Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 1.djvu/794



, that where the original invoices of any of the said articles are produced, at the time of making entry for such articles, and the tare or tares appear therein, it shall be lawful for the collector and naval officer, (where there is one,) if they see fit, with the consent of the importer or importers, consignee or consignees, to estimate the said tare or tares, according to such invoice, but if not determined at the time of entry, the tare or tares as above shall be granted and allowed.

. And be it further enacted, That there be an allowance of two per cent, for leakage, on the quantity which shall appear by the gauge to be contained in any cask of liquors, subject to duty by the gallon; and ten per cent. on all beer, ale and porter in bottles, and five per cent. on all other liquors in bottles, to be deducted from the invoice quantity, in lieu of breakage, or it shall be lawful to compute the duties on the actual quantity to be ascertained by tale at the option of the importer, to be made at the time of entry.

. And be it further enacted, That if any ship or vessel from any foreign port or place, compelled by distress of weather, or other necessity, shall put into any port or place of the United States, not being destined for the same, and if the master, or other person having the charge or command of any such ship or vessel, together with the mate or person next in command, shall, within twenty-four hours after her arrival, make protest in the usual form upon oath or affirmation, before a notary public or other person duly authorized, or before the collector of the district, where the said ship or vessel shall so arrive, who is hereby empowered to administer the same, setting forth the cause, or circumstance of such distress, or necessity, which protest, if not made before the collector, shall be produced to him, and to the naval officer (if any there be) and a copy thereof lodged with him or them. And the master, or other person aforesaid, shall also, within forty-eight hours after such arrival, make report in writing to the said collector, of the said ship or vessel and her cargo, as is directed hereby to be done in other cases. And if it shall be made appear to the said collector, by the certificate of the wardens of the port, or other officers usually charged with, and accustomed to ascertain the condition of ships or vessels arriving in distress, if any such there be, or by the certificate of any two reputable merchants, to be named for that purpose by the said collector, if no such wardens, or other officers duly qualified there be, that there is a necessity for unlading the said ship or vessel, the said collector and naval officer (where any) shall grant a permit for that purpose, and shall appoint an inspector or inspectors to oversee such unlading, who shall keep an account of the same, to be compared with the report made by the master, or other person having the charge or command of such ship or vessel: and all goods, wares and merchandise so unladen, shall be stored under the direction of the said collector, who, upon request of the master or person having the charge or command of such ship or vessel, or of the owner or owners thereof, shall, together with the naval officer, where there is one, and alone where there is none, grant permission to dispose of such part of the said cargo as may be of a perishable nature (if any there be) or as may be necessary to defray the expenses attending such ship or vessel, and her cargo: Provided, that entry shall be made therefor, and the duties thereon as in other cases shall be first paid, or secured to be paid: And provided, that in case the delivery of the cargo do not agree with the report thereof, made by the master or other person having the charge or command of such ship or vessel, and if the difference, or disagreement be not satisfactorily accounted for in manner prescribed by this act, the master, or other person having the charge or command of such ship or vessel, shall be liable to such penalties as in other like cases are by this act prescribed. And the said goods, wares and merchandise, or the remainder