R. S., 4007. R. S., 4008. R. S., 4009. R. S., 4010. R. S., 4011. R. S., 4012. transporting the mail through any foreign country, between any two points in the United States, and such transportation shall be by the speediest, safest, and most economical route; and all contracts therefor may be revoked whenever any new road or canal shall be opened affording a speedier, more economical, and equally safe transportation between the same points; but in case of the revocation of any such contract, a fair indemnity shall be awarded to the contractor. The Postmaster-General may, after advertising for proposals, enter into contracts for the transportation of the mail between the United States and any foreign country whenever the public interests will thereby be promoted. The mail between the United States and any foreign port, or between ports of the United States touching at a foreign port, shall be transported in steamships; but the Postmaster-General may have such transportation performed by sailing-vessels when the service can be facilitated thereby. For transporting the mail between the United States and any foreign port, or between ports of the United States. touching at a foreign port, the Postmaster-General may allow as compensation, if by a United States steamship, any sum not exceeding the sea and United States inland postage; and if by a foreign steamship or by a sailing vessel, any sum not exceeding the sea-postage, on the mail so transported. [Amended by March 3, 1891, p. 299.] The Postmaster-General may impose fines on contractors for transporting the mail between the United States and any foreign country, for any unreasonable or unnecessary delay in the departure of such mail, or the performance of the trip; but the fine for any one default shall not exceed one-half the contract price for the trip. Every contract for transporting the mail between the United States and any foreign country shall contain, besides the usual stipulation for the right of the Postmaster-General to discontinue the same, the further stipulation that it may be terminated by Congress. The Postmaster-General may, by and with the advice and consent of the President, make any arrangements which may be deemed just and expedient for allowing the mails of Canada, or any other country adjoining the United States, to be transported over the territory of the United States from one point in such country to any other point in the same, at the expense of the country to which the mail belongs, upon obtaining a like privilege for the transportation of the United States mail through the country to which the privilege is granted; but such privilege may at any time be annulled by the President or Congress from and after one month succeeding the day on which notice of the act of the President or Congress is given to the chief executive or head of the post-office department of the country whose privilege is to be annulled. The Postmaster-General, under the direction of the Presi- R. S., 4015. dent of the United States, is hereby authorized and empowered to charge upon, and collect from, all letters and other mailable matter carried to or from any port of the United States, in any foreign packet-ship or other vessel, the same rate or rates of charge for American postage which the government to which such foreign packet or other vessel belongs imposes upon letters and other mailable matter conveyed to or from such foreign country in American packets or other vessels as the postage of such government, and at any time to revoke the same; and all custom-house officers and other United States agents designated or appointed for that purpose shall enforce or carry into effect the foregoing provision, and aid or assist in the collection of such postage, and to that end it shall be lawful for such officers and agents, on suspicion of fraud, to open and examine, in the presence of two or more respectable persons, being citizens of the United States, any package or packages supposed to contain mailable matter found on board such packets or other vessels or elsewhere, and to prevent, if necessary, such packets or other vessels from entering, breaking bulk, or making clearance until such letters or other mailable matter are duly delivered into the United States post-office. 342. United States mail agencies abroad. The Postmaster-General may establish resident mail- R. S., 4021. agencies at the ports of Panama and Aspinwall, in New Granada; Havana, in Cuba; at Saint Thomas, and at such other foreign ports at which United States mail-steamers touch to land and receive mails, as may, in his judgment, promote the efficiency of the foreign mail-service; and may pay the agents employed by him at such ports, out of the appropriation for transportation of the mail, a reasonable compensation for their services, and the necessary expenses for office-rent, clerk-hire, office-furniture, and other incidentals, to be allowed him at each of such agencies. The Postmaster-General may appoint an agent in charge R. S., 4022. of the mail on board of each of the mail-steamers on the routes between San Francisco, Japan, and China; between San Francisco and Honolulu, in the Hawaiian Islands, and between New York and Rio Janeiro, who shall be allowed, out of the appropriation for transportation of the mail, a salary of two thousand dollars a year each. The Postmaster-General may establish, in connection R. S., 4023. with the mail-steamship service to Japan and China, a general postal agency at Shanghai, in China, or at Yokohama, in Japan, with such branch agencies at any other ports in China and Japan as he shall deem necessary for the prompt and efficient management of the postal service in those countries; and he may pay the postal agents employed thereat a reasonable compensation for their services, in addition to the necessary expenses for rent, furniture, clerk-hire, and incidental expenses. 14317-03-20 PART XXIX.-WRECKS. 343. Report of wrecks. 344. Canadian wrecks. June 20, 1874. Sec. 11. Sec. 12. 343. Report of wrecks. 