Stat. at Large, Vol. X. p. 597. Additional stations on coast of New Jersey. moneys, they shall, prior to entering upon duty as such, give bond in such form and with such security as the head of the department or office employing said agent may approve. No. 362. DECEMBER 14, 1854. CHAP. I. — An Act for the better Preservation of Life and Property from Vessels shipwrecked on the Coasts of the United States. Be it enacted, &c. That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is Long Island and hereby, authorized to establish such additional stations, on the coasts of Long Island and New Jersey, for affording aid to shipwrecked vessels thereon, to change the location of the existing stations, and to make such Apparatus and supplies. repairs and to furnish such apparatus and supplies as may, in his judgKeeper at each ment, be best adapted to give effect to the objects of this act. station. Superintendent. Their powers. Custody and care of boats. Stations at lighthouses. SEC. 2. That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized to appoint a keeper, at a compensation not exceeding two hundred dollars, at each of the stations to be established under the provisions of the first section of this act, and a superintendent, who shall also have the powers, and perform the duty of an inspector of the customs for each of the coasts therein mentioned, and to give said keepers and superintendents proper instructions relative to the duties to be required of them. SEC. 3. That no boat shall be purchased and located at any point other than on the coasts of Long Island and New Jersey, unless the same be placed in the immediate care of an officer of the government, or unless bond shall be given by proper individuals, living in the neighborhood, conditioned for the care and preservation of the same, and its application to the uses intended. SEC. 4. That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized to establish stations at such lighthouses as, in his judgment, he shall deem best, and the keepers of such lights shall take charge of such boats and apparatus as may be put in their charge respectively, as a part of their official duties. Stat. at Large, CHAP. CXXIII. Vol. X. p. 614. Powers of commissioners of - An Act concerning the Apprehension and Delivery of Deserters from Foreign Vessels in the Ports of the United States. Be it enacted, &c. That the commissioners who now are, or hereafter courts respecting may be, appointed by the circuit courts of the United States, to take acdeserters from knowledgments of bail, and for other purposes, may and shall exercise foreign vessels. all the powers conferred on any court, judge, or other magistrate by the act approved the second day of March, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine, entitled "An act to provide for the apprehension and delivery of deserters from certain foreign vessels in the ports of the United States." 1829, ch. 41. Ante, p. 232. Stat. at Large, Vol. X. p. 629. Collection districts of Cape Perpetua and Port Orford, established in Ore CHAP. CXXXVIII. - An Act to establish the Collection Districts of Cape Perpetua and Port Orford, in the Territory of Oregon, and to fix the Salaries of the Officers of the Customs therein. Be it enacted, &c. [That there be, and hereby is, constituted and established the collection districts of Cape Perpetua and Port Orford, in the Territory of Oregon. That the first-named district shall embrace the coast of the Pacific Ocean, from Kowes Bay, exclusive to Cape Perpetua, and all of the said Territory lying south of a line running parallel with the southern boundary line of Abolished and Oregon, from Cape Perpetua to the eastern boundary of Oregon, except so much as is included in the district of Port Orford, and to include all the islands, bays, harbors, inlets, shores, rivers, and waters within said boundaries, and that Gardiner (Umpqua) shall be the port of entry for said district. That the last-named gon. attached to dis trict of Oregon. 1864, ch. 122. Post, No. 466. district shall extend from the line dividing said Territory and the State of California, along the Pacific coast, so far as to include Kowes Bay; thence east to the one hundred and twenty-third degree of longitude; thence south along said line to the line dividing the State of California and Oregon Territory; thence by said line to the place of beginning; and to include all the islands, bays, harbors, inlets, rivers, shores, and waters embraced in said boundaries, and that Port Orford shall be the port of entry; and Kowes Bay the port of delivery for said district.] CHAP. CXLI. No. 365.- MARCH 2, 1855. An Act authorizing the Purchase or Construction of Four additional Stat. at Large, Vol. X. p. 630. Qualifications of officers of revenne cutters SEC. 2. That, from and after the passage of this act, no person shall be appointed to the office of captain, first, second, or third lieutenant, of any revenue cutter, who does not adduce competent proof of proficiency hereafter apand skill in navigation and seamanship. No. 366.