# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 3/14th Congress/2nd Session/Chapter 31

Chap. XXXI.—An Act concerning the navigation of the United States.
Restriction of importations to vessels of a particular character.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That after the thirtieth day of September next no goods, wares, or merchandise, shall be imported into the United States from any foreign port or place, except in vessels of the United States, or in such foreign vessels as truly and wholly belong to the citizens or subjects of that country of which the goods are the growth, production, or manufacture; or from which such goods, wares, or merchandise, can only be, or most usually are, first shipped for transportation: Provided, nevertheless,Proviso: the regulation not to extend to foreign vessels of a certain description. That this regulation shall not extend to the vessels of any foreign nation which has not adopted, and which shall not adopt, a similar regulation.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all goods, wares, or merchandise, imported into the United States contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act,Merchandise imported contrary to this act, vessel, &c., forfeited. and the ship or vessel wherein the same shall be imported, together with her cargo, tackle, apparel, and furniture, shall be forfeited to the United States; and such goods, wares, or merchandise, ship, or vessel, and cargo, shall be liable to be seized, prosecuted, and condemned, in like manner, and under the same regulations, restrictions, and provisions, as have been heretofore established for the recovery, collection, distribution, and remission, of forfeitures to the United States by the several revenue laws.
Bounties on vessels employed in the fisheries restricted to such whose officers and 3-4ths of the crews are citizens, &c.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That after the thirtieth day of September next, the bounties and allowances now granted by law to the owners of boats or vessels engaged in the fisheries, shall be paid only on boats or vessels, the officers and at least three-fourths of the crews of which shall be proved to the satisfaction of the collector of the district where such boat or vessel shall belong, to be citizens of the United States, or persons not the subjects of any foreign prince or state.
Regulations with respect to importation of goods from one port of the United States to another, &c.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That no goods, wares, or merchandise, shall be imported, under penalty of forfeiture thereof, from one port of the United States to another port of the United States, in a vessel belonging wholly or in part to a subject of any foreign power; but this clause shall not be construed to prohibit the sailing of any foreign vessel from one to another port of the United States, provided no goods, wares, or merchandise, other than those imported in such vessel from some foreign port, and which shall not have been unladen, shall be carried from one port or place to another in the United States.
Regulations in relation to tonnage duty on vessels entering from a district in one to a district in another state. Proviso: as to licensed vessels. Proviso: as to diminution of duty where 3-4ths of the crew are citizens, &c.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That after the thirtieth day of September next, there shall be paid a duty of fifty cents per ton upon every ship or vessel of the United States, which shall be entered in a district in one state from a district in another state, except it be an adjoining state on the sea coast, or on a navigable river or lake, and except also it be a coasting vessel going from Long Island, in the state of New York, to the state of Rhode Island, or from the state of Rhode Island to the said Long Island, having on board goods, wares, and merchandise, taken in one state, to be delivered in another state: Provided, That it shall not be paid on any ship or vessel having a license to trade between the different districts of the United States, or to carry on the bank or whale fisheries, more than once a year; And provided also, That if the owner of any such vessel, or his agent, shall prove, to the satisfaction of the collector, that three-fourths at least of the crew thereof are American citizens, or persons not the subject of any foreign prince or state, the duty to be paid in such case shall be only at the rate of six cents per ton; but nothing in this section shall be construed to repeal or affect any exemption from tonnage duty given by the eighth section of the act, entitledAct of May 1, 1802, ch. 45. “An act to provide for the establishment of certain districts, and therein to amend an act, entitled An act to regulate the collection of duties on imports and tonnage; and for other purposes.”
50 cents per ton on vessels, whose officers and 2-3ds of the crews are not citizens. Proviso; exception in favour of vessels on foreign voyages, &c.Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That after the thirtieth day of September next, there shall be paid upon every ship or vessel of the United States, which shall be entered in the United States, from any foreign port or place, unless the officers, and at least two-thirds of the crew, thereof shall be proved citizens of the United States, or persons not the subjects of any foreign prince or state, to the satisfaction of the collector, fifty cents per ton; And provided also, That this section shall not extend to ships or vessels of the United States which are not on foreign voyages, or which may depart from the United States prior to the first day of May next, until after their return to some port of the United States.
The proportion of citizen seamen to exist during the whole voyage, unless, &c.Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That the several bounties and remissions, or abatements of duty, allowed by this act, in the case of vessels having a certain proportion of seamen who are American citizens, or persons not the subjects of any foreign power, shall be allowed only in the case of vessels having such proportion of American seamen during their whole voyage, unless in case of sickness, death, or desertion, or where the whole or part of the crew shall have been taken prisoners in the voyage.
Approved, March 1, 1817.