Page images
PDF
EPUB

(ACT of March 3, 1817.)

no oath or affirmation shall be required that the said boat belongs to a citizen or citizens of the United States.

SEC. 11. The owner or owners of such steam boat, upon application for enrolment or license, shall give bond to the collector of the district, to and for the use of the United States, in the penalty of one thousand dollars, with sufficient surety, conditioned that the said boat shall not be employed in other waters than the rivers and bays of the United States.

ACT of March 3, 1813. 4 Bioren, 521.

34. SEC. 1. It shall be the duty of the secretary of the treasury to cause to be provided blank certificates of registry, and such other papers as may be necessary, executed in such manner, and with such marks, as he may direct; and from and after the thirtyfirst day of December, one thousand eight hundred and fourteen, no certificate of registry shall be issued, except such as shall have been provided and marked as aforesaid, and the ships or vessels of the United States, which shall have been duly registered as such, shall be entitled to new certificates of registry (gratis) in exchange for their old certificates of registry. And it shall be the duty of the respective collectors, on departure of any such ship or vessel, after the said thirty-first day of December, one thousand eight hundred and fourteen, from any district to which such ship or vessel shall belong, to issue a new certificate accordingly and to retain and deface the former certificate.

ACT of March 3, 1817. Pamphlet edit. 227.

35. SEC. 1. The register, or other document in lieu thereof, together with the clearance and other papers, granted by the officers of the customs to any foreign ship or vessel, at her departure from the port or place from which she may have arrived, shall, previously to entry in any port of the United States, be produced to the collector with whom such entry is to be made. And it shall be the duty of the master or commander, within forty-eight hours after such entry, to deposite the said papers with the consul or vice-consul of the nation to which the vessel belongs, and to deliver to the collector the certificate of such consul or vice-consul, that the said papers have been so deposited; and any master, or commander, as aforesaid, who shall fail to comply with this regulation, shall, upon conviction thereof in any court of competent jurisdiction, be fined in a sum not less than five hundred dollars, nor exceeding two thousand dollars: Provided, That this act shall not extend to the vessels of foreign nations, in whose ports American consuls are not permitted to have the custody and possession of the register and other papers of vessels entering the ports of such nation, according to the provisions of the second section of the act supplementary to the act " concerning consuls and vice consuls, and for the further protection of American seamen," passed the twenty-eighth of February, eighteen hundred and three.

(ACT of March 2d, 1819.)

SEC. 11. It shall not be lawful for any foreign consul to deliver to the master or commander of any foreign vessel, the register and other papers deposited with him pursuant to the provisions of this act, until such master or commander shall produce to him a clearance, in due form, from the collector of the port where such vessel has been entered; and any consul offending against the provisions of this act, shall, upon conviction thereof before the supreme court of the United States, be fined, at the discretion of the court, in a sum not less than five hundred dollars, nor exceeding five thousand dollars.

ACT of March 2, 1819. Pamphlet edit. 37.

An act regulating Passenger ships and vessels.

36. SEC. 1. If the master or other person on board of any ship or vessel, owned in the whole or in part by a citizen or citizens of the United States, or the territories thereof, or by a subject or subjects, citizen or citizens, of any foreign country, shall, after the first day of January next, take on board of such ship or vessel, at any foreign port or place, or shall bring or convey into the United States, or the territories thereof, from any foreign port or place; or shall carry, convey, or transport, from the United States, or the territories thereof, to any foreign port or place, a greater number of passengers than two for every five tons of such ship or vessel, according to custom-house measurement, every such master, or other person so offending, and the owner or owners of such ship or vessel, shall severally forfeit and pay to the United States, the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars, for each and every passenger so taken on board of such ship or vessel over and above the aforesaid number of two to every five tons of such ship or vessel; to be recovered by suit, in any circuit or district court of the United States, where the said vessel may arrive, or where the owner or owners aforesaid may reside: Provided, nevertheless, That nothing in this act shall be taken to apply to the complement of men usually and ordinarily employed in navigating such ship or vessel.

SEC. 11. If the number of passengers so taken on board of any ship or vessel as aforesaid, or conveyed or brought into the United States, or transported therefrom as aforesaid, shall exceed the said proportion of two to every five tons of such ship or vessel, by the number of twenty passengers, in the whole, every such ship or vessel shall be deemed and taken to be forfeited to the United States, and shall be prosecuted and distributed in the same manner in which the forfeitures and penalties are recovered and distributed under the provisions of the act, entitled "An act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage."

SEC. In. Every ship or vessel bound on a voyage from the United States to any port on the continent of Europe, at the time of leaving the last port whence such ship or vessel shall sail, shall have on board, well secured under deck, at least sixty gallons of

(ACT of March 2d, 1819.)

water, one hundred pounds of salted provisions, one gallon of vinegar, and one hundred pounds of wholesome ship bread, for each and every passenger on board such ship or vessel, over and above such other provisions, stores, and live stock, as may be put on board by such master or passenger for their use; or that of the crew of such ship or vessel; and in like proportion for a shorter or longer voyage; and if the passengers, on board of such ship or vessel in which the proportion of provisions herein directed shall not have been provided, shall at any time be put on short allowance, in water, flesh, vinegar, or bread, during any voyage aforesaid, the master and owner of such ship or vessel shall severally pay to each and every passenger who shall have been put on short allowance as aforesaid, the sum of three dollars for each and every day they may have been on such short allowance; to be recovered in the same manner as seamen's wages are, or may be, recovered.

