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atories to elicit

may be proper to elicit the information contemplated by the preceding prepare interrogsection, and upon the receipt of the examination and statements taken by such informa the inspectors shall report the same to Congress, together with the recom- tion, and report mendation of such further provisions as he may deem proper to be made the information for the better security of the lives of persons on board steam-vessels. SEC. 41. That all penalties imposed by this act may be recovered in an action of debt by any person who will sue therefor in any court of the United States.

to Congress with his own recom

mendation. Penalties, how sued for and recovered..

This act not

to apply to certain vessels.

See 1864, ch.

SEC. 42. That this act shall not apply to public vessels of the United States or vessels of other countries; nor to steamers used as ferry-boats, tug-boats, towing-boats, nor to steamers not exceeding one hundred and fifty tons' burthen and used in whole or in part for navigating canals. The 113, § 4. inspection and certificate required by this act shall in all cases of ocean the ocean mail Inspection of steamers constructed under contract with the United States for the pur- steamers. pose, if desired, of being converted into war steamers, be made by a chief engineer of the navy, to be detailed for that service by the Secretary of the Navy, and he shall report both to said secretary and to the supervising inspector of the district where he shall make any inspection.

When this act

SEC. 43. That all such parts of this act as authorize the appointment and qualification of inspectors, and the licensing of engineers and pilots, shall take effect. shall take effect upon the passage thereof, and that all other parts of this act shall go into effect at the times and places as follows: in the districts of New Orleans, St. Louis, Louisville, Cincinnati, Wheeling, Pittsburgh, Nashville, Mobile, and Galveston, on the first day of January next, and in all other districts on the first day of March next.

SEC. 44. That all parts of laws heretofore made, which are suspended by or are inconsistent with this act, are hereby repealed.

No. 337. - AUGUST 31, 1852.

Inconsistent laws repealed.

Stat. at Large,

CHAP. CVIII.-An Act making Appropriations for the Civil and Diplomatic Expenses of the Government, for the Year ending the thirtieth of June, eighteen hundred and fity- Vol. X. p. 76. three, and for other Purposes.

SEC. 2. **** No gold or silver other than coin of standard fineness of the United States, or foreign coin, in the manner prescribed by existing laws, shall be receivable in payment of dues to the United States. SEC. 6. That the collector of the customs at the port of New Orleans be, and he hereby is, authorized to appoint, with the approbation of the Secretary of the Treasury, three head gaugers for the said port, at an annual salary of one thousand five hundred dollars each, instead of the force now employed in the gaugers' department at the port aforesaid. SEC. 8. That it shall not be lawful for the officer or person in charge of any bureau or office in any of the departments of the government, to print, or cause to be printed, at the public expense, any report he may make to the President of the United States, or to the head of any of the departments.

Standard of

gold to be re

ceived by U. S. 10 Stat. p. 98. Gaugers in the

N. Orleans custom-house.

Reports to

President, &c. not to be printed.

when to be car

SEC. 10. That where any moneys shall have remained unexpended Unexpended upon any appropriations by law, other than for the payment of interest appropriations, on the funded debt, or the payment of interest and reimbursement accord- ried to "surplus ing to contract of any loan or loans made on account of the United States, fund." as likewise moneys appropriated for a purpose in respect to which a larger duration is specially assigned by law, for more than two years, after the expiration of the fiscal year in which the act shall have been passed, all and any such appropriations shall be deemed to have ceased and been determined, and the moneys so unexpended shall be immediately thereafter carried, under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, to the account on the books of the treasury denominated the "surplus fund," Surplus fund to remain like other unappropriated moneys in the treasury, and it shall not to be applied not be lawful, for any cause or pretence whatsoever, to transfer, withdraw, poses.

to other pur

Extra pay of

officers.

1852, ch. 66.

Pay of deputy naval officers at

Boston, N. York,

Philadelphia,

Baltimore, and

N. Orleans.

No officer who

apply, or use for any purpose whatever, any moneys carried as aforesaid to the surplus fund without further and specific appropriations by law.

