Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-12-21
oFEIcIAL.
LAWS or THR UNITRij STAIRS
Pissed at the Seconf Scssfon Of the RortD-seoofid
Congress.
[GENERAL NATuRE-No. l1l.l


commissioners by the several circuit courts " Tie
United States to superintend the shipping and
discharge Of seamen engaged In merchant ahipA
beonging TO the United States, and for the further
protection OF seamen.
Re IL eilaoied bV the Senate and HOuse of Re,resen
aips u the United States Of America IN Congress as
senbed That the several circuit courts OF the UNI
ted States in which circuits there is a sea port or
sea ports for which there Is collector OF customs
or in which there is port Of entity shall appoint
commissioner for such seaport within their rei pee
tive circuits az In their Judgment may require the
sane, and which shall als1 be ports Of ocean navi-
pa ION. such commissioners to he termdd tshippin
cOnmisaioners;" and may, from time TO time re-
move from Ofllce any of the said commissioners
whom 1t may have reason TO believe does not rr %
ery perform his duties; and shal provide for I ie
D oper performances Of such duties until another
nrrsOn Ia duly appointed In his place; shall rei II ate
he mode OF conducting business in lhs selpp ny
ulllCes TO be established by the shpplng-cOInnin-
az hereinafter provided and shall have full
and complete control over the same, subject to the
provisions herein contained.
SKC g. That every shipping commissioner 80 an
pointed shall enter Into bonds the United Stat g.
conditioned for the fathful performance Of the du
required I'm his Onlce, for sum, In the discre-
ton OF the circuit Judge OF not less than 1--WE thons-
ana dollars with Two good Bnd sufficient securities
therefor, TO be approved by said Judge: and shall
take and subscribe the following oath before enter
Ing upon the duties OF his Ofice; al do solemny
swear (ur atflrm, as the case miy hey that will
support the Constitution OF the United States: and
that Will truy and faithful di charge the duti g
Of shipping commissioner TO the best OF my ability
and according to law. Said oath shall be endorsed
on the commission or certificate OF appointment
aud signed by him, and certified by the Unicer be-
lore whom such oath or affirmation shall have been
taken.
SEC. 8. That any shipping commissioner NAV en-
gage clerk or clerks ts assist him In the transac-
tiOn OF the business OF the shippng-oiilce, At his
own proper cost, and may, In OF necessity de-
pute such clerk or clerks TO act for him In his Ocial
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 penal.
ties such clerk or deputy may incur by the violation
Of any OF tho provisions OF this act and all acts
done by clerk, or such deputy, shall be as valid
and budng 40 II done Dy the shipping commission
er. Each shippng-commsaioner shat provide a
seal with which he shall authenticate all his ON lal
Bcts, on which seal thall be engraved the arms Of
the United stated and the name OF the seaport or
district for which he II commissioned. Any instru-
ment, either printed or written purporting to be the
OniCil act OF shipping cOmmissiOner aud purpOr-
ting TO be under the seal and signature Of such ship
plng-c )mmissioner, shall be received as prima-
farle evivence OF the official character Of such
Instrument and OF the truth Of the facts therein
forth.
SIC 4. That every shipping commissioner shall
lease, rent or procure at his own cost suitable pre-
misses for the transaction Of business, and for the
preservation Of the books and other documents con-
nected Herewith, and which premises shall be Bty-
ed "lhe shipping commissioners 0tilce." And the
general busdess OF a shipping commissioner shall
Ire first 10 afford facilities for engaging seamen by
keeping register of their Dames and char4 cters;
secondly, TO superintend their eng cement and dis
charge, in manner hereafter mentlOned thr ily, 10
provide means Tor securing the presence on board
ut the proper times Of men who are so engaged:
fOufthly, to facilitate the making the apprentice
ships To the sea-service and TO perform such other
du les relating TO merchant amen and me chant
ships as are hereby or may hereafter, unuCr the
powers herein ntaned, be committed to M.
SIC. D. That such fees, not exceeding the sums
specified In the table marked "a ia the schedule
hereto annexed shall be payable upon all engage
ments and discharges effect d before shipping
c mmissiOnefa shall cause a scale Of the fees paya-
ble TO be prepared, and to be consplcuOusy placed
IN the sllipping-Ollce; ard the shipping commits
slOher may refuse TO proceed with any engagement
or discharge unless the fees payable thereon are
irs paid.
master Of ship engaging or dlsChaTglng any sea-
men or seaman In Il shipping-oilce or before a
shipping commissioner, shall pay TO the shipping
commissioner 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
apprentlcesl 80 engaged or discharged. and retain
any sum not exceeding the same specified IN that
behalf In the table marked 'B' In the schedule here
SIC. That any shipping commissioner, or any
any clerk or employee In any shipping onlce, who
shall demand or receive any remuneration what
ever, either dlrectyOr Indirectly for hiring or sup.