SEC. IV. The captain or master of any ship or vessel arriving in the United States, or any of the territories thereof, from any foreign place whatever, at the same time that he delivers a manifest of the cargo, and, if there be no cargo, then at the time of making report or entry of the ship or vessel, pursuant to the existing laws of the United States, shall also deliver and report, to the collector of the district in which such ship or vessel shall arrive, a list or manifest of all the passengers taken on board of the said ship or vessel at any foreign port or place; in which list or manifest it shall be the duty of the said master to designate, particularly, the age, sex, and occupation, of the said passengers, respectively, the country to which they severally belong, and that of which it is their intention to become inhabitants; and shall further set forth whether any, and what number have died on the voyage; which report and manifest shall be sworn to by the said master, in the same manner as is directed by the existing laws of the United States, in relation to the manifest of the cargo, and that the refusal or neglect of the master aforesaid, to comply with the provisions of this section, shall incur the same penalties, disabilities, and forfeitures, as are at present provided for a refusal or neglect to report and deliver a manifest of the cargo aforesaid.

SEC. v. Each and every collector of the customs, to whom such manifest or list of passengers as aforesaid shall be delivered, shall, quarter yearly, return copies thereof to the secretary of state of the United States, by whom statements of the same shall be laid before congress at each and every session.

ACT of March 2, 1819. Pamphlet edit. 43.

An act supplementary to the acts concerning the coasting trade. 37. SEC. 1. For the more convenient regulation of the coasting trade, the seacoast and navigable rivers of the United States hereby are, divided into two great districts; the first, to include all the districts on the seacoast and navigable rivers, between the eastern li

(ACT of March 22d, 1794.)

mits of the United States and the southern limits of Georgia; and the second, to include all the districts on the seacoast and navigable rivers, between the river Perdido and the western limits of the United States.

SEC. II. Every ship or vessel, of the burthen of twenty tons or upwards, licensed to trade between the different districts of the United States, shall be, and is hereby, authorised to carry on such trade between the districts included within the aforesaid great districts, respectively, and between a state in one, and an adjoining state in another, great district, in manner, and subject only to the regulations that are, now by law required to be observed by such ships or vessels, in trading from one district to another in the same state, or from a district in one state to a district in the next adjoining state, any thing in any law to the contrary notwithstanding.

SEC. 1. Every ship or vessel of the burden of twenty tons or upwards, licensed to trade as aforesaid, shall be, and is hereby, required, in trading from one to another great district, other than between a state in one, and an adjoining state in another, great district, to conform to and observe the regulations, that, at the time of passing this act, are required to be observed by such vessels in trading from a district in one state to a district in any other than an adjoining state.

SEC. IV. The trade between the districts not included in either of the two great districts aforesaid, shall continue to be carried on in the manner, and subject to the regulations, already provided for this purpose.

SEC. V. This act shall commence and be in force, from and after the thirtieth day of June next after the passing thereof.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

ACT of March 22, 1794. 2 Bioren, 383.

An act to prohibit the carrying on the slave trade, from the United States to any foreign place or country.

[SECS. 1. and II. are supplied by the act of April 20, 1818. Infra 10, &c.]

1. SEC. III. The owner, master, or factor, of each and every foreign ship or vessel, clearing out for any of the coasts or kingdoms of Africa, or suspected to be intended for the slave trade,

(ACT of May 10th, 1800.)

and the suspicion being declared to the officer of the customs, by any citizen, on oath or affirmation, and such information being to the satisfaction of the said officer, shall first give bond, with sufficient sureties, to the treasurer of the United States, that none of the natives of Africa, or any other foreign country or place, shall be taken on board the said ship or vessel, to be transported, or sold, as slaves, in any other foreign port or place whatever, within nine months thereafter.

SEC. IV. [Supplied, Infra, 13.]

ACT of May 10, 1800. 3 Bioren, 382.

An act in addition to the act, entitled "An act to prohibit the carrying on the slave trade from the United States to any foreign place or country.

2. SEC. 1. It shall be unlawful for any citizen of the United States, or other person residing within the United States, directly or indirectly, to hold or have any right or property in any vessel employed, or made use of, in the transportation or carrying of slaves from one foreign country or place to another, and any right or property belonging as aforesaid, shall be forfeited, and may be libelled and condemned, for the use of the person who shall sue for the same; and such person, transgressing the prohibition aforesaid, shall also forfeit and pay a sum of money equal to double the value of the right or property in such vessel, which he held as aforesaid; and shall also forfeit a sum of money equal to double the value of the interest which he may have had in the slaves, which at any time may have been transported or carried in such vessel, after the passing of this act, and against the form thereof.

3. SEC. II. It shall be unlawful for any citizen of the United States, or other person residing therein, to serve on board any vessel of the United States, employed, or made use of, in the transportation or carrying of slaves from one foreign country or place to another; and any such citizen, or other person, voluntarily serving as aforesaid, shall be liable to be indicted therefor, and, on conviction thereof, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars, and be imprisoned not exceeding two years.

SEC. 111. If any citizen of the United States shall voluntarily serve on board of any foreign ship or vessel, which shall hereafter be employed in the slave trade, he shall, on conviction thereof, be liable to, and suffer, the like forfeitures, pains, disabilities, and penalties, as he would have incurred had such ship or vessel been owned or employed, in whole or in part, by any person or persons residing within the United States.

SEC. IV. [Supplied and repealed, Infra 19.]

4. SEC. v. The district and circuit courts of the United States shall have cognizance of all acts and offences against the prohibitions herein contained.

SEC. VI. Provided, nevertheless, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to authorise the bringing into either of

« PreviousContinue »