Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1810-02-14
/; CongrsG Of THE United States.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES..
FRIDAY, Februarys.
CONVOY AND AIMING.

. Is. CONFOf AND AIMING.
=, Ar. BurrueK, from the committee ap-
pointed on the subject, reported bill an.
,horising che ;prssident of the u. States to
employ the public armed vessels and per.
hitting merchants to arm for the defence
of the American commerce. -.|
1.-THE first sectiou Of this bill provides
thar the president of theHU. States be au-
ttorised and required to employ the pub.
lie armed vessels Of the L. States to can-
voy vessels owned by citizens Of .he u.
States and laden with the produce of the
United States the property Of such citizens,
provided such produce is not contraband Of
war, and The said vessels shall not be bound
to bloeksdsd port, or to any port or place
belonging to or in the actual possession of
any nati..n having in force orders, edic,s,
or d:crees, against neutral rights in viola
ton of the law Of nations.
The I'd section emu nerates articles which
shall be deemed contraband OF war.
The Sd section provides that no port
shall be considered as blockaded, unless
actually invested with sufficient force to
render the entrance to itdapgerou,.
The 9th section provides tina. tho COM
nanders of;the public armed vessels con.
veying according to ,hi, law shall permit
the public armed vessels of any bell:geren,
nation to visit and search on the high seas
any private ship or vessel under ,hsir con-
voy, for the purpose Of examining whether
it be laden with cnrmy's property or arti.
eles by this law declared Con,raband Of war,
or whether it be bound to 4 port actually
blockaduI.
This 5th section provides that the com.
maudeEs shall not permit any privateer or
other than national armed vessel to>visit
any vessel under their convoy.
The 9th section requires the command
ers to resist by force the capture of anv
vessel under their convoy for any other
cause than having enemies properly or ar
tcles csasraband of war On beard, or BE-.
ing bound tosa port actually blockaded, and
60 coneinue such resistance so long as may
be nscessary'sor the protection OF the YES
sells under their Convoy.
The 7th Sc ctioa provides that vessels an
der ecavoy, agresabIy to the provisions of
the act, may be armed that they shall
permit search in cases before mentioned
but cha, they shall resist any search by pri.
vateers, letters OF marqus, or private arm
ed vessels.
Che sthseetion provides that vessels de-
scrihcd in the preceding section shall resist
capture, &c. ia the sans manner Jas the
commanders Of tbs vessels conveying tlsm
arc by tais bill authorised to do.
The Subsection requires Of every mer-
ehaat vessel armed as aforesaid, previous
to Obtaining CLEARANCE, bond. tha, its guns
and asnmunition, &c. shall not be used tor
any unlawful purposes, bat merely for re-
distance and defence in the cases authoris-
ed and speei6eain this act, and that such
sras shall be returned within the United
States.
The 1C,h section provides that vessels
shus conrored shah be subject 70 the sig
aals III the conan ander of the armed vss-
s-k conveying aud TO such esiss and regu-
la,iens as the president may, anGer -ehe:
provision. Of he, se, -sstadish aos,hs go
yesaHaent Of the oonT9y. -
.Ihe llth srctisn iiaaiis the Duration of
the bill to . ysar, and feom -theacs 70 The
cod OF she aexs ssssian Of coagrsss there
aftes:3 %%% - = - W. - :
The Sili was twice rad md referred 10 1
committee Of ihs whole house On Mouaay
wsak. .&'1R.%l 81 81 !, -
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