SEC. 14. That the provisions contained in the fourth section of the act entitled "An act to supply deficiencies in the appropriations for the service of the fiscal year ending the thirtieth of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two," be, and the same are hereby, repealed,

SEC. 15. That from and after the passage of this act, in lieu of the compensation now allowed by law for his services, there shall be paid hereafter to each of the deputy naval officers at the ports of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New Orleans, two thousand dollars per annum, to be paid out of the fund for the expenses of collecting the

revenue.

SEC. 18. That no person hereafter, who holds or shall hold, any office receives a salary under the government of the United States, whose salary or annual of $2500, shall receive pay for compensation shall amount to the sum of two thousand five hundred any other office. dollars, shall receive compensation for discharging the duties of any other office.

No. 338. - AUGUST 31, 1852.

Stat. at Large, CHAP. CXI. Vol. X. p. 110.

Certain bridges

clared lawful

structures.

An Act making Appropriations for the Service of the Post-Office Department during the Fiscal Year ending the thirtieth of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, and for other Purposes.

SEC. 6. That the bridges across the Ohio River at Wheeling, in the at Wheeling, de- State of Virginia, and at Bridgeport, in the State of Ohio, abutting on Zane's Island, in said river, are hereby declared to be lawful structures in their present position and elevation, and shall be so held and taken to be, anything in any law or laws of the United States to the contrary notwithstanding.

and not to be interfered with.

Said bridges SEC. 7. That the said bridges are declared to be and are established made post-roads, post-roads for the passage of the mails of the United States, and that the Wheeling and Belmont Bridge Company are authorized to have and maintain their said bridges at their present site and elevation; and the officers and crews of all vessels and boats navigating said river, are required to regulate the use of their said vessels and boats, and of any pipes or chimneys belonging thereto, so as not to interfere with the elevation and construction of said bridges.

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Stat. at Large, Vol. X. p. 121.

No ship to enter, or break

bulk, till all let

ters on board are

deposited in the

nearest post-
office, &c.
10 Stat. 140.

Form of declaration.

CHAP. CXIII.

An Act to establish certain Post-Roads, and for other Purposes.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That no collector or other officer of the customs, shall permit any ship or vessel, arriving within any port or collection district of the United States, to make entry or break bulk until all letters on board the same shall be delivered into the post-office at or nearest said port or place, nor until the captain or commander of such ship or vessel shall have signed and sworn to a declaration before such collector or officer of the customs, in the form and to the effect following, that is to say:

"I, A. B., commander of the [state the name of the ship or vessel] arriving from [state the place,] and now lying in the port of, [state the name of the port,] do, as required by law, solemnly swear [or affirm, as the case may be] that I have, to the best of my knowledge or belief, delivered or caused to be delivered into the post-office at or nearest said port, every letter and every bag, parcel, or package of letters that were on board the [state the name of the ship or vessel] during her last voyage, and that I have so delivered or caused to be delivered all such letters,

bags, parcels, and packages as were in my possession or under my power or control."

and seizure of

carried.

And the collector and every officer of the customs at every port, with- Provisions for out special instructions, and every special agent of the Post-Office Depart- the search for, ment, when instructed by the Postmaster-General to make examinations letters and packand seizures, shall carefully search every vessel for letters which may be ages illegally on board, or have been carried or transported contrary to law; and each and every of such officers and agents, and every marshal of the United States and his deputies, shall at all times have power to seize all letters, and packages, and parcels, containing letters which shall have been sent or conveyed contrary to law on board any ship or vessel, or on or over any post-route, of the United States, and to convey such letters to the nearest post-office; or may, if the Postmaster-General and the Secretary of the Treasury shall so direct, detain the said letters, or any part thereof, until two months after the trial and final determination of all suits and proceedings which may at any time, within six months after such seizure, be brought against any person for sending, or carrying, or transporting any such letters contrary to any provisions of any act of Congress; and one half of any penalties that may be recovered for the illegal sending, To whose use carrying, or transportation of any such letters shall be paid to the officer fines are to be paid. so seizing, and the other half to the use of the Post-Office Department; and every package or parcel so seized, in which any letter shall be Forfeiture of concealed, shall be forfeited to the United States, and the same proceedings letters, &c. illegally carried. may be had to enforce such forfeiture as are authorized in respect to good[s], wares, and merchandise forfeited by reason of any violation of the revenue laws of the United States; and all laws for the benefit and Mode of enforcing such forprotection of officers of the customs seizing goods, wares, or merchan- feiture. dise, for a violation of any revenue law of the United States, shall apply Protection of the officers makto the officers and agents making seizures by virtue of this act. ing seizures.

