保费，等等。在没
有规定的情况下，这种付款的承诺期限都会是法律的默示时间。当然，这会带来不肯定，
因为承租人与船东认为的合理时间都会有出入，再去让仲裁员作出裁决何谓合理时间
是要经过一个昂贵与缓慢的仲裁过程。 加上即使违反了支付的合理时间，法律的救济
也只会是利息的损失，所以对一些重要的支付承诺以默示条文去针对并非是理想。这也
是为什么期租合约通常是有一条明示条文去针对租金支付的期限，甚至约定了违反该
明示期限的救济。针对支付租金的期限，明示条文会说明必须是准时（punctual）。而
如果做不到准时的救济，也会以明示规定说船东可以撤船。这些问题都在杨大明先生所
著的《期租合约》一书有详及。

16.3 买方开信用证限期的明示与默示条文

其他的例子可举在国际货物买卖中买方必须开出信用证给卖方的期限。众所周知，信用
证是国际货物买卖支付的主要一种做法，对卖方是十分重要，所以准时开出信用证也
被提升为买卖合约的条件条文（condition）。买方一有违反，卖方就可去取消买卖合
约。

对买方必须开出信用证的期限，通常买卖合约都会有明示条文规定，例如是约定在买
卖合约达成后的 7 天或 14 天内不等，反正有一个清楚明确的期限。当然，也会去以其
他的明示条文约定，例如在 Etablissements Chaimbaux SARL v. Harbormaster Ltd.
(1955) 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 303 中约定是“马上开信用证”（open immediately），这
被解释为“that means that the buyer must have such time as is needed by a
person of reasonable diligence to get that credit established.”。（一个合理
勤快买方所需去开信用证的时间）

但如果双方没有在买卖合约内约定明示开出信用证的期限，法律就必须去作出默示的
期限了。这在 CIF 买卖合约，一般总会有一段付运期，如 4 月 1 日至 5 月 15 日。这一来，
如果没有规定开信用证期限，买方应在付运期之前已开妥信用证。毕竟，何时付运是卖
方的选择。所以买方争辩说只在卖方付运后要去结汇时才开妥不被上诉庭接受：Pavia
& Co SpA v. Thurmann –Nielsent (1951) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 328。

会是，在付运期第一天开妥也是太晚。应是在这一天前的合理时间，以容许卖方有充裕
时 间 ， 如 安 心 去 租 船 ： Sinason-Teicher v. Oilcakes and Oilseeds Trading Co.
(1954) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 327，虽然该案例针对银行担保，但大精神、大原则与信用证
一样。

如果 CIF 合约不是一段付运期，而是一个付运日子，这也有判决说是在该日子前合理
时间信用证已应去开妥：Plasticmoda SpA v. Davidsons (Mancester) Ltd. (1952)
1 Lloyd’s Rep. 527。

如果是在 FOB 合约，是由买方派船，所以曾有买方争辩只需在派船前开出信用证就行

了。但在 Ian Stach Ltd. v. Baker Bosly Ltd. (1958) 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 127，该案
例的付运期是 1956 年 8 月/9 月，Diplock 大法官说买方应在 1956 年 8 月 1 日前开出信
用证，以便卖方安心，毕竟还会另有分卖方（end-seller）。Diplock 大法官说：
“It seems to me that, in a case of this kind and in the case of an
ordinary f.o.b. contract financed by a confirmed banker’s credit, the
prima facie rule is that the credit must be opened at latest (and that is
as far as I need go for the purpose of this case) by the earliest shipping
date. In that way, one gets certainty into what is very common commercial
contract and in any other way one can, I think, only get a position in
which neither buyer nor seller knows what his rights are until all the
facts have been ascertained, and one, and possibly two or three, Courts
have directed their minds to the question whether in all the circumstances
that was a reasonable time.”。

