ment, issued from a custom house of the United States, proving the vessel to be American property] vessel from any foreign port, if the same shall be at the port at which the owner or any of the part owners reside, such owner or part owner shall make oath that the sea letter or other regular document possessed by such vessel contains the name or names of all the persons who are then the owners of the vessel; or if any part of such vessel has been sold or transferred since the date of such sea-letter or document, that such is the case, and that no foreign subject or citizen has, to the best of his knowledge and belief, any share, by way of trust, confidence, or otherwise, in such vessel. If the owner or any part owner does not reside at the port or place at which such vessel shall enter, then the master shall make oath to the like effect. If the owner or part owner, where there is one, or the master, where there is no owner, shall refuse to so swear, such vessel shall not be entitled to the privileges granted by this section. (R. S., 4226.)

It shall be the duty of all masters of vessels for whom any official services shall be performed by any consular officer, without the payment of a fee, to require a written statement of such services from such consular officer, and, after certifying as to whether such statement is correct, to furnish it to the collector of the district in which such vessel shall first arrive on their return to the United States; and if any such master of a vessel shall fail to furnish such statement, he shall be liable to a fine of not exceeding fifty dollars, unless such master shall state under oath that no such statement was furnished him by said consular officer. And it shall be the duty of every collector to forward to the Secretary of the Treasury all such statements as shall have been furnished to him, and also a statement of all certified invoices which shall have come to his office, giving the dates of the certificates, and the names of the persons for whom and of the consular officer by whom the same were certified. (R. S., 4213; June 26, 1884, sec. 13.)

War Documents: Vessels' Passports and Sea Letters.

Every vessel of the United States, going to any foreign country, shall, before she departs from the United States, at the request of the master, be furnished by the collector for the district where such vessel may be, with a passport, the form for which shall be prescribed by the Secretary of State. In order to be entitled to such passport, the master of every such vessel shall be bound, with sufficient sureties, to the Treasurer of the United States, in the penalty of two thousand dollars, conditioned that the passport shall not be applied to the use or protection of any other vessel than the one described in it; and that, in the case of the loss or sale of any vessel having such passport, the same shall, within three months, be delivered up to the collector from whom it was received, if the loss or sale take place within the United States; or within six months, if the same shall happen at any place nearer than the Cape of Good Hope; and within eighteen months, if at a more distant place. (R. S., 4306.)

If any vessel of the United States shall depart therefrom, and shall be bound to any foreign country, other than to some port in America, without such passport, the master of such vessel shall be

liable to a penalty of two hundred dollars for every such offense. (R. S., 4307.)

Every unregistered vessel owned by a citizen of the United States, and sailing with a sea-letter, going to any foreign country, shall, before she departs from the United States, at the request of the master, be furnished by the collector of the district where such vessel may be with a passport, for which the master shall be subject to the rules and conditions prescribed for vessels of the United States. (R. S., 4308.)

Deposit of Register, Sea-letter, and Passport.

Every master of a vessel, belonging to citizens of the United States, who shall sail from any port of the United States, shall, on his arrival at a foreign port, deposit his register, sea-letter, and Mediterranean passport with the consul, vice-consul, commercial agent, or vice-commercial agent, if any there be at such port; and it shall be the duty of such consul, vice-consul, commercial agent, or vice-commercial agent, on such master or commander producing to him a clearance from the proper officer of the port where his vessel may be, to deliver to the master all of his papers, if such master or commander has complied with the provisions of law relating to the discharge of seamen in a foreign country, and to the payment of the fees of consular officers. (R. S., 4309.)

Every master of any such vessel who refuses or neglects to deposit the papers as required by the preceding section, shall be liable to a penalty of five hundred dollars, to be recovered by such consul, vice consul, commercial agent, or vice-commercial agent, in his own name, for the benefit of the United States, in any court of competent jurisdiction. (R. S., 4310.)

Illegal Boarding of Vessel.

Every person who, not being in the United States service, and not being duly authorized by law for the purpose, goes on board any vessel about to arrive at the place of her destination, before her actual arrival, and before she has been completely moored, without permission of the master, shall, for every such offense, be punishable by a fine of not more than two hundred dollars, and by imprisonment for not more than six months; and the master of such vessel may take any such person so going on board into custody, and deliver him up forthwith to any constable or police officer, to be by him taken before any justice of the peace, to be dealt with according to the provisions of this Title [R. S., 4501-4613]. (R. S., 4606.)

The Secretary of Commerce is hereby authorized and directed to prescribe from time to time and enforce regulations governing the boarding of vessels arriving at the seaports of the United States, before such vessels have been properly inspected and placed in security, and for that purpose to employ any of the officers of that [or Treasury] Department. (Sec. 1.)

Each person violating such regulations shall be subject to a penalty of not more than one hundred dollars or imprisonment not to exceed six months, or both, in the discretion of the court. (Sec. 2.)