- MARCH 3, 1855. CHAP. CLXXV. — An Act making Appropriations for the Civil and Diplomatic Expenses of Government, for the Year ending the thirtieth of June, eighteen hundred and fifty-six, and for other Purposes. SEC. 8. That the provisions contained in the second section of the act entitled "An act making appropriations for the civil and diplomatic expenses of the government," approved the seventeenth day of June, eighteen hundred and forty-four, be required to be carried into effect in all particulars, any act in conflict therewith being hereby repealed; and all estimates for the compensation of officers of the government authorized by law to be employed shall be based upon the expressed provisions of law, and not upon the authority of executive distribution thereof; and the act, and section authorizing the same, with the volume and page where such authority may be found, shall be cited in each and all estimates respectively. pointed. Stat. at Large, Vol. X. p. 643. Mode of preparing the estimates for the appropriation bills. 1844, ch. 105. Franklin (Tex SEC. 13. [That Franklin, in the collection district of Paso del Norte, Texas, as) port of entry be and the same is hereby made the port of entry for said district, instead instead of Fronof Frontera; and the collector shall reside thereat.] tera. 1863, ch. 88. SEC. 20. That there shall be appointed a consul-general to reside in Consul-general the British North American provinces, with a salary of four thousand dollars per annum, and the sum of four thousand dollars is hereby appropriated for that object. SEC. 23. That the seventh section of the act of eighteenth January, eighteen hundred and thirty-seven, entitled “An act supplementary to an act establishing the mint, and regulating the coins of the United States," be so amended as to extend the allowance for the annual salary of the clerks in the branch mint of the United States at New Orleans, to eighteen hundred dollars each, from and after the first day of July, eighteen hundred and fifty-four, at the discretion of the officers authorized by law to appoint, with the approbation of the President of the United States. No. 367. MARCH 3, 1855. CHAP. CCII. An Act to establish Columbus, in the State of Mississippi, Chattanooga, in the State of Tennessee, and Hickman, in the State of Kentucky, Ports of Delivery. Be it enacted, &c. That Columbus, in the State of Mississippi, and within the collection district of Mobile, Chattanooga, in the State of Tennessee, and Hickman, in the State of Kentucky, and within the collection district of Mississippi, be, and hereby are declared to be ports of delivery within their respective collection districts. And there shall be in the British America prov inces. Salaries of clerks in mint at New Orleans. 1837, ch. 3. Stat. at Large, Vol. X. p. 686. Columbus, Miss., and Chattanooga, Tenn., and Hickman, Ky, made ports of delivery. Ports at Chattanooga and appointed a surveyor of customs, to reside at each of said ports, who shall perform the duties, and receive the compensation and emoluments prescribed in the act of Congress, approved March the second, eighteen hundred and thirty-one, being "An act allowing the duties on foreign merchandise imported into Pittsburg, Wheeling, Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis, Nashville, and Natchez, to be secured and paid at those places:" Provided, That whenever the amount of duties paid at any one of said ports, shall be less than the sum of ten thousand dollars per year, the Secretary of the Treasury shall discontinue such port of delivery. No. 368. MARCH 3, 1855. Stat. at Large, CHAP. CCXIII. — An Act to Regulate the Carriage of Passengers in Steamships and Vol. X. p. 715. Proportion of passengers to tonnage. other Vessels. Be it enacted, &c. That no master of any vessel owned in whole or in part by a citizen of the United States, or by a citizen of any foreign coun1864, ch. 249, § 1. try, shall take on board such vessel, at any foreign port or place other Space to be allowed. than foreign contiguous territory* of the United States, a greater number of passengers than in proportion of one to every two tons of such vessel, not including children under the age of one year in the computation, and computing two children over one and under eight years of age as one passenger. That the spaces appropriated for the use of such passengers, and which shall not be occupied by stores or other goods, not the personal baggage of such passengers, shall be in the following proportions, viz: On the main and poop decks or platforms, and in the deck houses, if there be any, one passenger for each sixteen clear superficial feet of deck, if the height or distance between the decks or platform shall not be less than six feet; and on the lower deck, (not being an orlop deck,) if any, one passenger for eighteen such clear superficial feet, if the height or distance between the decks or platforms shall not be less than six feet, but so as that no passenger shall be carried on any other deck or platform, nor upon any deck where the height or distance between decks is less than six feet, with intent to bring such passenger to the United States, and shall leave such