# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 2/11th Congress/2nd Session/Chapter 39

Chap. XXXIX.—An Act concerning the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France, and their dependencies, and for other purposes.
Act of March 1, 1809, ch. 24. Act of May 30, 1809, ch. 1. Act of June 28, 1809, ch. 9. Act of March 2, 1811, ch. 29. Act of Dec. 17, 1813, ch. 1. Act of April 14, 1814, ch. 56. British and French armed vessels not permitted to enter the waters of the U. States, except in certain circumstances.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after the passage of this act, no British or French armed vessel shall be permitted to enter the harbors or waters under the jurisdiction of the United States; but every British and French armed vessel is hereby interdicted, except when they shall be forced in by distress, by the dangers of the sea, or when charged with despatches or business from their government, or coming as a public packet for the conveyance of letters; in which cases, as well as in all others, when they shall be permitted to enter, the ​commanding officer shall immediately report his vessel to the collector of the district, stating the object or causes of his entering the harbors or waters of the United States; and shall take such position therein as shall be assigned him by such collector, and shall conform himself, his vessel and crew, to such regulations respecting health, repairs, supplies, stay, intercourse and departure, as shall be signified to him by the said collector, under the authority and directors of the President of the United States, and, not conforming thereto, shall be required to depart from the United States.
Pacific intercourse with interdicted foreign vessels forbidden under penalties. The whole forfeiture to accrue to the treasury if the prosecution shall be by a public officer.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all pacific intercourse with any interdicted foreign armed vessels, the officers or crew thereof, is hereby forbidden, and if any person shall afford any aid to such armed vessel either in repairing her, or in furnishing her, her officers or crew with supplies of any kind or in any manner whatsoever, or if any pilot shall assist in navigating the said armed vessel, contrary to the prohibition, unless for the purpose of carrying her beyond the limits and jurisdiction of the United States, the person or persons so offending, shall be liable to be bound to their good behaviour, and shall moreover forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding two thousand dollars, to be recovered upon indictment or information, in any court of competent jurisdiction; one moiety thereof to the treasury of the United States, and the other moiety to the person who shall give information and prosecute the same to effect: Provided, that if the prosecution shall be by a public officer the whole forfeiture shall accrue to the treasury of the United States.
Penalties and forfeitures under the non-intercourse and embargo, how to be recovered and disposed of. 1809, ch. 24.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That all the penalties and forfeitures which may have been incurred under the act, entituled “An act to interdict the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France and their dependencies, and for other purposes,” and also all the penalties and forfeitures which may have been incurred under the act laying an embargo on all ships and vessels in the ports and harbors of the United States, or under any of the several acts supplementary thereto, or to enforce the same, or under the acts to interdict the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France and their dependencies, and for other purposes, shall be recovered and distributed, and may be remitted in the manner provided by the said acts respectively, and in like manner as if the said acts had continued in full force and effect.
Certain sections of the act to interdict the commercial intercourse, &c. to be revived as to the nation refusing to repeal or modify its orders in council, &c. &c. 1809, ch. 24.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That in case either Great Britain or France shall, before the third day of March next, so revoke or modify her edicts as that they shall cease to violate the neutral commerce of the United States, which fact the President of the United States shall declare by proclamation, and if the other nation shall not within three months thereafter so revoke or modify her edicts in like manner, then the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth and eighteenth sections of the act, entituled “An act to interdict the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France and their dependencies, and for other purposes,” shall, from and after the expiration of three months from the date of the proclamation aforesaid, be revived and have full force and effect, so far as relates to the dominions, colonies and dependencies, and to the articles the growth, produce or manufacture of the dominions, colonies and dependencies of the nation thus refusing or neglecting to revoke or modify her edicts in the manner aforesaid. And the restrictions imposed by this act shall, from the date of such proclamation, cease and be discontinued in relation to the nation revoking or modifying her decrees in the manner aforesaid.
Approved, May 1, 1810.