urer. after declared by the masonic bodies they represent, who shall hold their office for one year and until others are duly elected and qualified to take their places as directors; and the said directors shall elect one of their number to be president of the board, who shall also be president of the President, seccorporation, and shall elect a secretary from among their own number, or retary, and treasfrom the corporators aforesaid, who shall also be secretary of the corporation, and they shall also choose a treasurer, who shall give bonds with surety to said corporation, in such sum as the said directors may require, for the faithful discharge of his trust. A majority of the directors shall form a quorum for the transaction of business, and in case of a vacancy in the board of directors by the death, resignation, or otherwise, of any director, the vacancy occasioned thereby shall be filled by the remaining Vacancies. directors from among the corporators named in the first section of this act, or their successors duly elected or appointed in the manner hereinafter declared by the masonic bodies they represent. Quorum. SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the directors shall have full power to make and prescribe such by-laws, rules, and regulations as they By-laws. shall deem needful and proper for the disposition and management of the stock, property, estate, and effects of the corporation, not contrary to the charter or to the laws of the United States and the ordinances of Washington city, and shall have power to alter or amend the same as the interests of the corporation, in their opinion, may require. And the said directors shall have power to regulate the payment of interest upon the Interest, divicertificates of stock held by the stockholders, or to the dividends that may dends, &c. accrue, and shall have power to provide for the redemption of the stock held by individuals, upon fair and equitable terms. certain masonic SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That each masonic body or organiza- Corporation to tion, named in the first section of this act, shall be entitled, during the consist of one cormonth of November, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, and annually there- porator from after, to meet and select, by ballot, one of its members as a successor to bodies. the person then, or last, representing it as member of this corporation, whose annual term expires next thereafter, or which may have expired next before that time, so that said corporation shall forever consist of one corporator from each of the said masonic bodies, named in the first section of this act: Provided, however, That should any of the said several masonic bodies, named in the first section of this act, surrender or forfeit its masonic charter or warrant, or from any cause cease to be recognized by the order of free and accepted masons, it shall not thereafter be entitled to any representation in said corporation, nor shall the continued corporate existence and rights of this association be in anywise affected thereby, so long as there remain five corporators qualified to act as such. SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That any masonic lodge, chapter, council, commandery, or consistory now in existence or that may hereafter be instituted in the District of Columbia, may, by and with the consent of two thirds of the corporators named in the first section, or their successors, be admitted to a representation in said corporation upon an equal footing with the several masonic bodies named in the first section of this act. Proviso. New masonic bodies, how ad mitted. Act may be SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That this act may be altered, amended, or repealed, at the pleasure of the congress of the United States of amended, repealed, &c. America. APPROVED, April 26, 1864. CHAP. LXVIII. An Act to authorize the Issuing of a Register to the Steam Vessel April 26, 1864. "John Martin.' Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treas Register to is- ury be, and he is hereby, authorized to issue a register to the steam vessel "John Martin." sue to steamer John Martin. APPROVED, April 26, 1864. April 29, 1864. CHAP. LXIX. — An Act fixing certain Rules and Regulations for preventing Collisions on the Water. Rules, &c., for preventing collisions on the water. Lights on ves sels-of-war need not be exhibited, when, &c. Regulations. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after September one, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, the following rules and regulations for preventing collisions on the water be adopted in the navy and the mercantile marine of the United States: Provided, That the exhibition of any light on board of a vessel-of-war of the United States may be suspended whenever, in the opinion of the Secretary of the Navy, the commander-in-chief of a squadron, or the commander of a vessel acting singly, the special character of the service may require it. 19. Proviso to save special cases. 