port or place and bring the same, or any number thereof, within the jurisdiction of the United States; or if any such master of any vessel shall take on board his vessel, at any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States, any greater number of passengers than in the proportion aforesaid, to the space aforesaid, or to the tonnage aforesaid, with intent to carry the same to any foreign port or place other than foreign contiguous territory* as aforesaid, every such master shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, before any circuit or district court of the United States, shall, for each passenger taken on board beyond the limit aforesaid, or the space aforesaid, be fined in the sum of fifty dollars, and may also be imprisoned, at the discretion of the judge before whom the penalty shall be recovered, not exceeding six months; but should it be necessary, for the safety or convenience of the vessel, that any portion of her cargo, or any other articles or article should be placed on, or stored in, any of the decks, cabins, or other places appropriated to the use of passengers, the same may be placed in lockers or closures allowed. enclosures prepared for the purpose, on an exterior surface impervious to the wave, capable of being cleansed in like manner as the decks or platforms of the vessel. In no case, however, shall the places thus provided be deemed to be a part of the space allowable for the use of passengers, but the same shall be deducted therefrom, and in all cases where prepared or used, the upper surface of said lockers on enclosed spaces, shall be deemed and taken to be the deck or platform from which measure Penalties. Lockers or en * See note to section 19 of this act. ment shall be made for all the purposes of this act. It is also provided, that one hospital, in the spaces appropriated to passengers, and separate therefrom by an appropriate partition, and furnished as its purposes require, may be prepared, and, when used, may be included in the space allowable for passengers, but the same shall not occupy more than one hundred superficial feet of deck or platform: Provided, That on board two-decked ships, where the height between the decks is seven and one half feet or more, fourteen clear superficial feet of deck shall be the proportion required for each passenger. SEC. 2. That no such vessel shall have more than two tiers of berths, and the interval, between the lowest part thereof and the deck or platform beneath, shall not be less than nine inches, and the berths shall be well constructed, parallel with the sides of the vessel, and separated from each other by partitions, as berths ordinarily are separated, and shall be at least six feet in length, and at least two feet in width, and each berth shall be occupied by no more than one passenger; but double berths of twice the above width may be constructed, each berth to be occupied by no more, and by no other, than two women, or by one woman and two children under the age of eight years, or by husband and wife, or by a man and two of his own children under the age of eight years, or by two men, members of the same family; and if there shall be any violation of this section in any of its provisions, then the master of the vessel, and the owners thereof, shall severally forfeit and pay the sum of five dollars for each passenger on board of said vessel on such voyage, to be recovered by the United States in any port where such vessel may arrive or depart. Hospital. Space in cer tain two-deck vessels. Berths. SEC. 3. That all vessels, whether of the United States or any foreign House over country, having sufficient capacity or space, according to law, for fifty or passage-way. more passengers, (other than cabin passengers,) shall, when employed in transporting such passengers between the United States and Europe, have, on the upper deck, for the use of such passengers, a house over the passage-way, leading to the apartments allotted to such passengers below deck, firmly secured to the deck or combings of the hatch, with two doors, the sills of which shall be at least one foot above the deck, so constructed, that one door or window in such house may at all times be left open for ventilation; and all vessels so employed, and having the capacity to carry one hundred and fifty such, passengers or more, shall have two such houses; and the stairs or ladder, leading down to the aforesaid apartment, shall be furnished with a hand-rail of wood or strong rope; but booby hatches may be substituted for such houses. SEC. 4. That every such vessel so employed, and having the legal capacity for more than one hundred such passengers, shall have at least two ventilators to purify the apartment or apartments occupied by such passengers; one of which shall be inserted in the after part of the apartment or apartments, and the other shall be placed in the forward portion of the apartment or apartments, and one of them shall have an exhausting cap to carry off the foul air, and the other a receiving cap to carry down the fresh air; which said ventilators shall have a capacity proportioned to the size