17 默示条文例子七：关于价格的默示

虽然在现实中这种情况不应该出现，但当合约没有明示约定一个价格（不论是买卖价
格或是服务的费用），这会带来有两个结果。第一就是如果在很早期的时候，就会更好
是理解为双方还没有谈妥，合约不能成立，毕竟价格是任何商业合约中至关重要的条
件。但另一个结果是无法说是双方之间没有合约，虽然价格没有明示约定，因为双方已
经是履行了或甲乙双方都异口同声承认有一个合约关系。这一来，法官/仲裁员只能去
根据双方已经达成的合约条文与当时的环境去默示该合约的价格为合理价格。 这方面
可见 Denning 勋爵（那时仍是大法官）在 British Bank for Foreign Trade Ltd v.
Novinex Ltd (1949) 1 K.B. 623 中所说的（这原则或说法被上诉庭肯定）：
“The principle to be deduced from the cases is that if there is an
essential term which has yet to be agreed and there is no express or
implied provision for its solution, the result in point of law is that
there is no binding contract. In seeing whether there is an implied
provision for its solution, however, there is a difference between an
arrangement which is wholly executory on both sides and one which has been
executed on one side or the other. In the ordinary way, if there is an
arrangement to supply goods at a price ‘to be agreed’ or to perform
service on terms ‘to be agreed’, then although, while the matter is still
executory, there may be no binding contract, nevertheless, if it is
executed on one side, that is, if the one does his part without having come
to an agreement as to the price or the terms, then the law will say that
there is necessarily implied, from the conduct of the parties, a contract
that, in default of agreement, a reasonable sum is to be paid.”。

另在 Sykes (Wessex) Ltd v. Fine Fare Ltd (1967) 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 53 中 Denning
勋爵也说了同样的话：
“In a commercial agreement the further the parties have gone with their
contract, the more ready are the Courts to imply an reasonable term so as
to give effect to their intentions. When much has been done, the Courts
will do their best not to destroy the bargain. When nothing has been done,
it is easier to say that there is no agreement between the parties because
the essential terms have not been agreed. But when an agreement has been
acted upon and the parties, as here, have been put to great expense in
implementing it, we ought to imply all reasonable terms so as to avoid any
uncertainties.”。

在这方面先介绍一个权威先例 Foley v. Classique Coaches Ltd (1934) 2 K.B. 1，

双方在一个汽油供应合约中写明“价格待定”（at a price to be agreed），汽油随
后事实上被提供了。由于汽油已被供应与接受，法院判是有默示条文价格应该是合理价
格。

另一个有关的先例是 Voest Alpine Intertrading GmbH v. Chevron International

Oil Co Ltd (1987) 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 547，是有关原油买卖的合约链约定价格调整根
据进一步谈判来解决，判是有默示条文如果不能达成一致，就要由一个独立裁判人来
定（这要看合约本身同意了什么形式的争议解决机制）。

这种价格没有明示约定的情况在一些行业中倒是常见，例如保单就常会有规定保费是
稍后约定（premium to be arranged）。这也不影响已经有了有效的保单，只是保费是
要根据合理价格，除非双方能够稍后同意。

18 默示条文例子八：履行合约标准的默示
这里，法律对履行合约的标准根据不同的行业与情况会去作出不同的默示。例如，在货
物买卖，本章 2.1 段已经介绍过各种默示条文，包括像卖方有权出售该有关货物，货
物也没有债务与押记，及买方可宁静地占有该货物，等。

在商品制造合约（包括建筑），有默示条文是被制造的商品将会合理符合其用途（fit
for the purpose）。在服务性合约，会有默示条文是服务方提供的服务是有合理的小
心与技术，一般是不会对服务的结果去默示，但在例外情况下也会有默示条文是服务
会达到所期望的效果。也会有默示条文去提升到绝对/严格的责任，例如对船舶在开航
前的适航，虽然这一个普通法责任已经被国际公约/立法（《海牙规则》）去减低到克尽
职责（due diligence）。

针 对 商 品 要 合 理 符 合 其 用 途 ， 早 在 Francis v. Cockrell (1870) L.R. 5 Q.B.