345. Wrecks in foreign waters. Whenever any vessel of the United States has sustained or caused any accident involving the loss of life, the material loss of property, or any serious injury to any person, or has received any material damage affecting her seaworthiness or her efficiency, the managing owner, agent, or master of such vessel shall within five days after the happening of such accident or damage, or as soon thereafter as possible, send, by letter to the collector of customs of the district wherein such vessel belongs or of that within which such accident or damage occurred, a report thereof, signed by such owner, agent, or master, stating the name and official number (if any) of the vessel, the port to which she belongs, the place where she was, the nature and probable occasion of the casualty, the number and names of those lost, and the estimated amount of loss or damage to the vessel or cargo; and shall furnish, upon the request of either of such collectors of customs, such other information concerning the vessel, her cargo, and the casualty as may be called for; and if he neglect or refuse to comply with the foregoing requirements after a reasonable time, he shall incur a penalty of one hundred dollars. Whenever the managing owner or agent of any vessel of the United States has reason, owing to the non-appearance of such vessel, or to any other circumstance, to apprehend that such vessel has been lost, he shall, as soon as conveniently may be, send notice, in writing, to the collector of customs of the port to which said vessel belonged, of such loss, and the probable occasion thereof stating the name and the official number (if any) of the vessel, and the names of all persons on board, so far as the same can be ascertained, and shall furnish, upon request of the collector of such port, such additional information as he may be able; and if he neglect to comply with the above requirements within a reasonable time, he shall incur a penalty of one hundred dollars. It shall be the duty of the collectors of customs to immediately transmit to the Secretary of the Treasury such reports and information as they may receive under the provisions of the two preceding sections, and they shall also report to the Secretary of the Treasury any neglect or refusal on the part of the managing owner, agent, or master of any vessel of the United States to comply with the requirements thereof. The Secretary of Commerce and Labor may, upon application therefor, remit or mitigate any penalty provided for in this Act, or discontinue any prosecution to recover the same, upon such terms as he, in his discretion, shall think proper, and shall have authority to ascertain the facts upon all such applications in such manner and under such regulations as he may think proper. All penalties herein provided may be sued for, prosecuted, recovered, and disposed of in the manner prescribed by section forty-three hundred and five of the Revised Statutes. 344. Canadian wrecks. Sec. 13. Sec. 11. Feb. 14, 1903. Sec. 10. May 24, 1890. Canadian vessels and wrecking appurtenance may render aid and assistance to Canadian or other vessels and property wrecked, disabled, or in distress in the waters of the United States contiguous to the Dominion of Canada: Provided, That this act shall not take effect until proclamation by the President of the United States that the privilege of aiding American or other vessels and property wrecked, disabled, or in distress in Canadian waters contiguous to the United States has been extended by the Government of the Dominion of Canada to American vessels and wrecking appliances of all descriptions. This act Mar. 3, 1893. shall be construed to apply to the canal and improvement of the waters between Lake Erie and Lake Huron, and to the waters of the Saint Mary's River and canal: And provided further, That this act shall cease to be in force from and after the date of the proclamation of the President of the United States to the effect that said reciprocal privilege has been withdrawn, revoked, or rendered inoperative by the said Government of the Dominion of Canada. 345. Wrecks in foreign waters. Consuls and vice-consuls, in cases where vessels of the R. S., 4238. United States are stranded on the coasts of their consulates respectively, shall, as far as the laws of the country will permit, take proper measures, as well for the purpose of saving the vessels, their cargoes and appurtenances, as for storing and securing the effects and merchandise saved, and for taking inventories thereof; and the merchandise and effects saved, with the inventories thereof so taken, shall, after deducting therefrom the expenses, be delivered to the owners. No consul or vice-consul shall have authority to take possession of any such merchandise, or other property, when the master, owner, or consignee thereof is present or capable of taking possession of the same. 346. Wrecks in Florida waters. All property, of any description whatsoever, which shall be taken from any wreck, from the sea, or from any of the keys and shoals, within the jurisdiction of the United States, on the coast of Florida, shall be brought to some port of entry within the jurisdiction of the United States. Every vessel which shall be engaged or employed in carrying or transporting any property whatsoever, taken from any wreck, from the sea, or from any of the keys or shoals, within the jurisdiction of the United States, on the coast of Florida, to any foreign port, shall, together with her tackle, apparel, and furniture, be forfeited, and all forfeitures incurred by virtue of this section shall accrue, one moiety to the informer and the other to the United States. No vessel, or master thereof, shall be regularly employed in the business of wrecking on the coast of Florida without the license of the judge of the district court for the district of Florida; and, before licensing any vessel or master, the judge shall be satisfied that the vessel is sea-worthy, and properly and sufficiently fitted and equipped for the business of saving property shipwrecked and in distress; and that the master thereof is trustworthy, and innocent of any fraud or misconduct in relation to any property shipwrecked or saved on the coast. |