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Stat. at Large, Vol. X. p. 143. Alton, Ill., made a port of delivery.

the customs.
His duties and

CHAP. CXV.- An Act to constitute Alton, in the State of Illinois, a Port of Delivery. Be it enacted, &c. That Alton, in the State of Illinois, shall be, and is hereby, constituted a port of delivery, and shall be subject to the same regulations and restrictions as other ports of delivery in the United States; and there shall be appointed a surveyor of customs to reside at said port, Surveyor of who shall, in addition to his own duties, perform the duties and receive the salary and emoluments of surveyor, prescribed by the act of Congress, pay. approved on the second of March, eighteen hunded and thirty-one, provid- ́ 1881, ch. 87. ing for the payment of duties on imported goods, at certain ports therein mentioned, entitled "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 ;" and the Alton made said town of Alton and the said port of delivery be, and is hereby, an- fection district of part nexed to and made a part of the collection district of New Orleans, and New Orleans. all the facilities and privileges afforded by the said act of Congress of the second of March, eighteen hundred and thirty-one, be and are hereby extended to the said port of Alton.

of the col

Act of 1831, ch. 87, extended to Alton.

(III.) and Knox

SEC. 2. That Burlington, in the State of Iowa, Galena, Illinois, [and Burlington, Knoxville, in the State of Tennessee,] shall be ports of delivery, and shall be (Iowa,) Galena, subject to the same regulations and restrictions as other ports of delivery ville, (Tenn.) in the United States; and there shall be appointed a surveyor of the made ports of delivery. customs to reside at each of said ports, who shall, in addition to his own Port at Knoxduties, also perform the duties and receive the salary and emoluments of ville abolished. surveyors prescribed by the act of Congress passed on the second day 1862, ch. 147. Surveyor of of March, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-one, providing for the the customs at payment of duties on imported goods at certain ports therein mentioned, each of said places.

Said ports

Duties and pay. the same being entitled "An act allowing the duties on foreign merchan1831, ch. 87. dise imported into Pittsburg, Wheeling, Cincinnati, Louisville, St Louis, Nashville, and Natchez, to be secured and paid at those places ;" and said Burlington, Galena, [and Knoxville] and the said ports of delivery, be, and made part of the the same are hereby, annexed to and made part of the collection district of New Orleans; and all the privileges and facilities afforded to Pittsburg, Wheeling, Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis, Nashville, and Natchez, 87, extended to by the act of Congress last aforesaid, be, and the same are hereby, extended to said ports of Burlington, Galena, [and Knoxville.]

collection dis

trict of New

Orleans.

Act of 1831, ch.

said ports.

Port Jefferson, (Long Island,) made a port of delivery, within

the collection district of New

York.

SEC. 3. That from and after the passage of this act, Port Jefferson, on the north side of Long Island, in the State of New York, be, and the same is hereby, made a port of delivery within the collection district of the port of New York, and that a surveyor be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, to reside at the said port of Surveyor to be Port Jefferson, who shall have power to enroll and license vessels to be appointed. His powers reemployed in the coasting trade and fisheries, and to enter and clear, and specting whaling grant registers and other usual papers to vessels employed in the whale fisheries, under such restrictions and regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may deem necessary, and who shall give the usual bond, perform His duties and the usual duties in the manner prescribed, and be entitled to receive the fees allowed by law to surveyors and collectors, for the same duties, and no more. But all cargoes chargeable with duties shall be entered, and the duties paid, at the port of New York, before permission shall be granted to discharge the same at Port Jefferson.

vessels.

fees.

Vessels to be entered at New York.

Stat. at Large, CHAP. IV.. Vol. X. p. 149.

Registry of

built vessels purchased and repaired by citi

No. 341.- DECEMBER 23, 1852.

An Act authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to issue Registers to
Vessels in certain Cases.