501，Kelly C.B.就说：
“I do not hesitate to say that I am clearly of opinion, as a general
proposition of law, that when one man engages with another to supply him
with a particular article or thing, to be applied to a certain use or
purpose, in consideration of a pecuniary payment, he enters into an implied
contract that the article or thing shall be reasonably fit for the purpose
for which it is to be used and to which it is to be applied.”。

在提供工作的合约与材料供应合约，也有默示是工作要有 良好的工艺（good and

workmanlike），材料的质量要良好（good and proper materials ）：Stewart v.
Ravell’s Garage (1952) 2 Q.B. 545 。 另 在 Miller v. Cannon Hill Estate Ltd
(1931) 2 K.B. 113，案情是有关房屋买卖，而卖方也是该房屋的建造商。法院判卖方
有三个默示责任，一是建造的房屋要有良好的工艺，二是建造的房屋材料质量要良好，
三是房屋要合理适合人的居住。但情况一变，在一个没有装修好的房屋的租赁合约，就
没有房屋要适合人的居住的这个默示条文了：Hart v. Windsor (1844) 12 M. & W.
68 ； Sleafer v. Lambeth Borough Council (1960) 1 Q.B. 43 ； Duke of
Westminster v. Guild (1985) Q.B. 688（实质上没有备妥）；Edler v. Auerbach
(1950) 1 K.B. 359；Hill v. Harris (1965) 2 Q.B. 601（法律上没有备妥）。

专业人士服务性合约有不同标准，通常不会有默示是提供服务的专业人士要达致客户
预期的结果，只会默示他要有合理的小心与技术（reasonable care and skill）。例
如医生不保证医好病人，律师不保证赢案子。原因是很简单，由于结果不稳定所以提供
服务的人士也保证不了一定有满意的结果。在 Thake v. Maurice (1986) 1 All E.R.
497, CA，上诉庭只认同医生有合理的小心与技术的服务标准，但不保证什么，因为动
的手术结果无法预测，而且人体状况各异。Nourse 大法官说：“general knowledge
in medical science all things, or nearly all things, are uncertain.”。如果
医疗是不肯定，法律结果就更加不肯定了， 没有理由要代表律师去保证诉讼的结果。

这 一 个 判 法 与 Eyre v. Measday (1986) 1 All E.R. 488 一 致 ， 这 与 Thake v.

Maurice (1986) 1 All E.R. 497, CA 两个先例都是有关绝育手术。 在后一个先例，
是一个女士做了之后怀孕，而根据医学上的统计，绝育手术的确是没有办法 100%保险，
而只能去到 99%。法院判：
“Counsel for the plaintiff （ 怀 孕 女 士 的 大 律 师 ） , in the light of the
passage in cross-examination which I have just read and in the light of all
the other background of the case to which I have referred, submitted that
if someone had said to the parties, 'Is it intended that the defendant (被
告 的 医 生 )should warrant that the operation will render the plaintiff
absolutely sterile?', the answer of both parties must have been, 'Yes.'
This, he submitted, is really the only possible inference from what had
been said on both sides in the defendant's consulting rooms. He
particularly drew attention to the question that he had put to the
defendant, 'Would it have been reasonable for her to have gone away from
your consulting rooms thinking that she would be sterilised and that would
be the end of the matter?', To which the defendant had replied, 'Yes, it
would.' Counsel for the plaintiff submitted that the defendant himself was
thus acknowledging that the reasonable inference would have been as he
suggested.

Applying The Moorcock principles, I think there is no doubt that the

plaintiff would have been entitled reasonably to assume that the defendant
was warranting that the operation would be performed with reasonable care
and skill. That, I think, would have been the inevitable inference to be
drawn, from an objective standpoint, from the relevant discussion between
the parties. The contract did, in my opinion, include an implied warranty
of that nature. However, that inference on its own does not enable the
plaintiff to succeed in the present case. She has to go further. She has to
suggest, and it is suggested on her behalf, that the defendant, by
necessary implication, committed himself to an unqualified guarantee as to
the success of the particular operation proposed, in achieving its purpose
of sterilising her, even though he were to exercise all due care and skill
in performing it. The suggestion is that the guarantee went beyond due care
and skill and extended to an unqualified warranty that the plaintiff would
be absolutely sterile.

