Take notice, That the whole Sum paid over to me, to be distributed for Salvage Services rendered to the above-mentioned Vessel [or Goods] on the That the Sum allotted

184

is £

Day of

An Act for the Regulation of Steam Navigation, and for requiring Sea-going Vessels to carry Boats.

[28th August 1846.] WHEREAS it is expedient to make further Provision for

regulating the Construction of Sea-going Steam Vessels, and for preventing the Occurrence of Accidents (so far as may be possible) in Steam Navigation, and for requiring Sea-going Vessels to carry Boats :' Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That Commencethis Act shall come into operation for the Purposes mentioned ment of Act. herein on the First Day of January One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, except where any other Period of Commencement is herein particularly directed.

II. And be it enacted, That all Steam Vessels built of Iron of One hundred Tons Burden or upwards, the Building of which shall have been commenced after the passing of this Act, shall be divided by transverse Water-tight Partitions, so that the fore Part of the Vessel shall be separated from the Engine Room by One of such Partitions, and so that the after Part of such Vessel shall be separated from the Engine Room by another of such Partitions.

III. And be it enacted, That from and after the said First Day of January One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven no Vessel,

the

Iron Steamers
of 100 Tons
and upwards to
be divided by

Water-tight
Partitions.

Sea-going Vessels to be pro

vided with the

Number of

Boats and of

herein mentioned.

the Tonnage of which shall be One hundred Tons or upwards, shall proceed to Sea from any Port whatsoever unless it shall be prothe Dimensions vided with Boats duly supplied with all Requisites for their Use, and not being fewer in Number nor less in their Dimensions than the Number and Dimensions set opposite to the Limits of Dimension in the following Table; provided that the said Limits of Dimension be not considered applicable to Vessels engaged in the Whale Fishery :

Steam Vessels, in addition, to have such other

Boats as the Admiralty may direct.

No Steamer to

and that no Vessel carrying more than Ten Passengers shall proceed to Sea on any Voyage unless, in addition to the Boats hereinbefore required, it shall also be provided with a Boat fitted up as a Life Boat, with all Requisites for its Use, together with Two Life Buoys.

IV. And be it enacted, That every Steamer the building of which shall be commenced after the passing of this Act, and which shall proceed to Sea with Passengers, shall, in addition to the Boats specified in the foregoing Table, and in lieu of a Boat fitted up as a Life Boat, be provided either with such Boats as are usually called Paddle Box Boats, or with such other Boats as may be directed in lieu thereof by the Lord High Admiral or the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral for the Time being.

V. And be it enacted, That no Steam Vessel of One hundred go to Sea with- Tons Burden or upwards shall proceed to Sea unless it shall be out a Hose. provided with a Hose for the Purpose of extinguishing Fire capable of being connected with the Engines of the Vessel.

Mode of ascertaining Tonnage.

Penalties on
Masters, &c.

neglecting to

VI. And be it enacted, That for the Purposes of this Act the Tonnage of Vessels shall be ascertained according to the Rules of Admeasurement prescribed by any Act of Parliament for the Time being in force regulating the Admeasurement of the Tonnage and Burden of the Merchant Ships of the United Kingdom.

VII. And be it enacted, That if any such Steam Vessel as aforesaid proceed to Sea without being provided with such Hose as aforesaid, or being an Iron Steam Vessel without being so divided

as

as aforesaid, or if any Steam or other Vessel of One hundred Tons provide Boats, Burden or upwards proceed to Sea without being so provided with Hose, &c. Boats as aforesaid, or if any of such Boats be lost or rendered useless in the course of the Voyage through the wilful Fault or Negligence of the Owner or Master, or if in case of any of such Boats being accidentally lost or injured in the course of the Voyage the Master or other Person having charge of the Vessel wilfully neglect to replace or repair the same on the first convenient Oppor tunity, then and in every Case where the Owner shall appear to be in fault he shall forfeit a Sum not exceeding One hundred Pounds, and in every Case where the Master or other Person having charge of the Vessel shall appear to be in fault he shall forfeit a Sum not exceeding Fifty Pounds.

Provisions.