of the apartment or apartments to be purified, namely: if the apartment or apartments will lawfully authorize the reception of two hundred such passengers, the capacity of such ventilators shall each be equal to a tube of twelve inches diameter in the clear, and in proportion for larger or smaller apartments; and all said ventilators shall rise at least four feet six inches above the upper deck of any such vessel, and be of the most approved form and construction; but if it shall appear, from the report, to be made and approved, as hereinafter provided, that such vessel is equally well ventilated by any other means, such other means of ventilation shall be deemed and held to be a compliance with the provisions of this section. SEC. 5. That every vessel carrying more than fifty such passengers, Hand-rail. Booby hatches. Ventilators. Camboose or shall have for their use on deck, housed and conveniently arranged, at cooking-range. least one camboose or cooking-range, the dimensions of which shall be equal to four feet long and one foot six inches wide for every two hundred passengers; and provision shall be made in the manner aforesaid, in this ratio, for a greater or less number of passengers; but nothing herein contained shall take away the right to make such arrangements for cooking between decks, if that shall be deemed desirable. Provisions. SEC. 6. That all vessels employed as aforesaid, shall have on board, for the use of such passengers, at the time of leaving the last port whence such vessel shall sail, well secured under deck, for each passenger, at least twenty pounds of good navy bread, fifteen pounds of rice, fifteen pounds of oatmeal, ten pounds of wheat flour, fifteen pounds of peas and beans, twenty pounds of potatoes, one pint of vinegar, sixty gallons of fresh water, ten pounds of salted pork, and ten pounds of salt beef, free of bone, all to be of good quality; but at places where either rice, oatmeal, wheat flour, or peas and beans cannot be procured, of good quality and on reasonable terms, the quantity of either or any of the other last-named articles may be increased and substituted therefor; and, in case potatoes cannot be procured on reasonable terms, one pound of either of said articles may be substituted in lieu of five pounds of potatoes; and the captains of such vessels shall deliver to each passenger at least one tenth part of the aforesaid provisions weekly, commencing on the day of sailing, and at least three quarts of water daily; and if the passengers on board of any such vessel in which the provisions and water herein required shall not have been provided as aforesaid, shall, at any time, be put on short allowance during any voyage, the master or owner of any such vessel shall pay to each and every passenger who shall have been Short allow- put on short allowance, the sum of three dollars for each and every day they may have been put on short allowance, to be recovered in the circuit or district court of the United States; and it shall be the duty of the captain or master of every such ship or vessel to cause the food and provisions of all the passengers to be well and properly cooked daily, and to be served out and distributed to them at regular and stated hours, by messes, or in such other manner as shall be deemed best and most conducive to the health and comfort of such passengers, of which hours and manner of distribution, due and sufficient notice shall be given. If the captain or master of any such ship or vessel, shall wilfully fail to furnish and distribute such provisions, cooked as aforesaid, he shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof before any circuit or district court of the United States, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars, and shall be imprisoned for a term not exceeding one year: Provided, That the enforcement of this penalty shall not affect the civil responsibility of the captain or master and owners, to such passengers as may have suffered from said default. ances. Discipline and cleanliness. Privies. SEC. 7. That the captain of any such vessel so employed, is hereby authorized to maintain good discipline and such habits of cleanliness among such passengers as will tend to the preservation and promotion of health; and to that end he shall cause such regulations as he may adopt for this purpose to be posted up, before sailing, on board such vessel, in a place accessible to such passengers, and shall keep the same so posted up during the voyage; and it is hereby made the duty of said captain to cause the apartments occupied by such passengers to be kept at all times in a clean, healthy state; and the owners of every such vessel so employed, are required to construct the decks and all parts of said apartment so that it can be thoroughly cleansed; and they shall also provide a safe, convenient privy or water-closet for the exclusive use of every one hundred such passengers. And when the weather is such that said passengers cannot be mustered on deck with their bedding, it shall be the duty of the captain of every such vessel to cause the deck, occupied by such passengers, to |