, 1864-08-08
OFFICIAL.
LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES
Passed at the First Session Of the Thirty
Eighth Congress.

An AcT to regulate the admeasurcmeut Of ton.
mage Of ships and vessels Of the United States.
Be il enacted By the Sendfe and House Of
Representatives Of the United States Of Americd
IN 0RgTea assembled. That every ship or vessel
built within the United States, or that may be
owned bya citizen or citizens thereof, on or after
the first day Of January, eighteen hundred and
sixty-hvc. shall be measured and registered in
the manner hereinafter provided; also every ship
or vessel that is now owned by citizen or citl-
zens Of the United States shall be remeasured
and reregistered upon her arrival after said day
at port OF entry in the United States, and prior
to her departure therefrom, in the same manner
as hereinafter described: PrOuided, That any
ship or vessel built within the United States
after the passage Of this act may be measured
and registered in the manner herein provided.
See. 2. ARd be IL further enacted, That the
register Of every vessel shall express her length
and breadth, tOge her with her depth. and the
height under the third or spar deck. which shall
be ascertained in the following manner The
tonnage deck, in ytssels having three or more
decks 10 the hull. shall be the second deck from
below; In all other cases the upper deck Of the
hull is TO be the tonnage deck. The length from
the forcpart Of the outer planking, on the side
OF the stem, to the aiterpaFt OF the main stern
post Of screw steamers, and to the aiterpart Of
the rudderp0st Of all other vessels measured on
the top Of the tonnage deck. shall be accounted
the vessels length. The breadth Of tie broadest
part on the outside OF the vessel shall be account
ed the vessels breadth Of beam. A measure
from the under sideof tonnage deck plank. amid
ships. to The ceiling Of the bold, (avcrage thick.
ness) shall be accounted the depth Of hold II
the vessel has third deck, then the height from
the top Of the tonuage-deck plank to the under
side Of the upper deck plank shall be accounted
US the height under the spar deck All measure
ment to be taken in feet and fractions Of feet
and all fractions Of feet shall be expressed IN
decimals.
See. s. And b It further enacted, That the
register tonnage Of vessel shall be her entire
internal cubical capacity in tons Of one hundred
cubic feet each, TO BE- ascertained as follows
Measure the length Of the vessel In o straight
line along the upper side Of the tonnage deck
from the inside Of the inner plank. (average
thicknessl at the side OF the stem TO the inside
Of the plank on the stern timbers, average thick
neSs) deducting from this length what IS due 70
the rake Of the bow in the thickness Of the deck
and what is due to the rake Of the stern.timber
In the thickness Of the deck and also what Is due
to the rake Of the stern-timber In one-third Of
the round Of the beam divide the length SO
taken into the number Of equal parts required
BY the following table, according TO the class ih
such table TO which the vessel belongs:
TABLE or CLASSES.
Glass sl.-vesselso of which the tonnage length
according to the above measurement is fifty feet
or under, into six equal parts.
Glass 2.-Vesselso Of which the tonnage length
according TO the above measurement is above
fifty feet, and not exceeding one hundred feet
long, into eight equal parts.
Glass 3.-Vessels Of which the tonnage length
according 10 the above measurement isaboye one
hundred feet long, and not exceeding one hundred
and ilfty feet long, into ten equal parts.
Glass 4.-Yesselso Of which the tonnage length
according to the above measurement is above
one hundred and iiltt feet, and not exceeding
two hundred feet long. into twelve equal parts.
Glass 5.-Vessels Of which the tonnage length
according TO the above measurement is above
two hundred feet, and not exceeding two hun.
dred and fifty feet long, into fourteen equal
parts.
Class,-vessslso Of Which The tonnage lcnsth