The Portland daily press., 1883-01-13
THE SHIPPING BILL.
Full Text Of the Measure as Passed BY
the House

SECTION THAT section 4131 of the Revised
Statutes be amended so as to read as follows:
Sec. 4131-VesselS registered pursuant to
law and no others except such as shall shall be
| duly qualified according to law for carrying
on the coast trade and fisheries or one of them
| shall be deemed vessels of the United States
and entitled to the benefits and privileges ap-
| pertaining to such vessels, but they shall not
enjoy the same longer than they shall continue
| to be wholly owned by citizens, and to be COM
manded by citizens of the Uuitea States.
SEC. 2.-That section 4419 of the Revised
Statutes be amended by striking out the follow
| ing words in the last clause "And any vessel
| any officer of which shall not be citizen of
the United States shall pay tax Of fifty cents
per tom
SEC. 3.-That section 1880 of the Revised
Statutes be amended to read as follows:
| Sec. 4580-Upon application of any seaman
| to consular officer for discharge if it appears
| to such officer that said seaman is entitled to
| his dischage under any act of Congress- or ac-
cording to the general principles or usages of
| maritime law as recognized in the United
| States, that officer shall discharge said seaman
and require from the master of said vessel be-
lore such discharge shall be made payment of
| wages then due such seaman. When a sea-
man is discharged by season of inability to per-
| form his duties whether in consequence of i'll
ness or other causes, the master shall be requir-
| ed to pay him only wages due at the time of
i his discharge but If the eeaman was discharg-
ed in consequence of any hurt or injury re-
/ ceived while in service of the ship, or illness
| caused by want of such food water, accommo-
| dation, medicine or anti scorbutics as are re-
/ quired by law the master shall be required to
| pay the expense of providing the necessary
surgical and medical advice with attendance
| and medicines until said seamen is cured or
| dies,or is brought back to some port in the Uni
| ted States.
SEs. 4-That section 1883 of the Revised
Statuted be amended SO to read as follows:
| Sec. 4583-No payment of extra wages shall
be required upon the discharge of any seaman
4 in any foreign country upon the termination
i of his agreement or by his own request, or in
| cases where the vessels are wrecked or strand
ed or condemned as unfit for service. II any
| consular officer upon complaint of any seaman
| that he has fulfilled his contract or that the
voyage is continued contrary to his agreemenG
is satisfied that the contract has expired or
that the voyage has not been colt nued by
| circumstances within the control of the master
he shall discharge the maj iner, but in case
the consular officer shall be satisfied that the
| master has designedly continued the voyage he
shallAreqnire from the said master the payment
| of one mouths extra pay over and above the
wages due at the time of discharge. But in
case the master OF the vessel shall provide the
said seaman with adequate employment on
board some other ship bound to the port at
which he was originally shipped to some
other port as may be agreed upon by him, or
furnish means of sending him back to such
POI or provide him with passage home or de-
| post with the consular officer such a sum of
money as is by such officer deemed sufficient
to defray the expenses of his subsistence and
passage home then no payment of extra wages
shall be required.
SEC. 5.-That Sec. 1852, Revised Statutes,
be amended to read as follows
Sec. 4682-Whenever vessel belonging to
citizen of the United States is sold in a for
eign country and her company discharged it
shall be the duty of the master to produce to
the consular officer certified list of his shi p's
company and also the shipping articles, and
pay said consular officer for every seaman ST.
discharged one months pay over and above
the wages whsch may be then due such sea-
man. But in case the master of said vessel 80
sold provide said seaman with adequate en-
| ployment on board some other ship bound to
the port at which he was originally shipped or
| to sucl other port as may be agreed upon by him
or furnish means of sending him back to such
port or provide him with passage home or de-
posit with the consular officer such sum of
| money as is by such officer deemed sufficient
to defray the expenses of his subsistence and
passage home, then no payment of extra wages
| shall be required
SEC. 6-That Sec. 46Co of the Revised Stat
| utes be amended to read as follows:
4 Sec. 4600-It shall be the duty of Con-
sular officers to reclaim disenters and discon-
countenance characterization by every means
| in their power, and whore local officers can be
4 -asefnlly employed for that purpose tcc lend
l their aid and use their exertions to that and in
/ the most effectnal manner. In all cases where
/ deserters are apprehended the consular Off
GERS shall inquire into the facts and if satisfied
| that the disertion was caused by unusual and
cruel treatment he shall be discharged and re-
| ccive an addition to his wages to the time of
/ his discharge one month pay, or the master
shall provide him with adequate employment
on board, some other ship bound to the port
! at which he was originally shipped or to such
| ether port as may be agreed upon by him, or
| furnish means of sendin G him back to such
/ port or provide him with passage home or de-
| posit with the consular officer such a sum as is
| by such officer deemed sufficient to defray the
| expenses nf his subsistence nd passage home;
and the officer discharging him shall enter up
| on the crew list and shipping articles the
| cause of the discharge and the particulars in
| which The cruelty or unusual treatment consis-
| ted aud the facts as to the discharge or re-en-
! gagement as the case may be and subscribe his
| name thereto officially.
