New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-10-10
NEW ORLEANS REPUBLICAN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10 1872

performance of the duties required in his
| office. for a sum. in the discretion of the
circuit Judge, of not less than five thousand
| dollars, with two good and sufficient securi-
| ties therefor, to be approved by said judge;
| aud shall take and subscribe the following
oath before entering upon the duties of his
Office: II do sOlemnly swear Tor affirm, as
the case may bel that | will support the
constitution of the United States; and that
| | will truly and faithfully discharge the
/ duties of shipping commissioner to the
| best OF my ability, and according to law"
| Said oath shall be Endorsed on the commits
| sion or certificate of appointment, and
| signed by him and certified by the officer
| before whom such oath or affirmation shall
have been taken.
| SEC. 3. That any shipping commissioner
may engage a clerk or clerks to assist him
III the transaction of the business Of the
shipping office, at his own proper cost, and
may, IN case Of necessity, depute such clerk
| or clerks to act for him in his official
capacity; but the shipping commissioner
shall be held responsible for the acts Of
every such clerk or deputy, and will be
personally liable for any penalties such
clerk or deputy may incur by the violation
of any of the provisions of this act; and
all acts done by clerk, as such deputy,
shall be as valid and binding as if done BY
the shipping commissioner. Each shipping
commissioner shall provide a seal with
which Re shall authenticate all his official
acts, on which seal shall be engraved the
arms OF the United States and the. name of
the seaport or district for which he is com
missioned Any instrument, either printed
or written, purpOrting to be the official act
Of shipping commissioner, and pu1port-
ing to be under the seal and signature of
such shipping commissioner, shall be re-
ceived as prima facie evidence of the Off
cial character of such instrument, and of
the truth Of the facts therein set forth.
Sec. 4. That every shipping com
missioner shall lease, rent, or pro-
cure at his own cost. suitable
premises for the transaction of business,
and for the preservation of the books and
other documents connected Herewith, and
which premises shall be styled ''the ship
plng-commissi0ners Office" And the gen
eral business of shipping commissioner
shall be, first to afford facilities for en-
gaglng seamen by keeping a register of
their names and characters: secondly, to
superintend their engagement and dis
charge, in manner hereinafter mentioned;
thirdly, TO provide means for securing the
presence on board at the proper times of
men who are SO engaged; fourthly, to faeii
tate the making of apprenticeships to the
sea service, and to perform such other du-
ties relating TO merchant seamen and mer-
under the powers herein contained, be com
mitted to him.
SEC s. That such fees, not exceeding the
sums specified III the table marked "a" in
the schedule hereto annexed, shall be pay
able upon all engagements and discharges
effected before shipping commissioners as
hereinafter mentioned, and such shipping
commissioners shall cause scale of the
fees payable to be prepared and to be con-
spicuously placed in the shipping Offices and
the shipping commissioner may refuse to
proceed with any engagement or discharge
unless the fees payable thereon are first
paid.
SEC. g. That every owner. consiguee,
agent, or master of ship engaging or dis
charging any seamen or seaman in a ship
ping office, or before shipping commits
sioner, shall pay to the shipping commits
sioner the whole of the fees hereby made
payable in respect of such engagement or
discharge, and may, for the purpose Of in
part reimbursing himself, deduct in respect
Of each such engagement or discharge, from
the wages of all persons Except appren-
tices) so engaged Or discharged, and retain
any sums not exceeding the sums specified
in that behalf il the table marked b in
the schedule hereto annexed.
SEC. 7. That any shipping commissioner,
or any clerk or emplOye in any shipping
office, who shall demand or receive any re,
Enumeration whatever, either directly or in
directly, for hiring or supplying any sea-
man for any merchant ships, excepting the
lawful fees payable under this act, shall
for every such otfense, incur a penalty not
exceeding two hundred dollars.
SEC. 8. That in the case of any place or
port in which no shipping commissioner shall
have been appointed then the whole or
any part of the business Of shipping com
missioner shall be conducted by the col
lector or deputy collector of customs of
such place or port; and in respect of such
business such CustOmhOuse shall be deemed
a shipping office, and the collector or
deputy collector Of customs to whom such
business shall be committed shall for all
purposes be deemed a shipping commits
sioner within the meaning of this act; and |
any person other than a commissioner I'M
der this act who shall perform, or attempt |
to perform, either directly or indirectly; |
the duties which are by this act set forth |
as pertaining to shipping commits
sioner," shall incur a.penalty not exceeding |
five hundred dollars; provided, that moth
ing in this act shall be construed as to pre-
vent the owner, or cOnsignee, or master of |
any ship, except such as are described in
section twelve of this act, from performing |
himself so far as the said ships are CON
cerned, the, duties Of shipping commits
sioner under this act.
SEC 9. That every shipping commissioner
appointed under this act shall, if applied to
for the purpose Of apprenticing boys to the
sea service by any masters or owners of
ships, or by any person or persons legally
qualified, give such assistance as in their
power for facilitating the making of such
4pprentlceships; but the shipping commits
3ioner shall ascertain that the boy has
consented to be bound, and
hat the parents or guardian Of said boy
nave consented to said apprenticeship, and
las attained the age of twelve years, and
9 OF sufficient health and strength, and that
he master to whom the boy is to be bound
: a proper person for the purpose: pro
rided, That said apprenticeship shall termi-
late when the apprentice becomes eighteen
-eaTs of age. And the shipping commits
ioner may receive from the persons avail
ng themselves of such assistance the fees
in table &C" in the schedule
hereto annexed. And the shipping com
missioner shall keep a register of all linden
ures of apprenticeship made before him.
SEC. H. That the master of every foreign
toing ship SHALL before carrying any APP
prentice tosea from any place in the United
states. cause sdch apprentice to appear be-
ore the shipping commissioner before
whom the crew is engaged, and shall pro-
luce to him the indenture by which such
pprentice is bound, and the assignment or
ssignments thereof IF any, and the name
f said apprentice, with the date of the
ndenture and the assignment or assign
lents thereof if any shall be entered on !
ne agreement; and no such assignment
hall be made without the approval Of a
the apprentice, lis parents,
r his guardian And for any default in
oeylng The, provisions of this section, the t
Iaster shall, for each offense, incur a pen ]
~ not exceeding one hundred dollars.