On the facts of the present case, I do not think that any intelligent lay
bystander (let alone another medical man), on hearing the discussion which
took place between the defendant and the other two parties, could have
reasonably drawn the inference that the defendant was intending to give any
warranty of this nature. It is true that in cross-examination he admitted
that it would have been reasonable for the plaintiff to have gone away from
his consulting rooms thinking that she would be sterilised. He did not,
however, admit that it would have been reasonable for her to have left his
consulting rooms thinking that he had given her a guarantee that after the
operation she would be absolutely sterile; this, I think, is the really
relevant point. She has to say that this would have been the reasonable
inference from what he said to her and from what she and her husband said
to him. But, in my opinion, in the absence of any express warranty, the
court should be slow to imply against a medical man an unqualified warranty
as to the results of an intended operation, for the very simple reason
that, objectively speaking, it is most unlikely that a responsible medical
man would intend to give a warranty of this nature. Of course, objectively
speaking, it is likely that he would give a guarantee that he would do what
he had undertaken to do with reasonable care and skill but it is quite
another matter to say that he has committed himself to the extent suggested
in the present case.”。

但注意在一些例外情况也会有默示条文是专业人士的服务会要求达致预期效果。 在
Greaves & Co (Contractors) Ltd v. Baynham Meikle (1975) 1 W.L.R. 1095 先例，
是有关一个设计可供叉车作业的仓库有问题，设计的工程师是否有默示责任达至预期
效果。在该先例，上诉庭判是设计的工程师违反了合理小心与技术的默示责任，也违反
了设计并没有达至预期效果的另一个默示责任。但可去节录 Denning 勋爵曾提到达至预
期效果的默示条文法律上仍是不明朗，他说：
“Apply this to the employment of a professional man. The law does not usually imply a
warranty that he will achieve the desired result, but only a term that he will use reasonable
care and skill. The surgeon does not warrant that he will cure the patient. Nor does the
solicitor warrant that he will win the case. But, when a dentist agrees to make a set of false
teeth for a patient, there is an implied warranty that they will fit his gums: see Samuels v
Davis (1943) 1 K.B. 527.
What then is the position when an architect or an engineer is employed to design a house or a
bridge? Is he under an implied warranty that, if the work is carried out to his design, it will be
reasonably fit for the purpose? Or is he only under a duty to use reasonable care and skill?
This question may require to be answered some day as matter of law. But in the present case I
do not think we need answer it. For the evidence shows that both parties were of one mind on
the matter. Their common intention was that the engineer should design a warehouse which
would be fit for the purpose for which it was required. That common intention gives rise to a
term implied in fact.”。

19 默示条文例子九：其他

这里可以去介绍一个重要的贵族院先例，它是 Liverpool City Council v. Irwin

(1977) A.C. 239，HL。案情是有关一个英国利物浦的一些高层住房之房屋委员会与住
客之间的争议，后者投诉前者没有好好去管理房屋，例如电梯经常坏掉与垃圾槽堵塞。
但他们之间的合约是完全一面倒的保护该房屋委员会，完全没有明示条文提到他有什
么承诺/责任。贵族院最后去挑出了 7 个默示责任，去增加在房屋委员会的头上，如下：
“(1) an implied letting giving the tenant the right of exclusive
possession;
(2) an implied covenant of quiet enjoyment;
(3) an implied easement for tenants and their licensees to use the stairs;
(4) a right in the nature of an easement to use the lifts;
(5) an easement to use the rubbish chutes;
(6) an obligation on the landlord to exercise reasonable care to keep in
reasonable repair and usability the common parts (including the lifts and
chutes);
(7) where the nature of the structure required artificial light an
obligation to take reasonable care to maintain adequate lighting.”。

贵族院强调去默示这一连串的责任，主要是出于必要性。Wilberforce 勋爵说：
“In my opinion such obligation should be read into the contract as the
nature of the contract itself implicitly requires, no more, no less: a test
in other words, of necessity.”。

20 默示合约（implied contract）

本章以上段节针对的是一个合约中的默示条文，本段是针对同样的大原则适用在一个
默示的合约。众所周知，能够构成一个合约，是有一些基本要求，在《国际商务游戏规
则—英国合约法》一书第二章有详论。笔者在这里只说合约必须是双方同意了一些主要
的条文（essential terms），而同意的形式是可以通过文书、口头或行为达成。有关合
约的主要条文，例如是订约方是谁、价格或/与标的，这通常是要求双方约定，尽量不
要去依赖默示条文。因为默示条文并不能去填补一个还没有达成的不完整合约使其变为
完整。这方 面可节录 Aotearoa International Ltd v. Scanmcarrie A/S (1985) 2
Lloyd’s Rep. 419 中 Roskill 勋爵所说的：
“… the first question must always be whether any legally binding contract
has been made, for until that issue is decided a court cannot properly
decide what extra terms, if any, must be implied into what is ex hypothesi
a legally binding bargain work. It is not correct in principle, in order to
determine whether there is a legally binding bargain, to add to those terms
which alone the parties have expressed, further implied terms upon which
they have not expressly agreed and then by adding the express terms and the
implied terms together thereby create what would not otherwise be a legally
binding bargain.”。

