Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 18 Part 2c.djvu/441

 434 runnin Tnnariics. Anrrcnn X. Depositions and Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and. Consular Agents may 1*%***1 <l°°“m°¤*¤· take at their offices, at the residence of the parties, at their private resi. dence, or on board ship, the depositions of the captains and crews of vessels of their own country, of passengers on board of them, and of any other citizen or subject of their nation. They may also receive at their offices, couformably to the laws and regulations of their country, all contracts between the citizens and subjects of their country, and the citizens, subjects, or other inhabitants of the country where they reside, and even all contracts between the latter, provided they relate to property situated or to business to be transacted in the territory of the nation to which said consular officer may belong. Copies of such papers, and official documents of every kind, whether in the original, copy, or translation, duly authenticated and legalized, by the Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents, and sealed with their official seal, shall be received as legal documents in courts of j ustice throughout the United States and Italy. Anriora XI. Settlement or Consuls General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular Agents shall disputes between have exclusive charge of the internal order of the merchant vessels of “’“*°” ““d °'°‘"· their nation, and shall alone take cognizance of differences which may arise, either at sea or in port, between the captains, officers, and crews, without exception, particularly in reference to the adjustment of wages and the execution of contracts. Neither the Federal, State, or municipal authorities or courts in the United States, nor any court or authority in Italy, shall on any pretext interfere in these diiferences, but shall render forcible aid to consular officers, when they may ask it, to search, arrest, and imprison all persons composing the crew whom they may deem it necessary to confine. Those persons shall be arrested at the sole request of the Consuls, addressed in writing to either the Federal, State, or municipal courts or authorities in the United States, or to any court or authority in Italy, and supported by an official extract from the register of the ship, or the list of the crew, and shall be held, during tl'? whole time of their stay in the port, at the disposal of the consular o cers. Their release shall be granted at the mere request of such officers made in writing. The expenses of the arrest and detention of those persons shall be paid by the consular onicers. Aurrorn XII. Disp use no- In conformity with the act of Congress, (5 [3] March, 1855, “ to regutwees efiicers of late the carriage of passengers on steamships and other vessels,") all [Sw U S RQ_ officers on one hand, and the passengers of their ships on the other, shall ,.,,,,,,1 gmgum, be brought to and decided by the circuit or district courts in the United mis 52, ~n¤¤¤- States, to the exclusion of all other courts or authorities. LATXON or Summ- V”SmS' ] Aarrcmu XIII. pwmm {mm The respective Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Consular vessels. Agents may arrest the officers, sailors, and all other persons making part of the crew of ships of war or merchant vessels of their nation who may be guilty, or be accused of having deserted said ships and vessels, for the purpose of sending them on board or back to their country. To that end, the Consuls of Italy in the United States may apply in writing to either the Federal, State, or municipal courts or authorities; and tho Consuls of the United States in Italy may apply to any of the competent authorities and make a request in writing for the descrters, supporting
 * ’f’l“ ““d P““°“' disputes and dilfereuces of any nature between the captains and their