Squatter sovereign. [volume] (Atchison, Kan. Terr.) 1855-1858, 1855-04-24
Public ST.
AN ACT to regulate the carriage Of passengers
in steamships and other vessels.

AN ACT to regulate the carriage Of passengers
in steamships and other vessels.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Re-
representatives. of the United States of America
in Congress assembled, That no master of any
vessel owned in whole or in part by citizen of
the United States, or by citizen of any foreign
country, shall take on board such vessel, at any
foreign port or place, other than foreign con-
tinguous territory of the United States, great
er number of passengers than in proportion of
one to every two tons of such vessel, not in
GLIDING children under the age of one year in
the computation, and computing two children
over one and under eight years of age as one
passenger. That the spaces appropriated for
the use of such passengers, and which shall not
be occupied by stores other goods not the
personal baggage Of such passengers, shall be
in the following proportions, VIZ: On the main
or poop decks and platforms and in the deck
houses, if there be any, one passenger for each
sixteen clear superficial feet of deck, if the
height distance between the decks or plat
form shall not be less than six feet, and on the
lower deck, (not being an oriop deck, il any,
one passenger for eighteen such clear super
fciai feet, if the height or distance between the
decks or platforms shall not be less than six
feet, with intent to bring such passenger to the
United States, and shall leave such port or
place and bring the same, or any number there
of, within the jurisdiction of the United States;
or if auy such master Of any vessel shall take
on board his vessel, at any port or place within
the jurisdiction of the United States, any great
aforesaid to the space aforesaid, or to the ton
mage aforesaid, with intent to carry the same to
any foreign port or place other than foreign
contiguous territory as aforesaid, every such
master shall be deemed guilty of misdemean-
or, and upon conviction thereof, before any cir
cult or district court of the United States, shall.
for each passenger taken on board beyond the
limit aforesaid, or the space aforesaid, be fined
in the sum of fifty dollars, and may also be
imprisoned, at the discretion of the Judge be-
fore whom the penalty shall be recovered, not
exceeding six months; but should 1t be necessa-
ry for the safety or convenience of the vessel,
that any portion of her cargo or any other arti-
cles, or article, should be placed on, or stored
in any of the docks, cabins, or other places APP
propriated to the use of passengers, the same
may be placed in lockers or enclosures prepared
for the purpose, on an exterior surface imper-
vious to the wave, capable OF being cleansed in
= like manner as the decks or platforms of the
vessel. In no case, however, shall the places
thus provided be deemed to be part of the
space allowable for the use of passengers, but
the same shall be deducted therefrom, and in all
cases where prepared or used, the upper surface
of said lockers on enclosed shall be deemed and
taken to be the deck or platform from which
measurement shall be made for all the purposes
of this act. 1t is also provided that one hospi-
tai in the spaces appropriated to passengers, and
separate therefrom by an appropriate partition
aud furnished as its purposes require, may be
prepared, and when used, may be included in
the space allowable for passengers, but the same
shall not occupy more than one hundred super
fetal feet of deck platform: Provided, That
on board two deck ships, where the height be-
tween the decks is seven and one-half feet or
more fourteen clear superficial feet of deck shall
be the proportion required for each passenger
SEC: ?. And be it further enacted, That no
such vessel shall have more than two tiers of
: berths, and the intervals between the lowest
part thereof and the deck or platform beneath
shall not be less than nine inches, and the berths
shall be well constructed, parallel with the
sides of the vessel, and separated from each
other by partitions, as berths ordinarily are
and at least two feet in width, and each berth
shall be occupied by no more than one passen-
ger; bat double berths OF twice the above width
may be constructed, each berth to be occupied
by no more, and no other, than two women, or
by one woman and two children under the age
CT eight years, or by husband and wife, or by
a man and two of his own children under the
age of eight years, or by two men, mem
bers of the same family: and if there shall
be any violation of this section in any OF its
provisions. then the master OF the vessel and
the owners thereof shall severaliy forfeit and
Tae the sum of FIVE dollars for each passenger
on heard Of sad vessel on such voyage, TO be
recovered BY the United States in any port
where such vessel may arrive or depart.
SEC. g.. And be itfurther enacted, That all
Vessels whether of the United States any
foreign country. having sufficient capacity or
apace according TO law for fifty or more pas
aeagers (other than cabin passensers) shall,
when employed in transporting such passen-
rers between the United States and Europe,
have, OF The upper deck. for the use of such
passengers, a house over the passage way Lead
Ing to che apartments allotted to such passsn-
gers below deck, firmly secured TO the deck or
Combines or the hatch, with two doors, The
sllis Of which shall be at least one foot above