至于达成协议的形式，会发生罕有的情况是双方从来没有接触过，无法说成是有任何
文书、口头或行为上的接触去达成任何合约，但他们之间发生的争议又非要是合约关系
才说得通，毕竟民事诉讼除了合约外只有侵权，而侵权的关系在争议中是说不通的。这
一来，就出现了默示合约的说法。但大道理与默示条文一样，它必须十分严谨才能去把
双方硬说成是有一个合约关系，而且也必须要去这样做不可。笔者稍后会介绍一些实例
后读者就会更加明白为什么必须要有默示合约的说法了，在此先去介绍在怎样的情况
下才可去默示一个合约。这方面大道理是一样，即首要条件是必要（ necessity）这样
做，与有“商业效力”（business efficacy），这两样本来就是同一码事。Bingham
大法官在一个著名的提单先例 The “Aramis” (1989) 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 213 CA 说：
“These cases may be said to decide no more than that whether a contract is
to be implied is a question of fact and that a contract will only be
implied where it is necessary to do so … Whether on such facts … a
contract may be implied must be considered in the light of ordinary
contractual principles.

Most contracts are, of course, made expressly, whether orally or in

writing. But here, on the evidence, nothing was said, nothing was written.
So regard must be paid to the conduct of the parties alone. The questions
to be answered are, I think, twofold:
(1) Whether the conduct of the bill of lading holder in presenting the bill
of lading to the ship’s agent would be reasonably understood by the agents
(or the shipowner) as an offer to enter into a contract on the bill of
lading terms. (2) Whether the conduct of the ship’s agent in accepting the
bill or the conduct of the master in agreeing to give delivery or in giving
delivery would be reasonably understood by the bill of lading holder as an
acceptance of his offer.

I do not think it is enough for the party seeking the implication of a

contract to obtain ‘it might’ as an answer to these questions, for it
would, in my view, be contrary to principle to countenance the implication
of a contract from conduct if the conduct relied upon is no more consistent
with an intention to contract than with an intention not to contract. It
must, surely, be necessary to identify conduct referable to contract
contended for or, at the very least, conduct inconsistent with there being
no contract made between the parties to the effect contended for. Put
another way, I think it must be fatal to the implication of a contract if
the parties would or might have acted exactly as they did in the absence of
a contract.

If this approach is correct, I think it is impossible to imply a contract

on the bare facts of this case. Nothing that the shipowners or the bill of
lading holders did need have been different had their intention been not to
make a contract on the bill of lading terms. Their business relationship
was entirely efficacious without the implication of any contract between
them. Although the bill of lading holders had no title to any part of any
undivided bulk cargo they had a perfectly good right to demand delivery and
the shipowners had no right to refuse or to impose conditions.”。

这一个问题最早与最大规模出现在提单，因为提单被转让去一些第三者的收货人手中，
或是被质押给银行，而银行最终需要去提货。这些收货人都不会是原来与承运人订约的
一方，也往往从来没有接触过。但许多时候他们之间（收货人与承运人）需要有合约关
系才在一些争议说得通，光是侵权关系是完全不足够。例如在一些货损货差索赔、运费
或滞期费的索赔，等。 他们之间的合约关系最终还是要靠立法去解决，硬把他们拖在
一起，这英国的立法先是 1855 年的《提单法》，后来是 1992 年的《海上货物运输法》。但
在立法之前，遇上这种情况要去硬把收货人与承运人说成是有合约关系，就有了默示
合约的说法。即使在 1855 年立法之后，由于适用的情况比较局限，还是不断有一些案
件不能适用该立法而要继续以普通法的默示合约去解释。希望是到了 1992 年的立法后，
扩大了适用面，这方面的问题会比较更好解决。有关这些方面在笔者的《提单及其他付
运单证》一书有详论，不去重复，只去节录有关默示合约的一段如下：
“12.2.3 提单的对策之三：Brandt v. Liverpool 的默示合约
关于怎样才能去构成默示合约或/与合约条款的问题，笔者的《国际商务游戏规则—英
国合约法》一书的第十章§7 段有详论，无法在此重复，但大原则/大道理是完全相通
的。