SEC. THAT section 45S1 of the Revised
| Statutes be amended to read as follows:
Sec. 4581.-If any consular officer when dis
| charging any seaman shall neglect to require
| pay ment of and collect the extra wages and
| charges required to be paid he shall be ac-
countable to such seaman to the full amount
thereof; and If any seaman shall after discharge
| have incurree any expense for board or other
necessaries at the place of his discharge before
| shipping again such expenses shall be paid out
| OF the wages to which he shall be entitled
| which shall be retained for that purpose and
| the balance only be paid over to him.
Sec. 8.-That section 1854 of the Revised
Statutes be amended to read as follows:
| upon discharge of any seaman receives wages
| due said seaman he shall at once pay the sum
to said seaman except as provided for in sec
| tien4581 Of the Revised Statutes.
| SEC 9.-Section 457S Of the Revised Statutes
| shall be amended to read as follows:
| Sec. 456S.-All Il masters OF vessels belonging
| to citizens of the United States and bound to
| some port of the Same are required to take
| such destitute seamen on board their vessels at
| the request of consuls, vice consuls, CONNER
| cial agents, or vice commercial agents respect
lively and to transport them to the port in
| the United States to which such vessel may be
| bound on such terms, not exceeding $40 for
| each person as may be agreed between the mas
/ master and consul officer; but for long voyages
| and peculiar disabled condition of such sea-
men there shall be allowed the master or own
| er of such vessel such reasonable compensa-
| tion, not to exceed 80 cents per day, in ad-
dtion to allowances herein provided as shall
| be deemed equitable by the collector of the
| port of the United States which the vessel may
reach, the same to be paid under such regula-
| tions as may be prescribed by the Secretary of
| the Treasury. Every such master who refuses
the same on the request or order of such con-
| sui or officer shall be liable to the United
| States in penalty of 800 for each seaman SO
refused. The ceHifcate of any such consular
| officer given under his hand and official seal
j shall be presumptive evidence of the refusal
| in any court of law having jurisdiction for
| recovery of the peEalty. No master of any
vessel shall, however, be obliged to take a
| Sr0attr uuIuDof tuau TWO noh 10 every lUU
tons burden of vessel of voyage.
SEC. TO- That no fees shall hereafter be charg
ed by any consular officer for any certificate,
manifest or other official service to any Amer
ican vessel engaged in foreign trade, or to the
| owner, officers or seamen of said vessel. The
consular official now paid in part by fees shall
make detailed report to the secretary of the
treasury of the service performed in accord
| ance with this section with fees heretofore al
lowed in such cases and be entitled to receive
the amount thereof in the same manner as pro-
/ vided by law in case of other compensation
4 payable by the United States.
i SEC. H. Il shall be and hereby is made un-
/ lawful in any case to pay any seaman wages
| in advance of time when he has actually earn
ed the same, or pay such advance wages
to any other persons or to pay any person any.
| remuneration for shipment of seamen any per-
| son paying such advance wages or such renum-
| Grafton shall be deemed guilty of misdemeanor
| and upon conviction shall be punished BY
fne of not less than four times the amount of
the wages SO advanced or remuneration SO paid
and may be also imprisoned for period not
exceeding six months at the discretion
of the Court. Payment of such
| advance wages or remuneration shall
in no case absolve the steamer ship or vessel.
or master or owner thereof from full payment
of wages after the same shall have been actu-
ally earned, and be no defence to libel suit or
other action for recovery of such wages; pro-
yided this section shall not apply to such fees