This Act shall be construed as supplementary to section nine of chapter three hundred and seventy-four of the Statutes of eighteen hundred and eighty two, and section forty-six hundred and six of the Revised Statutes. (Mar. 31, 1900, sec. 3.)

Part XIV.-CUSTOMS LAWS DIRECTLY RELATING TO VESSELS.

If any master of a vessel coming into or having arrived at any port within the United States shall obstruct or hinder or shall intentionally cause any obstructions or hindrance to any officer in lawfully going on board such vessel for the purpose of carrying into effect any of the revenue laws of the United States, he shall for such offense be liable to a penalty of not more than five hundred dollars nor less than fifty dollars. (R. S., 3068. See secs. 454, 455, 581, tariff act, 1922, pp. 493, 497.)

Seizure of Vessels or Merchandise.

every

Every officer or other person authorized to make searches and seizures by this Title [R. S., 2517-3129] shall, at the time of executing any of the powers conferred upon him, make known, upon being questioned, his character as an officer or agent of the customs or Government, and shall have authority to demand of any person, within the distance of three miles to assist him in making any arrests, search, or seizure authorized by this Title, where such assistance may be necessary; and if such person shall, without reasonable excuse, neglect or refuse so to assist, upon proper demand, he shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than two hundred dollars, nor less than five dollars. (R. S., 3071.)

It shall be the duty of the several officers of the customs to seize and secure any vessel or merchandise which shall become liable to seizure by virtue of any law respecting the revenue, as well without as within their respective districts. (R. S., 3072.)

If any officer, or other person, executing or aiding or assisting in the seizure of goods, under any act providing for or regulating the collection of duties on imports or tonnage, is sued for anything done in virtue of the powers given thereby, or by virtue of a warrant granted by any judge, or justice, pursuant to law, he may plead the general issue and give such act and the special matter in evidence. (R. S., 3073.)

The collector within whose district any seizure shall be made or forfeiture incurred for any violation of the duty laws is hereby enjoined to cause suits for the same to be commenced without delay, and prosecuted to effect; and is, moreover, authorized to receive from the court within which such trial is had, or from the proper officer thereof, the sum recovered, after deducting all proper charges to

be allowed by the court; and on receipt thereof he shall pay and distribute the same without delay, according to law. (R. S., 3087.) Whenever a seizure, condemnation, and sale of merchandise takes place within the United States, and the value thereof is less than two hundred and fifty dollars, that part of the forfeiture which accrues to the United States, or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be applied to the payment of the cost of the prosecution. (R. S., 3089.) Moieties

Informers' and Custom Officers' Awards.

All provisions of law under which moieties of any fines, penalties, or forfeitures, under the customs-revenue laws, or any share therein, or commission thereon, are paid to informers, or officers of customs, or other officers of the United States, are hereby repealed; and from and after the date of the passage of this act the proceeds of all such fines, penalties, and forfeitures shall be paid into the Treasury of the United States. (Sec. 2.)

No officer, or other person entitled to or claiming compensation under any provision of this act, shall be thereby disqualified from becoming a witness in any action, suit, or proceeding for the recovery, mitigation, or remission thereof, but shall be subject to examination and cross-examination in like manner with other witnesses, without being thereby deprived of any right, title, share, or interest in any fine, penalty, or forfeiture to which such examination may relate; and in every such case the defendant or defendants may appear and testify and be examined and cross-examined in like manner. (June 22, 1874, sec. 8.)

Procedure.

In all suits and proceedings other than criminal arising under any of the revenue-laws of the United States, the attorney representing the Government, whenever, in his belief, any business-book, invoice, or paper, belonging to or under the control of the defendant or claimant, will tend to prove any allegation made by the United States, may make a written motion, particularly describing such book, invoice, or paper, and setting forth the allegation which he expects to prove; and thereupon the court in which suit or proceeding is pending may, at its discretion, issue a notice to the defendant or claimant to produce such book, invoice, or paper in court, at a day and hour to be specified in said notice, which, together with a copy of said motion, shall be served formally on the defendant or claimant by the United States marshal by delivering to him a certified copy thereof, or otherwise serving the same as original notices of suit in the same court are served; and if the defendant or claimant shall fail or refuse to produce such book, invoice, or paper in obedience to such notice, the allegations stated in the said motion shall be taken as confessed unless his failure or refusal to produce the same shall be explained to the satisfaction of the court. And if produced, the said attorney shall be permitted, under the direction of the court, to make examination (at which examination the defendant or claimant, or his agent, may be present) of such entries in said book, invoice, or paper as relate to or tend to prove the allegation aforesaid, and may offer the same in evidence on behalf of the United States. But the owner of said books and papers, his agent or attorney, shall

have, subject to the order of the court, the custody of them, except pending their examination in court as aforesaid. (June 22, 1874, sec. 5.)

Oaths of Masters and Owners.

Nothing contained in this Title [R. S., 2517-3094] shall be construed to exempt the masters or owners of vessels from making and subscribing any oaths required by any laws of the United States not immediately relating to the collection of the duties on the importation of merchandise into the United States. (R. S., 3094.)