Be it enacted, &c. That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he hereby wrecked foreign is, authorized to issue a register or enrolment for any vessel built in a foreign country, whenever such vessel may have been or shall hereafter be wrecked in the United States, and have been, or shall hereafter be, purchased and repaired by a citizen or citizens thereof: Provided, That thorized. Pro- it shall be proved to the satisfaction of the Secretary of the Treasury that vided the repairs the repairs put upon such vessel shall be equal to three fourths of the fourths the cost cost of said vessel when so repaired.

zens of the United States, au

equal three

of the vessel

when repaired.

Stat. at Large, CHAP. LXXIX. Vol. X. p. 160.

Weight of coins.

Legal tender.

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No. 342.- FEBRUARY 21, 1853.

-An Act amendatory of existing Laws relative to the Half-Dollar,
Quarter-Dollar, Dime, and Half-Dime.*

Be it enacted, &c. That * * * * the weight of the half-dollar or piece of fifty cents shall be one hundred and ninety-two grains, and the quarter

⚫ dollar, dime, and half-dime, shall be, respectively, one half, one fifth, and one tenth of the weight of said half-dollar.

SEC. 2. That the silver coins issued in conformity with the above section, shall be legal tenders in payment of debts for all sums not exceeding five dollars.

*Acts of Jan. 18, 1837, ch. 3, § 9; 1853, ch. 96, § 7.

No. 343.- MARCH 2, 1853.

Stat. at Large,

CHAP. LXXXIX. - An Act to provide Compensation to such Persons as may be desig nated by the Secretary of the Treasury to receive and keep the Public Money, under the Vol. X. p. 172. fifteenth Section of the Act of sixth August, eighteen hundred and forty-six, for the additional Services required under that Act.

1846, ch. 90.

of depositaries of

Be it enacted, &c. That the depositaries which have been or may be Compensation designated by the Secretary of the Treasury, under the fifteenth section of public money the act of the sixth of August, eighteen hundred and forty-six, to receive under act of payments and give receipts or certificates of deposit for public money from 1846, ch. 90. miscellaneous sources, other than the transactions of the respective offices for which they are or may be commissioned, may be paid in full compensation for receiving, safely keeping, and paying out such public money, after the first day of March, eighteen hundred and forty-nine, at the rate of one half of one per centum for the first one hundred thousand dollars; one fourth of one per centum for the second one hundred thousand dollars; and one eighth of one per centum for all sums over two hundred thousand dollars; any sum which may have been allowed to such depositary for rent or any other contingent expenses in respect to the custody of such public money, being deducted from such compensation before any payment shall be made therefor: Provided, That no compensation shall be allowed for the above services when the emoluments of the office of which said designated depositary is in commission, amounts to the maximum compensation fixed by law; nor shall the amount allowed to any of said designated depositaries for such services, when added to the emoluments of the office of which he is in commission be more than sufficient to make the maximum compensation fixed by law: And provided further, Proviso. That the whole allowance to any designated depositary for such services, shall not exceed fifteen hundred dollars per annum:

Proviso.

1854, ch. 242. § 9 Vol. x. p. 573.

SEC. 2. That the sum of twenty thousand dollars be, and the same is Appropriation. hereby appropriated to meet the allowances which may be made under the provisions of this act.

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CHAP. XCVI.- An Act to supply Deficiencies in the Appropriations for the Service of the Fiscal Year ending the thirtieth of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-three. SEC. 7. *** The Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized to regulate the size and devices of the new silver coin, authorized by an act entitled "An act amendatory of existing laws relative to the half-dollar, quarter-dollar, dime, and half-dime," passed at the present session; **** And that hereafter the three-cent coin now authorized by law shall be made of the weight of three fiftieths of the weight of the halfdollar, as provided in said act, and of the same standard of fineness. * * *

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CHAP. XCVII.—An Act making Appropriations for the Civil and Diplomatic Expenses of Government for the Year ending the thirtieth of June, eighteen hundred and fifty-four. SEC. 2. That the salary of the superintendent of the coast survey shall be six thousand dollars per annum; and it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury annually to report to Congress, during the first month of each regular session, the number and names of the persons employed during the last preceding fiscal year upon the coast survey and business connected therewith; the amount of compensation of every kind respectively paid them, for what purpose, and the length of time employed; and further, to report a full statement of all other expenditures made under the direction of the superintendent of the coast survey.

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