20. No ship under any circumstances to neglect proper pre cautions. PRELIMINARY. What to be considered sail ing-ships and ARTICLE 1. In the following rules every steamship which is under sail, and not under steam, is to be considered a sailing-ship; and every steamwhat ships under ship which is under steam, whether under sail or not, is to be considered a ship under steam. steam. Rules for lights. RULES CONCERNING LIGHTS. LIGHTS. ARTICLE 2. The lights mentioned in the following articles, and no others, shall be carried in all weathers between sunset and sunrise. LIGHTS FOR STEAMSHIPS. ARTICLE 3. All steam-vessels when under way shall carry an (a) At the foremast head, a bright white light, so fixed as to show uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of twenty points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light ten points on each side of the ship, viz: from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on either side, and of such a character as to be visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least five miles. (b) On the starboard side, a green light, so constructed as to throw an uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the starboard side, and of such a character as to be visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least two miles. (c) On the port side, a red light, so constructed as to show an uniform unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the port side, and of such a character as to be visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least two miles. (d) The said green and red side lights shall be fitted with inboard screens, projecting at least three feet forward from the light, so as to prevent these lights from being seen across the bow. LIGHTS FOR STEAM-TUGS. Lights for steamships; ARTICLE 4. Steamships, when towing other ships, shall carry two for steam-tugs. bright white masthead lights vertically, in addition to their side lights, so as to distinguish them from other steamships. Each of these masthead lights shall be of the same construction and character as the masthead lights which other steamships are required to carry. LIGHTS FOR SAILING-SHIPS. ARTICLE 5. Sailing-ships under way or being towed shall carry the same lights as steamships under way, with the exception of the white masthead lights, which they shall never carry. EXCEPTIONAL LIGHTS FOR SMALL SAILING-VESSELS. for sailingships. ARTICLE 6. Whenever, as in the case of small vessels during bad, Exceptional weather, the green and red lights cannot be fixed, these lights shall be lights for small sailing-vessels. kept on deck, on their respective sides of the vessel, ready for instant exhibition, and shall, on the approach of or to other vessels, be exhibited on their respective sides in sufficient time to prevent collision, in such manner as to make them most visible, and so that the green light shall not be seen on the port side, nor the red light on the starboard side. To make the use of these portable lights more certain and easy, they shall each be painted outside with the color of the light they respectively contain, and shall be provided with suitable screens. LIGHTS FOR SHIPS AT ANCHOR. ARTICLE 7. Ships, whether steamships or sailing-ships, when at anchor Lights for ships in roadsteads or fairways, shall, between sunset and sunrise, exhibit where at anchor; it can best be seen, but at a height not exceeding twenty feet above the bull, a white light in a globular lantern of eight inches in diameter, and so constructed as to show a clear uniform and unbroken light visible all around the horizon, and at a distance of at least one mile. LIGHTS FOR PILOT-VESSELS. ARTICLE 8. Sailing pilot-vessels shall not carry the lights required for for pilot-ves sels. other sailing-vessels, but shall carry a white light at the masthead, visible all round the horizon, and shall also exhibit a flare-up light every fifteen minutes. LIGHTS FOR FISHING-VESSELS AND BOATS. ARTICLE 9. Open fishing-boats and other open boats shall not be required to carry side lights required for other vessels, but shall, if they do not carry such lights, carry a lantern having a green slide on the one side and a red slide on the other side, and on the approach of or to other vessels, such lantern shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision, so that the green light shall not be seen on the port side, nor the red light on the starboard side. Fishing-vessels and open boats when at anchor, or attached to their nets and stationary, shall exhibit a bright white light. Fishing-vessels and open boats shall, however, not be prevented from using a flare-up in addition, if considered expedient. RULES GOVERNING FOG-SIGNALS. FOG-SIGNALS. ARTICLE 10. Whenever there is a fog, whether by day or night, the fog-signals described below shall be carried and used, and shall be sounded at least