# Passenger Act of 1882

The Passenger Act of 1882 is a United States federal statute establishing occupancy control regulations for seafaring passenger ships completing Atlantic and Pacific transoceanic crossings to America during the late 19th century and early 20th century. The Act of Congress sanctioned vessel compartment dimensions in cubic feet comparable to the level within a ship's deck. The public law authorized the numerical serialization of berths which were subject to compartment occupancy inspections of emigrants and ocean liner passengers. The Law of the United States accentuated and endorsed a regulatory clause stating no person, on arrival of a vessel in a port, will be allowed to go aboard a passenger ship necessitating a bow to stern inspection.
The Immigration Act of 1882 was simultaneously presented during the 47th United States congressional session which was enacted into law on August 3, 1882. The H.R. 6722 bill was passed by the 47th congressional session and enacted into law by the 21st President of the United States Chester Arthur on August 2, 1882.

## Provisions of the Act

The United States federal law was penned as fourteen sections emphasizing essentials for safe passage during an oceanic voyage associated with an American port.
* ◇ Accountability of seafaring passengers occupancy
* ◇ Hygiene requirements
* ◇ Identity verification of emigrants
* ◇ Passenger quarters' allocations by numerical designation
* ◇ Prohibited materials determined as dangerous goods for transportation of seas
* ◇ Public health awareness by imposed social distancing
* ◇ Sick bay provision with medical apparatuses
* ◇ Violation of act penalties
    Carriage of Passengers by Sea – 22 Stat. 186 § 1
       Emigrants and passengers, other than cabin passengers, from foreign ports to be provided compartments
       Sailing vessel restrictions and requirements
       Space per passenger
       Computation of children boarded on vessel
       Violation of Act penalties
    Proper Accommodations on Steamships or Other Vessels – 22 Stat. 186–187 § 2
       Berths for passengers
       Regulations and rules for occupancy
       Children
       Females
       Husband and wife
       Males
       Unmarried females
       Families
       Serial numbers for berths
       Inspections of berths
       Violation of Act penalties
    Sanitation and Ventilation of Steamships or Other Vessels – 22 Stat. 187–188 § 3
       Light and air to passenger decks and compartments
       Hatchways
       Companionway
       Caboose with sufficient cooking capacity
       Water closet
       Privy location to be separated from passengers' spaces with constructed partitions
       Violation of Act penalties
    Nutrition on Steamships or Other Vessels – 22 Stat. 188 § 4
       Wholesome food as fresh provisions
       Meals per day
       Short allowance and monetary penalty paid by the deck master
       Mothers with infants
       Tables and seats
       Violation of Act penalties
    Hospital on Steamships or Other Vessels – 22 Stat. 188 § 5
       Hospital accommodations of two compartments
       Qualified and competent surgeon or medical practitioner
       Medicines and surgical appliances for diseases and accidents during sea voyages
       Violation of Act penalties
    Hygiene on Steamships or Other Vessels – 22 Stat. 188–189 § 6
       Cleanliness and discipline to be maintained during voyage
       Space on main deck for exercise of passengers
       Violation of Act penalties
    Navigational Crew on Steamships or Other Vessels – 22 Stat. 189 § 7
       Officers and seamen prohibited from visiting passengers' compartments
       Violation of section penalties
       Section of Act posted on decks concerning fraternizing with navigational crew
       Violation of Act penalties
    Prohibited Articles on Steamships or Other Vessels – 22 Stat. 189 § 8
       Dynamite
       Gunpowder
       Nitroglycerin
       Vitriol
       Other explosive compounds
       Violation of Act penalties
    Boarding Arriving Vessels Before Inspection – 22 Stat. 189–190 § 9
       No person, on arrival of vessel in port, allowed to go aboard
       Correct list of passengers, with deaths if any, to be delivered to first officer of customs on board
       Duplicate of list to be delivered to collector of customs
       Violation of Act penalties
    Death on the High Seas – 22 Stat. 190 § 10
       In case of death of passengers at sea, master of vessel to pay, money paid into the U.S. Treasury
       Violation of Act penalties
    Occupancy Integrity of Steamships or Other Vessels – 22 Stat. 190 § 11
       Examination and inspection of vessel by collector of customs
       Report made to the Secretary of the U.S. Treasury
    Applicability of Act for Vessels Carrying Emigrants and Passengers – 22 Stat. 191 § 12
       Provisions of this act apply to vessels carrying emigrants from United States to foreign countries
       Clearance of vessels withheld until compliance with provisions of this Act
       Violation of Act penalties
    Violations of Act Provisions for Steamships or Other Vessels – 22 Stat. 191 § 13
       Fines and penalties to be lien upon vessel
    Effective Date of Act Provisions – 22 Stat. 191 § 14
       Act shall come into effect ninety days after passage of Act
       Act may be cited for all purposes as "The Passenger Act, eighteen hundred and eighty-two"

## Associated United States Federal Statutes

United States legislation relative to the Passenger Act of 1882.
U.S. Laws relative to Transportation Across Seas :
| Date of enactment | Public Law No. | U.S. Statute Citation | U.S. Bill No. | U.S. Presidential Administration |
| March 31, 1900 | P.L. 56-120 | 31 Stat. 58 | H.R. 5067 | William McKinley |
| June 25, 1948 | P.L. 80-772 | 62 Stat. 683 | H.R. 3190 | Harry S. Truman |
| August 26, 1983 | P.L. 98-89 | 97 Stat. 600 | S. 46 | Ronald W. Reagan |
| November 25, 2002 | P.L. 107-296 | 116 Stat. 2178 | H.R. 5005 | George W. Bush |