在著名的 Brandt v. Liverpool （1924）1 K.B. 575 先例，涉及‘锌粉’（ zinc

ashes）的货物，它装上船舶时已经看得见潮湿，这表示它会在海运途中发热，但船长
仍去签发了清洁提单。而且，还把它与棉花（容易火烧）的货物装在同一船舱。这货物
半途果然出事，导致要转运去目的地/卸港。

航次中，提单被发货人质押，并背书给了原告的银行。银行为了提取这批货物，被迫在
抗议下支付了 748 英镑的款项，另一是因货物延误抵达而货价大跌导致的损失。

当时，已有针对提单的立法（1855 年的提单法），但它不适用在银行以承押人身份去
持有这份提单的情况。换言之，提单是物权凭证，故此银行可以它去提取货物。但提单
合约关系就不会转让给银行了。

这对银行不一定是坏事，因为有了合约关系也可带来重大的合约责任：请看本章之
11.2.1 与 12.2.4.1 小段。当然在本案的 Brandt v. Liverpool，是银行想以提单合约
的关系向船东起诉，因为若以侵权起诉，银行有如下好几个严重的困难：
（I）这 748 英镑不属与侵权有关的损失。
（ii）货物延误的损失会是纯经济损失，无法以侵权去索赔：这一点请参阅本章之
8.2.4 小段。
（iii）该先例还涉及船长乱签清洁提单，虽然货物实在有不妥。故此只有靠合约上的
说法，即船长/船东是‘禁止翻供’（estopped）去对无故提单持有人否定提单上的资
料。但以侵权的说法，这就说不通是凭什么了。

上诉庭在 Brandt v. Liverpool 先例判是双方在交货时另有一个默示合约，这不光是

银行去提取货物而放船长放货的双方行为（这只是提单的物权凭证职能），而是因为
银行支付了这 748 英镑，本身就是约因。换言之在该先例，原告银行可以提单合约起诉。
可能是法官对船东不满意，而该案例的事实又可让法院去作出这种说法，即使有点牵
强。

这默示合约的说法在以 后好几个案例也有涉及，如： The ‘Dona Mari’ (1973)

Lloyd’s Rep. 366 ； The ‘Elli 2’ (1985) 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 107 ； The
‘Aramis’ (1989) 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 213 等。

但看来，这说法/论点有点不稳定，也颇牵强，正如英国 Law Commission No. 196 报

告 之 2.12 小 段 说 的 ‘ often involved an element of fiction, even detective
work’。例如，运费已预付的提单，不必再付运费，已不容易去默示一个合约，也说不
出再有什么约因。又如，提单仍未到手，是以保函放货，也难去说船东/收货人有一个
默示合约，后者可能根本不会知道提单的内容。当然，收货人也可在提取货物时与船东
另去同意任何方面的问题，但这就不再光是默示合约了。

所以，May 大法官在 The ‘Elli 2’曾说：‘… I agree that the boundaries of

the doctrine are not clear1. I would not expect them to be so. As the
question whether or not any such contract is to be implied is one of fact,
its answer must depend on the circumstances of each particular case2--and
the different sets of facts which arise for consideration in these cases
are legion3. However, I also agree that no such contract should be implied
on the facts of any given case unless it is necessary to do so4: necessary,
that is to say, in order to give business reality to a transaction and to
create enforceable obligations between parties who are dealing with one
another in circumstances in which one would expect that business reality
and those enforceable obligations to exist5…’。