VIII. And be it enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any Officers of CusOfficer of Customs to clear out any such Steam Vessel as aforesaid toms not to clear for any Voyage to Parts beyond the Seas without being provided out Vessels not with such Hose as aforesaid, or being an Iron Steam Vessel with- complying with out being so divided as aforesaid, nor to clear out any Steam or other Vessel of One hundred Tons Burden or upwards for any Voyage to Parts beyond the Seas unless the same be provided with such Boats as herein-before are required.

Masters, &c. not observing the Regulations

herein contained as to passing

IX. And be it enacted, That every Steam Vessel when meeting Penalty on or passing any other Steam Vessel shall pass as far as may be safe on the Port Side of such other Vessel; and every Steam Vessel navigating any River or narrow Channel shall keep as far as is practicable to that Side of the Fairway or Mid-channel of such River or Channel which lies on the Starboard Side of such and repassing Vessel, due regard being had to the Tide and to the Position of other Vessels. each Vessel in such Tide; and the Master or other Person having the Charge of any such Steam Vessel, and neglecting to observe these Regulations, or either of them, shall for each and every Instance of Neglect forfeit and pay a Sum not exceeding Fifty Pounds.

X. And be it enacted, That the Lord High Admiral, or the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral, may from Time to Time make Regulations requiring the Exhibition of such Lights by Steam Vessels in such Manner, within such Places, except the River Thames above Yantlett Creek, and under such Circumstances as the said Lord High Admiral or the said Commissioners may think fit, and may from Time to Time make any other Regulations revoking or altering any previous Regulations.

Power to the Admiralty to make Regulations respect

ing the Exhibition of Lights.

the Gazette.

XI. And be it enacted, That the said Lord High Admiral or Such Reguthe said Commissioners shall cause such Regulations as soon as lations to be conveniently may be after the same shall have been made, to be published in published in Four successive London Gazettes, and the same shall be deemed to be in force from the Date of the last of such Publications until the same shall have been altered or revoked, and such Alteration or Revocation shall have been Twice published in like Manner as aforesaid.

XII. And be it enacted, That the Master or other Person Vessels, &c. having the Charge of any Steam Vessel which shall be in any within Twenty River or narrow Channel in Great Britain or Ireland, or the Miles of the adjacent Islands, or upon the Sea within Twenty Miles of any Part Lights at Night.

of

Coast to exhibit

Penalty.

Steam Vessels not exhibiting Lights not enti

tled to Compensation.

Penalty on Masters, &c. neglecting to observe the Regulations as to passing of Steamers or exhibiting Lights.

Before 30th of April and 31st Oct. in every Year

Owners to transmit Declarations to the Board of Trade.

Board of Trade to register Declarations, and grant Certificates of the same.

of the Coast of Great Britain or Ireland, shall, whether under Weigh or at Anchor, between Sunset and Sunrise exhibit such Lights within such Places, in such Manner, and under such Cir. cumstances as by the said Regulations herein-before authorized to be made by the said Lord High Admiral or by the said Commissioners shall be required, and in default thereof shall forfeit and pay a Sum not exceeding Twenty Pounds for every Night in which such Default shall be made; and the Owner of any Steam Vessel in which such Light shall not be exhibited as aforesaid shall not be entitled to recover any Recompence or Damage whatsoever which may be sustained by such Vessel in consequence of any other Vessel running foul thereof during the Night.

XIII. And be it enacted, That if any Damage to any Person or Property shall be sustained in consequence of the Nonobservance as respects any Steam Vessel of the Rules contained in the Two Enactments relative to the passing of Steam Vessels and to the exhibiting of Lights herein-before contained, the same shall in all Courts of Justice be deemed in the Absence of Proof to the contrary to have been occasioned by the wilful Default of the Master or other Person having the Charge of such Steam Vessel, and such Master or other Person shall be subject in all Proceedings, whether civil or criminal, to the legal Consequences of such wilful Default.

