Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 18 Part 2c.djvu/161

 154 rustic rrnnarins. Anrioma XVI. Vessels carrying The articles of contraband, before enumerated and classified, lwlueli °°“’·“*l’“”d· may be found in a. vessel bound for an enemy’s port, shall be subject to detention and ooniiscation, leaving free the rest of the cargo and the ship, that the owners may dispose of them asthey see proper. Lo vessel of either of the two nations shall be detained on the high seas on account of having on board articles of contraband, whenever the mas-. ter, captain, or supercargo of said vessel will deliver up the articles ot contraband to the captor, unless the quantity of such articles be so great and of so large a bulk that they cannot be received on board the capturing ship without great inconvenience; but in this and in all other cases of just detention, the vessel detained shall be sent to the nearest convenient and safe port for trial and judgment according to law. Anrrorn XVII. Vessels trading And whereas it frequently happens that vessels sail for a port onplace with blvckedul belonging to an enemy, without knowing that the same is besieged, P°““· blockaded, or invested, it is agreed that every vessel so circumstanced may be turned away from such port or place, but shall not be detained, nor shall any part of her cargo, if not contraband, be confiscated, unless, after warning of such blockade or investment from the commanding officer of the blockading forces, she shall again attempt to enter; but she shall be permitted to go to any other port or place she shall think proper. Nor shall any vessel of either, that may have entered into such port before the same was actually besieged, blockaded, or invested by the other, be restrained from quitting such place with her cargo, nor, if found therein after the reduction and surrender, shall such vessel or her cargo be liable to contiscation, but they shall be restored to the owners thereotl Anrrcrn XVIII. Visit and search In order to prevent all kinds of disorder in the visiting and examina- Of ¤<=¤*¤*l "°¤¤**l°- tion of the ships and cargoes of both the contracting parties on the high seas, they have agreed mutually that whenever a vessel of war, public `or private, shall meet with a neutral of the other contracting party, the first shall remain out of cannon shot, and may send its boat with two or three men only in order to execute the said examination of the papers concerning the ownership and cargo of the vessel, without causing the least extortion, violence, or ill-treatment, for which the commanders of the said armed ships shall be responsible with their persons and property ; for which purpose the commanders of said private armed vessels shall, betore receiving their commissions, give sufficient security to answer for all the damages they may commit. And it is expressly agreed that the neutral party shall in no case be required to go on board the examining vessel for the purpose of exhibiting her papers, or for any other purpose whatever. Anrrcm XIX. sea-letters for To avoid all kind of vexation and abuse in the examination of the ¤°°~*¤’¤l V°¤¤°]¤ papers relating to the ownership of the vessels belonging to the citize¤S of the two contracting parties, they have agreed, and do agree, that in case one of them should be engaged in war, the ships and vessels belonging to the citizens of the other must be furnished with sea·letters or passports, expressing the name, property, and bulk of the ship, as also the name and place of habitation of the master or commander of said vessel, in order that it may thereby appear that the ship really and truly belongs to the citizens of one of the parties; they have likewise agreed that such ships being laden, besides the said sea-letters or pass-