Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 1.djvu/822



the President of the United States shall so direct, co-operate with the navy of the United States, during which time, they shall be under the direction of the Secretary of the Navy, and the expenses thereof shall be defrayed by the agents of the Navy Department.

. And be it further enacted, That the officers of the said revenue cutters shall be appointed by the President of the United States, and shall respectively be deemed officers of the customs, and shall be subject to the direction of such collectors of the revenue, or other officers thereof, as from time to time shall be designated for that purpose; they shall have power and authority, and are hereby required and directed to go on board all ships or vessels, which shall arrive within the United States, or within four leagues of the coast thereof, if bound for the United States, and to search and examine the same, and every part thereof, and to demand, receive, and certify the manifests herein before required to be on board certain ships or vessels, and to affix and put proper fastenings on the hatches and other communications with the hold of any ship or vessel, and to remain on board the said ships and vessels, until they arrive at the port or place of their destination. It shall likewise be the duty of the master or other person having at any time the command of any of the said revenue cutters, to make a weekly return to the collector, or other officer of the district under whose direction they are placed, of the transactions of the cutter under their command, specifying therein, the vessels that have been boarded, their names and descriptions, the names of the masters, and from what port or place they last sailed, whether laden or in ballast, whether ships or vessels of the United States, or to what other nation belonging, and whether they have the necessary manifest or manifests of their cargoes on board, and generally all such matters as it may be necessary for the collectors or other officers of the customs to be made acquainted with; and the officers of the said cutters shall likewise execute and perform such other duties for the collection and security of the revenue, as from time to time shall be enjoined and directed by the Secretary of the Treasury, not contrary to law, and the provisions herein before contained.

. And be it further enacted, That the President be, and he is hereby authorized to cause other revenue cutters to be built or purchased, in lieu of such as are or shall from time to time become unfit for further service; and to cause such as are so become unfit for further service, to be sold at public auction, and the proceeds of such sales to be paid into the treasury of the United States. And the expense of purchasing other cutters as aforesaid, as well as all future expenses of building, purchasing or repairing revenue cutters, shall be paid out of the product of the duties on goods, wares and merchandise imported into the United States, and on the tonnage of ships or vessels.

. And be it further enacted, That the collectors of the respective districts may, with the approbation of the Secretary of the Treasury, provide and employ such small open row and sail boats, in each district, together with the number of persons to serve in them, as shall be necessary for the use of the surveyors and inspectors in going on board of ships or vessels and otherwise, for the better detection of frauds; the expense of which shall be defrayed out of the product of the duties.

. And be it further enacted, That the cutters and boats employed in the service of the revenue, shall be distinguished from other vessels, by an ensign and pendant, with such marks thereon as shall be prescribed and directed by the President of the United States; and in case any ship or vessel liable to seizure or examination shall not bring to, on being required, or being chased by any cutter or boat having displayed the pendant and ensign prescribed for vessels in the revenue service, it shall be lawful for the captain, master or other