States, or of such aforesaid corporation, having control of the vessel or cargo with respect to which such cause of action arises, for reimbursement of the appropriation, or insurance fund, or other funds, from which the loss, damage, or compensation for which said judgment was recovered has been or will be paid.

SEC. 12. The Secretary of any department of the Government of the United States, and the board of trustees of any such aforesaid corporation, shall likewise report the arbitration awards or settlements of claims which shall have been agreed to since the previous session, and in which the time to appeal shall have expired or have been waived.

SEC. 13. That the provisions of all other Acts inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.

[§ 13]

46 App. U.S.C. 752. Report of and claims suits, awards, settled.

41 Stat. 528. Inconsistent Acts repealed.

PUBLIC VESSELS ACT

[As amended through the 98th Congress]

AN ACT

Authorizing suits against the United States in admiralty for damage caused by and salvage services rendered to public vessels belonging Admiralty to the United States, and for other purposes.

causes.

46 App. U.S.C. 781. Libels against

United States

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That a libel in personam in admiralty may be brought against the United States, or a petition im- authorized for pleading the United States, for damages caused by a damages by public vessel of the United States, and for compensation public vessels for towage and salvage services, including contract sal- and salvage. vage, rendered to a public vessel of the United States: Provided, That the cause of action arose after the 6th day of April 1920.

Time limitation.

46 App. U.S.C. 782. Venue of

action.

SEC. 2. That such suit shall be brought in the district court of the United States for the district in which the vessel or cargo charged with creating the liability is found within the United States, or if such vessel or cargo be outside the territorial waters of the United States, then in the district court of the United States for the district in which the parties so suing, or any of them, reside or have an office for the transaction of business in the United States; or in case none of such parties reside or have an office for the transaction of business in the United States, and such vessel or cargo be outside the territorial waters of the United States, then in any district court of the United States. Such suits shall be subject to and proceed in accordance with the provisions of an Act entitled "An Act authorizing suits against the United States in admiralty, suits for salvage services, and providing for the release of merchant vessels belonging to the United States from arrest and attachment in foreign jurisdictions, and for other purposes," approved March 9, 1920, or any amendment thereof, insofar as the same are not inconsistent herewith, except that no interest shall be al- Interest relowed on any claim up to the time of the rendition of strictions. judgment unless upon a contract expressly stipulating for the payment of interest.

SEC. 3. That in the event of the United States filing a libel in rem or in personam in admiralty for damages caused by a privately owned vessel, the owner of such vessel, or his successors in interest, may file a cross

Suits to

proceed under Suits in Admiralty Act.

46 App. U.S.C. 783. Cross libels, set-offs claims author

and counter

ized.

263

libel in personam or claim a set-off or counterclaim against the United States in such suit for and on account of any damages arising out of the same subject matter or cause of action: Provided, That whenever a cross libel is filed for any cause of action for which the original libel is filed by authority of this Act, the respondent in the cross libel shall give security in the usual amount and form to respond to the claim set forth in said cross libel unless the court, for cause shown, shall otherwise direct; and all proceedings on the original libel shall be stayed until such security shall be given.

SEC. 4. That no officer or member of the crew of any public vessel of the United States may be subpoenaed in connection with any suit authorized under this Act without the consent of the Secretary of the department or the head of any independent establishment of the Government having control of the vessel at the time the cause of action arose, or of the master or commanding officer of such vessel at the time of the issuance of such subpoena.

SEC. 5. That no suit may be brought under this Act by a national of any foreign government unless it shall appear to the satisfaction of the court in which suit is brought that said government, under similar circumstances, allows nationals of the United States to sue in its courts.

SEC. 6. That the Attorney General of the United States is hereby authorized to arbitrate, compromise, or settle claim on which a libel or cross libel would lie any under the provisions of this Act, and for which a libel or cross libel has actually been filed.

SEC. 7. That any final judgment rendered on any libel or cross libel herein authorized, and any settlement had and agreed to under the provisions of section 6 of this Act, shall, upon presentation of a duly authenticated copy thereof, be paid by the proper accounting officer of the United States out of any moneys in the Treasury of the United States appropriated therefor by Congress.

SEC. 8. Nothing contained in this Act shall be construed to recognize the existence of or as creating a lien against any public vessel of the United States.

SEC. 9. The United States shall be entitled to the benefits of all exemptions and of all limitations of liability accorded by law to the owners, charterers, operators or agents or vessels.

SEC. 10. That the Attorney General of the United States shall report to the Congress at each session thereof all claims which shall have been settled under this Act.

1 See Public Law 706, 83d Congress (68 Stat. 968) repealing requirement of report by the Attorney General.

WRECKED VESSELS ACT

Chapter 57

AN ACT

To provide for the register and enrollment of vessels built in foreign
countries when such vessels have been wrecked on the coasts of the
United States or her possessions or adjacent waters and salved by
American citizens and repaired in American shipyards.

February 24, 1915. [S. 2335.] [Public, No. 254.]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assem- Shipping. bled, That section forty-one hundred and thirty-six of the Revised Statutes of the United States be reenacted and revised to read as follows:

citizens.

46 App. U.S.C. "SEC. 4136. The Secretary of Commerce may issue a 14. Registry, register or enrollment for any vessel wrecked on the etc., allowed shipwrecked coasts of the United States or her possessions or adja- vessels cent waters, when purchased by a citizen or citizens of purchased by the United States and thereupon repaired in a shipyard in the United States or her possessions, if it shall be R., sec. 4136, p. 796; amendproved to the satisfaction of the Secretary of Commerce, ed. Vol. 34, if he deems it necessary, through a board of three ap- p. 17. praisers appointed by him, that the said repairs put Value of repairs. upon such vessels are equal to three times the appraised salved value of the vessel: Provided, That the Provisos. expense of the appraisal herein provided for shall be Expense of borne by the owner of the vessel: Provided further, That appraisal. if any of the material matters of fact sworn to or represented by the owner, or at his instance, to obtain the register of any vessel are not true, there shall be a forfeiture to the United States of the vessel in respect to which the oath shall have been made, together with tackel, apparel, and furniture thereof." Approved, February 24, 1915.

Forfeiture for false oaths.