XIV. And be it enacted, That on or before the Thirtieth Day of April and the Thirty-first Day of October in every Year the Owners of every Steam Vessel shall transmit to the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade the Two following Declarations in Writing; (that is to say,)

First, A Declaration of the Sufficiency and good Condition of the Hull of such Steamer under the Hand of a Shipwright Surveyor, to be approved by the Lords of the said Committee;

Second, A Declaration of the Sufficiency and good Condition of the Machinery of such Steam Vessel under the Hand of an Engineer, to be approved in like Manner by the Lords of the said Committee; such Declarations bearing Date of some Day in the said Months of April or October respectively: And the Lords of the said Committee shall register such Declarations, and shall transmit to the Owners of such Steam Vessels respectively Certificates under the Hand of One of the Secretaries or Assistant Secretaries of the said Committee of the Registry of such Declarations: Provided always, that if the Owners of any such Vessel shall certify to the Lords of the said Committee that such Vessel has been, during the whole of such Month of April or of October respectively and still is in Foreign Parts, so that it is impossible to obtain the Declarations herein-before required, bearing Date as is herein-before prescribed, and shall at the same Time transmit to the Lords of the said Committee the Declarations herein-before required, bearing Date of a Day not being more than Seven Days before such Vessel last sailed or departed from any Part of the United Kingdom, then and in every such Case the Lords of the said Committee shall register such Declarations, and shall transmit to the Owners of such last-mentioned Steam Vessels respectively Certificates of the Registry of such Declarations Provided nevertheless, that this Enactment shall not

extend or apply to any Steam Vessels so employed as herein-after mentioned during the Continuance of such Employment, (that is to say,) whilst employed in the Royal Mail Service, or the Conveyance of the Royal Public Mails or Despatches under Contract with and under the Superintendence of the Lord High Admiral, or the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral.

ration not made

XV. And whereas it may happen that by reason of a Steam Certificate may Vessel or the Machinery thereof being under Repair during be granted either of the said Months of April or October it may be imprac- though Declaticable to make such Declarations as are herein-before required in April or in either of the said Months;' be it enacted, That in such Case October. it shall be lawful for the Owners of such Steam Vessels at any Time to make a Representation to that Effect to the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade, and to transmit therewith such Declarations as are herein-before required, and it shall be lawful thereupon for the said Lords, if they shall be satisfied of the Truth of such Representation, to register such Declarations notwithstanding they shall not bear Date in either of the Months of April or October; and the said Lords shall transmit to the Owners of such Steam Vessels Certificates of the Registry thereof in manner herein-before provided, and such Certificates shall have the like Force and Effect and be used for all the same Purposes and in the same Manner as if the said Certificates referred to Declarations made in either of the said Months of April or October.

out Vessels

XVI. And be it enacted, That from and after the First Day of Officers of Cus June One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven it shall not be toms not to clear lawful for any Steam Vessel, except as is lastly herein-before ex- except upon cepted, to proceed to Sea, unless the Owner thereof shall have Production of duly transmitted to the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council Certificate of for Trade such Declarations, and shall have received from the Registry. Lords of the said Committee such Certificates of the Registry thereof as herein-before is mentioned; and that it shall not be lawful for any Officer of Her Majesty's Customs to clear out any Steam Vessel carrying Passengers for any Voyage to Parts beyond the Seas, unless upon the Production of the Certificate of the Registry of the Declarations which shall most recently have been made in respect of such Steam Vessel, and unless such Declarations shall have been so made within Six Calendar Months of the Application for Clearance.

XVII. And be it enacted, That if any Steam Vessel proceed Penalty on to Sea with Passengers, the Owner whereof has not duly trans- Owners of Ves. mitted to the Lords of the said Committee such Declarations, and sels for not received from the Lords of the said Committee such Certificates Declarations. transmitting of the Registry of such Declarations as herein-before is mentioned, the Owner of such Steam Vessel shall forfeit a Sum not exceeding One hundred Pounds.

tificate or De

XVIII. And be it enacted, That any Person who shall know- Persons guilty ingly or wilfully make or assist in making a false or fraudulent of forging Cer Declaration or Certificate, or who shall knowingly or wilfully forge, claration guilty counterfeit, or fraudulently alter, or shall aid and assist in forging, of a Misdecounterfeiting, or fraudulently altering, or who shall attempt to meanor. forge, counterfeit, or fraudulently alter, any Declaration or Certificate provided for by this Act, or any Words or Figures in any such

9 & 10 VICT.

S s

Declaration