The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1812-07-15
AN ACT

cd states shall De and he ~ hereby arthoflzcu anu
empowered 10 revoke and annul at pleasure all let
ters Of marque and rcprisal which lie shall or may
at any time grant, pursuant to an act cnuoed : An
act declaring war between the United Kingdom OF
Great Britain and Ireland and the dependencies
thereof and the United States OF America and ther
territories"
SEc.2 .qsd5s IL further enacted, That all persons
applying for letters Of marque and repsa, pursuant
TO the aforesaid, shall state IN writing the name
and suitable description Of the tonnage and force
of the vessel, and the name and place oil residence
of each owner concerned therein, and the intended
humber Of the crew which statement shall be sign
ed by the person or persons making such application
and filed with the Secretary of State, or shsl be de-
hyered 20 any other officer person who shall ne
employed 20 deliver out such commissions, TO be by
him transmitted 20 the Secretary Of State
SBc s. Ind be a. further enacted, That before any
Commssion of letters Of marque and reprisa shall
be issued aforesaid, the owner or owners OF the
ship vessel for which the shall be requested
and the commander thereof, for the time being, shall
give bond TO the United States, with st least two
sponsbe suretes not interested in such vessel, IN
yhe penal sum OF five thousand dollars or IT such
vessel be provided with more than one hundred and
nifty men, then in the penal sum OF ten thousand DOL
lars with condition that the owners, officers and
crew, who shall be employed on board such com.
issioned vessel shall and will observe The treaties
aud laws OF the United States, and the Instructions
which shall be given them according to law Tor the
regulation Of their conduct and will satisfy all dam
contrary TO tic tenor thereof by such vessel during
her commission. and 10 deliver up the same when
revoked by the President Of the United States
SIC. !. .andbe further slacSd, 'rhat all captures
and prizes ot vessels and property, shall be forfeited
and SHALL tccrue To the owners, officers and crews
of the vessels by whom such captures and prizes
shall he made add On due condemnation had, shall
Be dissfinHis1 according TO any written agreement
which shall be made between them and If there be
no such Igrccmen,, then one m0iety To the owners,
I,I,. "a nn(T,. ka
distributed between the Officers and nearly
may pc, according to the rules prescribed for the
distribution Of prize money, by the act entitled
An act for the better government OF the navy OF
the United States" passed the tweny-third day OF
.tprii, one thousand eight hundred
Sec. s. Ind be n further enacted That all vessels,
goods and effects the property of any citizen of the
United states, or of persons resident within and un-
der the protection Of The United States, persons
permanently resident within and under the protcc-
tlon OF any foreign prince, government state, III
smity with the United States, which shall have been
captured by the enemy and which shall be re-captur
cd by vessels commissioned as aforesaid, shall be
restored the lawful owners, upon payment by them
respectively OF just and reasonable salvage, to be
determined by the mutual agreement Of the parties
concerned, by the decree of aay court having eo
petent jurisdiciion according TO the nature of each
case agreeably the provisions heretofore estab.
lshed by law. Aad such salvage shall DC distributed
among the owners officers and crews Of the vessels
commissioned as aforesaid, and making such recap.
lures accordngto any written Agreements which shall
30 Aetween them and ~ Of no such agreement
then il HE same manner and upon the principles
herein before prov ,ded IN OF capture
SEC. s Ind be 10 further enacted That before
breakns bulk of any vessel which shall be captured
aforesaid, other disposal conversion thereof
or of any articles which shall be found on board the
same, such captured vessel, goods effects, shall
be brought into some port OF the United States, or
into some port Of nation IN amity with the United
Gfate be nrOce before n
pstent tribunal, and after condemnation ard forie-
ture thereof, shall belong TO the owners and captors
the reof, md be distributed afsresald And in the
case OF Ill captured vessels goods and cects which
shall sc brought within the jurisdiction OF the Unit
Ell StAJes, the district courts of the United States
shall h@,e exclusive original cognizance thereof,
An civ causes of admiralty and maritime jursdic-
tion and the SAID courts, or the courts, being
courts of the United States, into which such
shall be removed, and ia which they shall DC finally
decided shall and may decree restitution, in whole
Or in part, when the capture shall have been made
without just cause. And II made without probable
cause, otherwise unreasonabiy, may order and
decree damages and costs to the party injured, and
for which the owners and commanders OF the vessels
making such captures, and also the vessels, shall
be liable
SEc.7 Ind be t further enacted, That all prison
ers found on board any captured vessel, on board
any re-captured vessel, shall be reported to the col
lec,or of the port of the United States in which they
shall first arrive, and shall be delivered the
todv of the marshall OF the district civil
military officer of the United States, Of any state
in near such port who shall take charge of their
safe keeping and support at the expense of the Unit
ed States
SEC. . Ind Be i. f.r.he~ enacted, That the Pres-
dent OF the United shall be and he is hereby
author zed establish and order suitable Instructions
for the better governing and directing the conduc,
of the vessel, SO commissioned, their cfiicers and
crews, copies OF which shall be delivered, by the
q his. he picr. .xxl,c
they shall give bond as aforesaid
. SIC. ysai5s farther enacted, That a bounty
shall be paid by the United States OF twenty dollars
for each person on board any armed ship vessel,
belonging to the enemy, at the commen cement of
engagement, which shall be burnt, sunk or des-
troyed, by any vessel commissioned as aforesaid,
which shd, be of equal inferior force, the same
70 be divilrl - m niher cascs of prize murcN.