Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 3).djvu/345

 *quiry (I object to the mode in which this is now carried out) into the cause of such misfortune, and, for this purpose, appoint suitable persons to form a court, able and competent to deal with all such questions.

Under the eighth part of the Act, the Board of Trade has intrusted to it the general superintendence of all matters relating to wrecks cast on shore, together with the appointment of receivers, who have authority to summon all persons, promiscuously, to their aid, to whatever number may be deemed necessary for the saving from plunder or otherwise the property thus stranded, and to "demand the use of any waggon, cart, or horses that may be near at hand;" "all persons refusing, without reasonable cause, to comply with this summons are liable to a penalty not exceeding 100l." The receiver can also use force to suppress plunder, and "if any person is killed, maimed, or otherwise hurt by reason of his resisting the receiver in the execution of his duties, this officer is indemnified against all prosecutions for such acts"—a power somewhat approaching the rigour of the ancient laws, but still not too stringent to suppress the lawlessness even now prevailing when wrecks take place on remote parts of our coasts. Certain rules are laid down to be observed by persons finding or taking possession of a wreck; for instance, he must give notice of it as soon as possible to the receiver of the district, and, if he fails to do so, is, thereby, subject to penalties for his neglect, as

the Sea,' giving an account of all disastrous shipwrecks, and calling attention to those which would not have happened had ordinary prudence been exercised.]
 * [Footnote: a wreck), I hope to write another book, to be entitled the 'Annals of