plying any seaman for an merchant ships except
ing the lawful fees payable under this act, shall for
every such enense, incur a penalty not exceeding
two hundred liars,
SIC. 8. That in the case Of any place or port in
which no shipping commissioner shall have bren
appointed then the whole or any part Of the busi-
ness OF shipping commissioner shall be conduct
ed by the collector or deputy collector OF customs OF
huch place or port and tnrespect OF such business
such custom-house shall be deemed alshipping office
and the collector or deputy collector Of customs to
whom such business shall be committed shall for
all purposes be deemed a shipping-cOmmisiOne
within the meaning OF this act; and any person
other then commissioner under this act who shall
perform, or attempt to perform, either directly
Indirectly, tine duties which by this act set forth
as pertaining to a "shipping commissioner" shall
incur penalty not exceeding five hundred dollars
PT0ued THAT nothing in this actshall be construed
as To prevent the owner, or COnsgnee, master OF
any snip except such as are described in section
twelve OF this act, from performing himself, 80 far
rs the said ships are concerned the duties OF Ship
ping commissioner under this act.
SIC. 9. That every shipping commissioner ap-
pointed under this act shall, II applied to for the
purpose Of apprenticing boys TO the service by
any masters or owners OF ships tOr by any person
OF persons legally qualified, give such assistance as
Is IN their power for facilitating the making OF such
appfenticeships; but the hipplng-cOmmissiOneI
sented TO be bound and that the parents or guar
dan OF said boy have consented TO said apprentice
snip, and has obtained the age o twelve years, and
is Of sufficient health and strength, and that the
master to whom the boy Is TO be bluRd is a proper
person for the purpose: PrsUided, That said ap-
premiership shall terminate when the apprentice
becomes eighteen years of age. And the shipping
commissioner may receive from the persons avail
ing themselves OF such assistance the fees conlaA
ed In table &C" I'm this schedule herein annex
ed. And The shipping commissioner shall keep
register OF all indentures Of apprenticeship made
before him.
SIC. 10 That the master OF every foreign going
ship shall, before carrying any apprentice 10 sea
from any place In the United States cause such ap
preneice to appear before the shipping commission
or before whom tho crew is engaged, and shall pro.
duce 70 him the indenture by which such apprentice
Is bound, and the assignment or assignments there
OF, uf any, and the name of said apprentice, with
tile date OF the indentnre and the assignment or as
sgnmeuts thereof df any shall be entered on the
agreements and 30 much assignment shall be made
without the approval of a commissioner, the ap-
prentice, his parents, or his guardian And for any
default In Obeyng the provisions o. this section the
master shall, sOr ach Oifenae incur a penalty n
exceeding one hundred dollars.
SIC. II. hat II any rson shall demqnd or re-
g I've, either directly or indirectly, from any seamlT
seeking employment as a seaman, or from any Othel
person on his behalf, any remuneration whatever
ether than the fees hereby authorized for prOyi
ding him with employment he shalt for every sucl
olleLse, incur penalty not exceed one hundred
dollars.
SIC. l2 That the mastor OF every ship bound
fum port In the United states to any foreign port
or of any ship OF tile burden OF seventy five tons
upward, bound from port on the Atlantic to pOr
On the Pacific, or vice versa, shall, before he pro-
Ceeds on such voyage, make an agreeneet, in will
tlug or In print, with every seaman whom he ca
1its TO sea as one OF the crew. I'm the manner here
matter mentioned; and every such agreement shal
.r In the form, as nt ar as may be, as he euntO II
tlpe "D In the schedule annexed, and shall b
Gated at the time OF the nrst signature thereof
shall be signed bv the master before any seamal
kgns the same, and shall contain the Following par
rulars that is TO say First the nature, and as fa
aS practicable the duration OF the intended voyag
Engagement, and the port or country at which th
voyage is to terminatei secondly, the number and
description OF the crew, specifying their respt CIV
Ump0yments; thirdly, the time OF which each sea
man Is TO be on board TO begin work; fourthly, the
capacity In which each seaman Is to serve; nfthly
the amount of wages each seaman Is to receive
siXthly, sct lie OF the provisions which are TO b
furnished TO each seaman; ssVenthly, any regua
II ms TO cOndHct on board, and as to fbes, shOr
allowance OF prOvisl0Bs,or otherlaWful punishment
for misconduct as may he sanctioned by Congress
az regulations proper 10 be adopted, and which N