New Orleans Republican., 1872-10-03

United States, conditioned for the faithful
performance of the duties required in hi
Office for sum. in the discretion of tn
circuit Judge, of not less than five thousan(
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 hi
office: II do soIemnly swear Tor affirm, al
the case may bel that l will support tht
constitution of the United States; and tha
l will truly and faithfully discharge tht
duties of shipping commissioner to tht
best of my ability, and according to law.
Said oath shall be indorsed on the commits
sion or certificate of appointment anC
signed By him and certified by the office
before whom such oath or affirmation shall
have been taken.
Sec. 3. That any shipping commissioner
may engage clerk or clerks to assist hin
IN 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 oficia
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
|
commissioner shall provide seal with
which he 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
1nissioned. Any instrument, either printed
or written, purportlng to be the Official act
| of shipping commissioner, and puIpOrt-
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 aud
! other documents connected Herewith, and
which premises shall be styled ''the ship
| ping-cOmmissioner' Office" And the gen
| eral business of a shipping commissioner
| shall be, first, to afford facilities for en-
| gaging seamen by keeping register of
their names and characters; secondly, to
| supeTintend 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 facili-
tate the making Of apprenticeships to the
sea service, and to perform such other du-
ties relating Co merchant seamen and mer
chant ships as are hereby or may hereafter,
under the powers herein contained, be COM
mitted to him.
SEC. s. That such fees, not exceeding the
sums specified in 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 a scale of the
fees payable to be prepared, and to be con
spicUously placed in the shipping office; and
the shipping commissioner may refuse to
proceed with any engagement or discharge
sunless the fees payable thereon are first
paid.
Sec. 6. That every owner. consiguee,
agent, or master of a ship engaging or dis
charging any seamen or seaman in ship
ping office, or before a shipping commits
soner, 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 in the table marked ',B' in
the schedule hereto annexed.
SEC. Z. That any shipping commissioner,
or any clerk or employe in any shipping
Ol1C6y WHO 5udlI U6ulduu OE receive any re-
muneratiOn whatever either directly or ins
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 g. 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 a shipping com
missioner shall be cond ducted 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 commissioner IN
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 a shipping commits
sioner," shall incur penalty not exceeding
tive 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
apprenticeships; but the shipping commits
sioner shall ascertain that the boy has
consented to be bound, and
that the parents or guardian of said boy
have consented to said apprenticeship, and
has attained the age of twelve years, and
is of sufficient health and strength, and that
the master to whom the boy is to be bound
ls proper person for the purpose: pro
vided, That said apprenticeship shall termi-
nate when the apprentice becomes eighteen
years of age. And the shipping commits
3ioner may receive from the persons avail
ing themselves of such assistance the fees
contained III table ''C' in the schedule
hereto annexed. And the shipping com-
shall keep register 0TaIl inden-
lures Of apprenticeship made before him.
Sec. 10. That the master of every foreign
going ship shall, before carrying any ap-
prentice to sea from any place in the United
States. cause such apprentice to appear be-
sOre the shipping commissioner before
whom the crew is engaged, and shall pro-
luce to him the indenture by which such
is bound, and the assignment or
is thereof Gf any, and the name
# said apprentice, with the da5e Of the
and the assignment or assion-
nents thereof Gf anY) shall be entered On
he agreement; and no such assignment
hall be made without the appF0Tal of a
the apprentice, his parents,
T his guardian And for any default in s
beylng the provisions of this section. the
laster snail, Tor each Otfense incur pen