在 The ‘Aramis’，法官对 Brandt v. Liverpool 的说法作出了颇局限的解释，判是

必须要在案件的事实中能“推定”（infer）双方有意图订约，有发盘与接受，否则构
成不了默示合约。Bingham 大法官说：

‘…it would, in my view, be contrary to principle to countenance the

implication of a contract from conduct if the conduct relied upon is no
more consistent with an intention to contract than with an intention not to
contract. It must, surely, be necessary to identify conduct referable to
contract contended for or, at the very least, conduct inconsistent with
there being no contract made between the parties to the effect contended
for. Put another way, I think it must be fatal to the implication of a
contract if the parties would or might have acted exactly as they did in
the absence of a contract.’（Bingham 大法官认为双方如果没有过什么特别的言论
或行为与没有提单合约的做法不同，则不应去默示有一个合约，例如，作为收货人[包
括银行]去向船长提货，这是由提单合约或没有提单合约做法上都一致的，因为提单持
有人有物权凭证，可去提取货物。而收货人支付运费也不一定代表什么。例如当时的事
实是：船东/船长向收货人（银行）说：‘货物你可以提取，因为你退还了正本提单。
但根据提单合约，这批货尚欠下运费与一些费用。那些费用我无法向你追讨，因为我们

1
我（May 大法官）同意这说法/论点的范围并不明确，也无法去明确。
2
这要去看每一个案件的不同事实/各自的行为。
3
而要考虑的事实/双方的行为会是多不胜数。
4
我同意如没有必要不应去默示有一个合约。
5
“必要”是指由商业上的需要/效用，不光是合理不合理的问题。
之间没有合约关系，我也不会去‘无中生有’，但运费我根据普通法是可以留置货物
索取的，所以你想提取货物只好先付清，这与合约无关’。这一来，即使要支付运费才
能提取货物，又怎可以此去默示有一个合约呢？

看来，Brandt v. Liverpool 先例解决不了多少问题，仍须去另去立法，在全面考虑后

作出针对性的规定，以令大部分的情况都能成功去绕过‘合约相互关系’（privity
of contract）的羁绊，能把提单这运输合约的所有权利与责任从原订约方（发货人）
转让给买方（收货人），让收货人与船东他们双方之间互有合约诉权。而争议中的索赔
与抗辩（反索赔）也以提单条款为准，货损货差方面的责任与赔偿也去适用海牙 /海
牙-维斯比规则（只要是法律强制或/与提单合约内有像‘首要条款’（paramount
clause）那样的条款去明示合并该规则）。与此同时，漫无约束的侵权诉讼则可去尽量
减少/收缩。”

当然默示合约的说法也不只是适用在提单，而是在所有其他的方面。其中，如果双方没
有达成任何协议就已经去履行，变了需要有一个合约关系的说法，就已经可以归纳为
一个默示的合约， 虽然在这种情况会有其他的说法去解释一个合约关系， 如双方以
行动的形式达成合约。这里的先例可举 G Percy Trientham Ltd v. Archital Luxfer
Ltd. (1993) 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 25, CA，案情是有关一个岸上的承建商与分承建商，
分承建商是要去提供与安装铝窗。在工程完毕与支付后，发展商投诉工程有缺陷。但当
承建商去向分承建商追索的时候，后者声称双方从来没有达成过协议。去到高院，看来
是对分承建商的狡辩不满，结果是在双方的通信往来中硬去说成双方实际上已经达成
了合约。但去了上诉庭，认为在双方的通信往来中实在是没有办法说成双方已经达成协
议，但认为通过双方的履行而有一个合约， 这估计可以把它说成是默示合约或双方以
行动去达成合约，而行动就是去履行。

另举一个更明确的默示合约先例的例子，是双方事前从来没有接触过，这是 Brown &

Davis v. Galbraith (1972) 1 W.L.R. 997。案情是有关一位车主在出了车祸后，需要
对车辆进行修理。修理厂与保险公司之间直接谈判与达成协议，包括像对修理的估价及
保险公司接受估价与授权进行修理等方面。保险公司也向修理厂确认了他会支付修理费
并要求修完后给保险公司发票，但需要去扣除 25 英镑由车主自负的修理费（这应该是
免赔额）， 修理厂应直接向车主收取。但在修理完毕之后，保险公司还没有作出支付
前就倒闭。这就导致修理厂要去直接向车主索赔，但他们之间可以说是几乎没有接触过，
难以把他们之间说成有合约关系。在第一审，法官判是他们之间有一个默示合约，就是
去支付所有的修理费用。但去了上诉庭，推翻了一审的判决。上诉庭认为除了保险公司
与修理厂之间的明示修理合约要去支付除了 25 英镑外所有的修理费用， 另有一个默
示合约是在车主与修理厂之间。但在这一个默示合约，车主所要支付的只是 25 英镑。