The true Democrat., 1855-09-11


 deemed and held to be compliance with the provisions of this section.
 5 5. And be it further enacted, That every vessel carrying more than 50 such passengers, shall have for their use on deck, housed and conveniently arranged, at feast one camboose or cooking range, the dimensions of which shall be equal to four feet long and one foot SIX ln- ches wide for every POO passengers; and provi- sion shall be made in the manner aforesaid, III this ratio, for greater or less number of pas sengers; but nothing herein contained shall take away the right to make such arrangements for cooking between decks, if that shall be deemed desirable.
 3 G. And be it further enacted, That all ves- sels employed as aforesaid, shall have on board, for the use of such passengers, at the time of leaving the last port whence such vessel shall sail, well secured under deck, for each passen- ger, at least 20 pounds of good navy bread, 15 pounds of rice, 15 pounds of oatmeal, lOpounds of wheat flour, 15 pounds of peas and beans, 20 pounds of potatoes, one pint of vinegar, 60 gallons of fresh water, 10 pounds ofsalted pork, and 10 pounds of salt beef, free of bone, all to be of good quality; but at places where either rice, oatmeal, wheat tiour or peas and beans cannot be procured, of good quality and on req sonable terms, the quantity of either or any of the other last named articles may be increased and substituted therefor; and in case potatoes cannot be procured on reasonable terms, one pound of either of said articles may be substi- tuted in lieu of pounds of potatoes; and the captains of such vessels shall deliver to each passenger at least one tenth part of the afore- said provisions weekly, commencing on the day of sailing, and at least three quarts of water daily; and if the passengers on board of any such vessel in which the provisions and water herein required shall not have been provided as aforesaid, shall, at any time, be put on short allowance during any voyage, the master or owner of any such vessel shall pay to each and every passenger who shall have been put on short allowance the sum of S3 for each and every day they may have been put on short al- lowance to be recovered in the circuit or district court of the United States; and it shall be the duty of the captain or master of every such ship or vessel to cause the food and provisions of all the passengers to be well and properly cooked daily, and to be served out and distri- buted to them at regular and stated hours, by messes, or in such other manner as shall be deemed best and most conducive to the health and comfort of such passengers, of which hours and manner of distribution, due and sufficient notice shall be given. If the captain or master of any such ship or vessel, shall wilfully fail to furnish and distribute such provisions, cook ed as aforesaid, he shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon convection thereof be- fore any circuit or district court of the United States shall be fined not more than S ,OOO and shall be imprisoned for term not exceeding l year: Provided, That the enforcement of this penalty shall not affect the civil responsibility of the captain or master and owners, to such passengers as may have suffered from said de- fault
 '. And be it further enacted, That the captain of any such vessel so employed, is here by authorized to maintain good discipline and such habits of cleanliness among such passen- gers as will tend to the preservation and pro- motion of health; and to that end he shall cause such regulations as he may adopt for this purpose to be posted up, before sailing, on board such vessel, ln place accessible to such pas sengers, and shall keep the same so posted up during the voyage; and it is hereby made the duty of sad captain to cause the apartments occupied by such passengers to be kept at all times in a clean, healthy state; and the owners ot every such vessel so employed, are required to construct the decks and all parts of said apart ment so that 1t can bethoroughly cleansed; and they shall also provide safe, convenient privy or water-closet for the exclusive use of every 100 such passengers. And when the weather is such that said passengers cannot be mustered on deck with their bedding. it shall be the du- ty of the captain of every such vessel to cause the deck, occupied by such passengers, to be cleansed with chloride of lime, or some other equally efficient dsinfecting agent, and also at such other times as said captain may deem ne- cessary.
 ] s. And be it further enacted That the master and owner or owners of any such vessel so employed, which shall not be provided with the house or houses over the passage ways, as prescribed in the Sd section of this chapter or with ventilators, as prescribed in the 4th sec ton of this chapter, or with the cambooses or cooking ranges, with the houses over them, as prescribed in the 9th section of this chapter, shall severally forfeit and pay to the United States the sum of $2OO for each and every vio- lation of, or neglect to conform to, the prov- sions of each of said sections and $50 for each and every neglect or violation of any of the provisions of the 17th section of this chapter, to be recovered by suit in any circuit or district court of the United States within the jurisdic~ ton of which the said vessel may arrive, or from which she may be about to depart or at any place within the jurisdiction of such courts, wherever the owner or owners, or ca ptain of such vessel may be found.
 , g. And be it further enacted, That the collector of the customs at any port of the United States, at which any vessel so employ ed shall arrive, or from which any such vessel shall be about to depart shall appoint and d- rect one or more of the inspectors of the cus- toms for such port, to examine such vessel and report in writing to such collector, whether the requirements of law have been complied with in respect to such vessel; and if such report shall state such compliance, and shall be ap- proved by such collector it shall be deemed and held as primo tacie evidence thereof.
 10. And be it further enacted, That the provisions, acquisitions, penalties, and liens of this act, relating to the space in vessels appro- priated to the use of passengers, are hereby ex- tended and made applicable to all spaces appro- priated to the use of steerage passengers in ves- sels propelled in whole or in part by steam, and navigating from to, and between the ports, and in manner as in this act named, and to such vessels and to the masters thereof and so much of the act entitled An act to amend an act entitled an act to provide for the better security of the lives of passengers on board of vessels propelled in whole or in part by steam, and for other purposes" approved August 3Oth, 1852, as conflicts with this act, is hereby repealed; and the space appropriated to the use of steerage passengers in vessels so as above propelled ana naVlSated, IS hereDy subJect to the super vision and inspection of the collector of the customs at any port of the United States at which any such vessel shall arrive, or from which she shall be about to depart; and the same shall be examined and reported in the same manner and by the same officers by the next preceding section directed to examine and report.
 } II. And be it further enacted, That the vessels bound from any port in the United States to any port or place in the Pacific Ocean, or on its tributanes, or from any such port or place to any port in the United States on the Atlantic or its tributaries, shall be subject to the foregoing provisions regulating the carriage of passengers in merchant vessels, except so much as relates to provisions and water; but the owners and masters of all such vessels shall in all cases furnish to each passenger the daily supply of water therein mentioned; and they shall furnish | q sniff ciant Sunnlv of Uood and wholesome food