The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-02-16

lThe first section of this bill provides that
| the President of the United States be autho-
! rised and required To- employ the public
armed vessels of the United States to convoy
vessels owned by citizens of the u. States
and laden with the produce of the U. States
the property of such citizens, provided such
produce is not contraband of war, and the
said vessels shall not be bound to a blocka-
ded port, or TO any port or place belonging
! to or in the actual posse ssion of any nation
having in force orders. edicts or DEGREES a
gainst neutral rights in violation of the laws
of nations.
| The I'd section enumerates articles which
shall be deemed contraband of war.
The 81 section provides that no port shall
be considered as blockaded, unless actually
invested with sufficient force to render the
entrance to it dangerous.
| The 4th section provides that the comman-
ders OF the public armed vessels conveying
according to this law shall permir4he public
| armed vessels of any beligerent nation to
visit and search OF the high seas any private
! ship or vessel under their convoy for the
purpose OF examining whether it be laden
with enemy's property or articles by this law
declared contraband of war, or whether it
De bound to port actually blockaded.
The 5th section provides that the said
commanders shall not permit any privateer
or other than national armed vessel to visit
any vessel under their convoy.
he 9th section requires the commanders
| to resist by force the capture of any vessel
under their convoy for any other cause than
having enemies property or articles contra
band OF war on board, or being bound to a,
port actually blockaded, and to continue
such resistance SO long as may be necessary
| tor the protection of the vessels under their
convoy.
1he I'm section provides that vessels UNI
der convoy, agreeably to the provisions of the
act, may be armed; that they shall permit
search in cases before mentioned; but that
they shall resist any search by privateers.
letters OF marque, or private armed vessels.
The 9th section provides that vessels de-
scrlbed In the preceding section shall resist,
capture, &c. IN the same manner as the COM
mandcrs of the vessels conveying them are
by this bill authorised to do.
The 9Th section requires of every mcr-
chant vessel armed as aforesaid, previous to
obtaining clearance, bond that its guns an',
ammunition, &c shall not be used for any
unlawful purposes but merely for resistance
& defence, in the cases authorised & specih-
ed in this act, aud that such arms shall be
returned within the u. S.
! The 10th section provides that vcsselsthus
conveyed shall be subject to the signals of The
commanderOf the armed vessels converting
and 10 such rules and regulations as the Pre-
| sdent may, under the provisions of the act
establish torthe govt of the convoy.
The 18th section limits the duration of the
bill to ayear, and from thence to the end of
the next session of Congress thereafter.l
| The bill was twice read and referred to a
committee of the whole on Monday week.
EXPORTS FOR 1909.
The following report was received from
the Secretary of the Treasury:
Treasury DEPARTMENT,
| FEB, uary Z, 1910.
Sir. I have the honor to transmit here
with a statement Of goods, wares and mer-
chandize exported from the United States
nomlnally during one year prior to the first
day of October, 1909. but in fact during the
six months and a half ending on that day.
expectations having been prevented by the
embargo till the fiireeenth day of March,
1909.
| The goods, wares and merchandise oe
domestic growth manufacture, included in
this statement, are estimated at 6 81, 4O5 ,702
| Aad those of foreign growth
or manufacture at 2O797531
| Amounting together to 50, 203 23S
| The articles of domestic manufacture
may be arranged under the following heads,
viz:
Produce Of the sea 1900