Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1873-02-01
same, subject to the provisions herein con-

performance or the duties required IN his
office, for sum, in the discretion of the
circuit judge, of not less than five thou
sand dollars, with two good and sufficient
securities therefor, to be approved by said
Judge; and shall take and subscribe the
following oath before entering upon the
duties of his office: 81 do solemnly swear
Tor affirm, as the same may be- that 1 will
support the Constitution of the United
States and that will truly and faithful
ly discharge the duties Of a shipping COM
missioner to the best of my ability, and
according to law" Said oath shall be en-
dorsed on the commission or certificate of
appointment, and signed by him, and GER
titled by the officer before whom such oath
OF affirmation shall have been taken.
Sec. 8. That any shipping commissioner
may engage clerk or clerks to assist him
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 official
capacity; but the shipping commissioner
shall be held responsible for the acts of ev
cry such clerk or deputy, and will be per-
sonally 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 rs if done by the
-
commissioner shall provide a 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
missicned. Any instrument, either print
ed or written, purporting to be the official
act of a shipping commissioner, and pur-
porting to be under the seal and signature
of such shipping commissioner, shall be
received as prima- facie evidence of the Of
fetal character of such instrument, and of
the truth of the facts therein set forth.
Sec. 1. That every shipping commission
er shall lease, rent, or procure 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 shipping commissioners of
fice.n And the general business of q ship
ping commissioner shall be, first, to af-
ford facilities for engaging seamen by
keeping 4 register of their names and
characters second, to superintend their
engagement and discharge, in manner
hereinafter mentioned thirdly, to pro-
vide means for securing the presence on
board at the proper times of men who are
so engaged; fOurthly, to facilitate the
making of apprenticeships to the sea ser
vice; and to perform such other duties re-
lating to merchant Seamen and merchant
ships as ere hereby or may hereafter, I'M
der the powers herein contained, be COM
mitted to him.
Sec. ). That such fees, not exceeding the
sums specified in the table marked GA" 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 Il scale of the
fees payable to be prepared, and to be con-
spicuously.placed in the shipping office;
and the shipping commissioner may re-
fuse to proceed with any engagement or
discharge unless the fees payable thereon
are first paid.
Sec. 6. That every owner, consigne,
agent, or master Of a ship engaging or
discharging any seamen or seaman in a
shipping office, or before a shipping COM
missioner, shall pay to the shipping COM
missioner the whole of the fees herby pay
able in respect of such engagement or dis
charge, 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 APP
prentices) SO engaged or discharged, and
retain any sums not exceeding the sums
specified in that behalf in the table mark
ed "B" in the schedule hereto annexed.
Sec. I. That any shipping commission
er, or any clerk or employee in any ship
ping office" who shall demand or receive
any remuneration whatever, either direct
ly or indirectly, for hiring or supplying
any seaman for any merchant ships, eX
cepting the lawful fees payable under this
act, shall, for every such Offense, incur q
penalty not exceeding two hundred dol
lars.
Sec. s. That in the case of any place OF
port in which no shipping commissioner
shall have been appointed, then the whole
or any part of the business of a shipping
commissioner shall be conducted by the
collector or deputy collector of customs of
such place Oh port and i'll respect of such
business such custom house shall be deem
ed shipping office, and the collector or
deputy collector of customs to whom such
business shall be committed for all purpos
es be deemed a shipping commissioner
within the meaning of this act; and any
person other than commissioner under
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 commissioner"
shall incur penalty not exceeding five
hundred dollaas Provided, That nothing
in this act shall be construed as to prevent
the owner, or cOnsignee, or master of any
ship, except such as are described in sec
ton twelve of this act, from performing
himself so far as the said ships ale con-
cerned, the duties Of shipping commission
er under this act.
Sec. 8. That every shipping COM
missioner appointed under this act shall,
if applied to for the purpose of apprentice
ing boys to the sea-service by any masters
or owners of ships, or by any person or
persons legally qualified, give such assist
ance as is in their power for facilitating
the making of such apprenticeships but
the shipping commissioner shall ascer-
tain that the boy has voluntarily consent
ed 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 is prop
er person for the purpose: Proutded, That
said apprenticeship shall terminate when
the apprentice becomes eighteen years of
age And the shipping commissioner may
receive from the persons availing them
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