every five minutes, viz: - (a) Steamships under way shall use a steam-whistle placed before the funnel, not less than eight feet from the deck. (b) Sailing-ships under way shall use a fog-horn. Steamships and sailing-ships when not under way shall use a bell. STEERING AND SAILING RULES. TWO SAILING-SHIPS MEETING. ARTICLE 11. If two sailing-ships are meeting end on, or nearly end on, so as to involve risk of collision, the helms of both shall be put to port, so that each may pass on the port side of the other. TWO SAILING-SHIPS CROSSING. ARTICLE 12. When two sailing-ships are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, then, if they have the wind on different sides, the ship with the wind on the port side shall keep out of the way of the ship with the wind on the starboard side, except in the case in which the ship with the wind on the port side is close-hauled, and the other ship free, in which case the latter ship shall keep out of the way. But if they have the wind on the same side, or if one of them has the wind aft, the ship which is to windward shall keep out of the way of the ship which is to leeward. TWO SHIPS UNDER STEAM MEETING. ARTICLE 13. If two ships under steam are meeting end on, or nearly end on, so as to involve risk of collision, the helms of both shall be put to port, so that each may pass on the port side of the other. TWO SHIPS UNDER STEAM CROSSING. ARTICLE 14. If two ships under steam are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, the ship which has the other on her own starboard side shall keep out of the way of the other. SAILING-SHIP AND SHIP UNDER STEAM. ARTICLE 15. If two ships, one of which is a sailing-ship and the other a steamship, are proceeding in such directions as to involve risk of collision, the steamship shall keep out of the way of the sailing-ship. SHIPS UNDER STEAM TO SLACKEN SPEED. ARTICLE 16. Every steamship, when approaching another ship, so as to Ships under involve risk of collision, shall slacken her speed, or, if necessary, stop and steam to slacken. speed. reverse; and every steamship shall, when in a fog, go at a moderate speed. VESSELS OVERTAKING OTHER VESSELS. Vessels over ARTICLE 17. Every vessel overtaking any other vessel shall keep out taking other vesof way of the said last-mentioned vessel. sels. CONSTRUCTION OF ARTICLES 12, 14, 15, AND 17. ARTICLE 18. Where, by the above rules, one of two ships is to keep Construction out of the way, the other shall keep her course subject to the qualifica- 15, and 17. tions contained in the following article : PROVISO TO SAVE SPECIAL CASES. of articles 12, 14 ARTICLE 19. In obeying and construing these rules due regard must Special cases, be had to all dangers of navigation, and due regard must also be had to any special circumstances which may exist in any particular case rendering a departure from the above rules necessary in order to avoid immediate danger. NO SHIP UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES TO NEGLECT PROPER tions to be always observed. ARTICLE 20. Nothing in these rules shall exonerate any ship, or the Proper precauowner, or master, or crew thereof, from the consequences of any neglect to carry lights or signals, or of any neglect to keep a proper lookout, or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case. APPROVED, April 29, 1864. CHAP. LXX. An Act to provide for the Collection of Hospital Dues from Vessels of the April 29, 1864. Hospital dues to be collected from United States vessels sold in foreign ports. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in case of the sale or transfer of any vessel of the United States in a foreign port or water, the consul, vice-consul, commercial agent, or vice-commercial agent of the United States within whose consulate or district such sale or transfer shall have been made, or in whose hands the papers of such vessel shall be, be and he is hereby authorized and required to collect of the master or agent of such vessel, all moneys that shall have become due to the United States under and by virtue of the act entitled "An act for the relief of sick and disabled seamen," approved. July sixteenth, seventeen hundred and ninety-eight, and shall remain unpaid at the time of such sale or transfer; and that the said consul, vice-consul, commercial agent, or vice-commercial agent, (as the case may be,) be, and he is hereby, instructed and required to retain possession of the papers of such vessel until such money shall have been paid as herein provided; and in default of which, such sale or transfer shall be void, excepting as against the vendor: Provided, That this act shall not take effect until the expira- When act takes tion of sixty days from and after its passage. APPROVED, April 29, 1864. CHAP. LXXL-An Act to increase the Compensation of Inspectors of Customs in cer tain Ports. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the VOL. XIII. PUB. - 6 1798, ch. 77. Vol. i. p. 605. effect. April 29, 1864. |