Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 41 Part 1.djvu/548

 SIXTY-SIXTH CONGRESS. Sess. II. Ch. 95. 1920. 527 be brought within one year after this Act goes into effect; and all other S\11t»S hereunder shall be brought within two years after the cause of action arises. Em um em Sec. 6. That the United States or such corggation shall be en- P ’ titled to the benefits of all exemptions and of all `tations of liability accorded by law to the owners, charterers, operators, or agents of vessels. Sec. 7. That if any vessel or cargo within the purview of sections mj“;@‘;Q“g’,§°£;g"§,‘§ 1 and 4 of this Act is arrested, attached, or otherwise seized by process sus. gc-. in foreign of any court in any country other than the United States, or if any °°i1i§m°S°¤aqy, sa., suit is brought therein aigainst the master of any such vessel for any g°n§m*}° °"*““°‘ "’ cause of action arising rom, or in connection with, the possession, operation, or ownership of any such vessel, or the possession carriage or ownership of any such cargo, the Secretary of State of the United States in his discretion, upon the request of the Attomey General of the United States, or any other officer duly authorized by him, may direct the United States consul residing at or nearest the place at which such action may have been commenced to claim suc vessel or cargo as immune from such arrest, attachment, or other seizure, and to execute an agreement, undertaking, bond, or stipulation for E‘°°““°“°"’°°d· and on behalf of the United States, or the United States Shiplping Board, or such corporation as by said court required, for the re ease of such vessel or cargo, and for the prosecution of any appleal; or 0,§¤£*,j*;_§£¤i!§¤¤¤¤*¢*¤ may, in the event of such suits against the master of any suc vessel, ` direct said United States consul to enter the appearance of the United States, or of the United States Shipping Board, or of such corporation, and to pledge the credit thereof to the payment of any judg- - ment and cost t at may be entered in such suit. The Attorney ,u,A,§},',¥,§F°“°“° ‘°' General is hereby vested with power and authority to arrange wit any bank, smety companty, person, iirm, or corporation in the United States, its Territories an possessions, or in any foreign count, to execute any such aforesaid ond or stipulation as surety or stipiiliator thereon, and to pledge the credit of the United States to the indemnification of suc surety or stipulator as may be required to secure the execution of such ond or stipulation. The presentation of a ,,g§,’Q{"°"‘ °' ’“°" copy of the judgment roll in any such suit, certified by the clerk of the court and authenticated by the certificate and seal of the United States consul claimingesuch vessel or cargo, or his successor, and by the certificate of the cretary of State as to the official capacity of such consul, shall be sufficient evidence to the pro er accounf officers of the United States, or of the United States Ship ing Boaiiig or of such coxoration, for the allowance and payment of) such jud - PWM * ments: P °, however, That nothing in this section shall be heii No imniunity pr¤1¤· to prejudice or preclude a claim of the immunity of such vessel or °*°°°‘ cargo rom foreign jurisdiction in a proper case. Pa wt 0, ,udg_ _ Sec. 8. That ar-ry final judgment rendered in any suit herein author- meuguswsms, or sa. ized, and any tin judgment within the purview of sections 4 and 7 °°m°“”‘ of this Act, and any ar itration award or settlement had and agreed to under the provisions of section 9 of this Act, shall, upon the presentation of a duly authenticated copy thereof, be paid by the proper accounting officers of the United States out of any appropriation or A ,.,,,,0,, i, ,1,, insurance fund or other fund especially available thereiior; otherwise mniiixntne. therevis hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury of the bmted States not otherwise appropriated, a sum sufhcient to pay any such judgment or award or settlement. Compmmm, ,,,,, Sec. 9; That the Secretary of any department of the Government summed. ’ ’ of the United States, or the United States Shipping Board, or the board of trustees of such corporation, having control of the possession or operation of any merchant vessel are, and each hereby is, author-