Thirtieth
Congress
thiFirst Session
Congress of the United States
thiFirst Session
Congress of the United States
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Be it Enacted By the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, That all vessels, whether of the United State of any other county, having sufficient capacity, according to law, for fifty or more passengers, (other than cabin pas- sengers,) shall, when employed in transporting such passengers between the United States and Europe, have on the upper deck, for the use of such passengers a house over the passage way leading to the apartment allotted to such passengers below deck, (not less than four feet by five feet on the deck and five feet high,) firmly secured to the deck, or combings of the hatch, with two doors the sills of which shall be at least one foot above the deck, (and two windows,) so constructed, that one door or ^a^ window in such house, may, at all |
times, be left open for ventilation; and all vessels so employed, and having the capacity
to carry one hundred and fifty such passengers or more, shall have two such houses;
and the stairs, or ladder, leading down to the aforesaid apartment, shall be furnished
with a hand-rail of wood or strong rope. ^Provided &c^
Sec.
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Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That every such vessel, so employed, and having the ^legal^ capacity for more than one hundred such passengers, shall have at least two ventilators, to purify the apart- ment or apartments occupied by such passengers; one of which shall be inserted in the after part of the apartment or apartments, and the other shall be placed in the forward portion of the apartment or apartments, (and they shall extend down to the decks thereof,) and one of them shall have an exhausting cap to carry off the foul air, and the other a receiv- ing cap to carry down the fresh air; which said ventilators shall have a capacity proportioned to the size of the apartment or apartments to be puri- fied, namely, if the apartment or apartments will law- fully authorize the reception of two hundred such passen- gers, the capacity of such ventilators shall, each of them, be equal to a tube of twelve inches diameter in the clear, and in proportion for larger or smaller apart- ments, and all said ventilators shall rise at least four feet and six inches above the upper decks of ^any^ such vessels, and be of the most approved form and con- |
struction: Provided, That if it shall appear, from the report to be made and approved,
as provided in the seventh section of this act, that such vessel is equally well ventilated
by any other means, such other means of ventilation shall be deemed, and held to be,
a compliance with
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with the provisions of this section.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted ^That every vessel & c^, (That all vessels employed as aforesaid, and carrying more than fifty such passengers,
shall have a camboose or cooking range on deck, housed and conveniently arranged for
the use of such passengers; the space for the fire or reception of vessels for cooking
shall be equal to five feet long and two feet wide; and if carrying more than two
hundred, and not more than three hundred such passengers then two such cambooses or
cooking ranges; and if carrying more than three hundred, and not exceeding four hundred
and fifty, then three such cambooses or cooking ranges; and if more than four hundred
and fifty such passengers, then four such cambooses or cooking ranges, which are always
to be so constructed as to be comfortable and convenient: Provided, That a less number
of cambooses or cooking ranges may be substituted for the preceding, if they are of
a larger size, and in the ratio of one of the size aforesaid for every one hundred
and fifty passengers.)
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Sec. 4. And be it further Enacted, That all vessels employed as aforesaid, shall have on board, for the use of such passengers, at the time of leaving the last port whence such ves- sel shall sail, well secured under deck, for each passenger |
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passenger, at least fifteen pounds of good navy bread, ten pounds of rice, ten pounds of oatmeal, ten pounds of wheat flour, ten pounds of peas and beans, thirty-five pounds of potatoes, one pint of vinegar, sixty gallons of fresh water, ten pounds of salted pork, free of bone, all to be of good quality, and a sufficient supply of fuel for cooking; but at places where either rice, oat meal, wheat flour, or peas and beans cannot be procured, of good quality, and on reasonable terms, the quantity of either or any of the other last named articles may be increased and sub- stituted therefor; and in case potatoes cannot be pro- cured on reasonable terms, one pound of either of said articles may be substituted in lieu of five pounds of potatoes; and the captains of such vessels shall deliver to each passengers at least one-tenth part of the aforesaid provisions weekly, commencing on the day of sailing; and daily at least three quarts of water, and sufficient fuel for cooking; and if the passengers on board of any such vessel in which the provisions, fuel and water, herein required, shall not have been provided as aforesaid, shall, at any time, be put on short allowance during any voyage, the master or owner of any such vessels shall pay to each and every passenger, who shall have been put on short allowance, the sum of three dollars for each and every day they may have been on such short allowance, to be recovered ^in the circuit &c^ (in the same manner as |
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as seamens wages are, or may be recovered.)
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Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the captain of any such so employed is here- by authorized to maintain good discipline, and such habits of cleanliness among such passengers as will tend to the preservation and promotion of health; and to that end, he shall cause such regulations as he may adopt for this purpose to be posted up before sailing, on board such vessel, in a place accessible to such passengers, and shall keep the same so posted up during the voyage; and it is hereby made the duty of said captain to cause the apartment occupied by such passen- gers to be kept, at all times, in a clean, healthy state; and the owners of every such vessel so employed, are required to construct the decks, and all parts of said apartment, so that it can be thoroughly cleansed (without injury to the cargo of such ves- sel); and they shall also provide a safe convenient privy or water-closet for the exclusive use of every (fifty) ^one hundred^ such passengers. And when the weather is such |
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captain may deem necessary.
Sec. 6. And be it further Enacted, That the master and owner or owners of any such
vessel so employed, which shall not be provided with the house or houses over the
passage ways as prescribed in the first section of this act; or with the ventilators,
as prescribed in the second section of this act; or with the cambooses or cooking
ranges, with the houses over them, as prescribed in the third section of this act;
shall severally forfeit and pay to the United States the sum of two hundred dollars,
for each and every violation of, or neglect o conform to, the provisions of each of
said sections; and fifty dollars for each and every neglect or violation of any of
the provisions of the fifth section of this act; to be recovered by suit in any circuit
or district court of the United States, within the jurisdiction of which the said
vessel may arrive, or from which it may be about to depart, or at any place within
the jurisdiction of such courts, wherever the owener or oweners, or captain of such vessel, may be found.
Sec. 7. And be it further Enacted, That the collector of the customs, at any port
in the United States at which any vessel so Employed shall arrive, or from which any
such vessel shall be about to depart, shall appoint and direct one of the inspectors
of the customs for such port to Examine
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Examine such vessel, and to report in writing to such collector, whether the provisions
of the first, second, third, and fifth sections of this act, have been complied with
in respect to such vessel, and if such report shall state such compliance, and be
approved by such collector, it shall be deemed and held as conclusive evidence thereof.
Sec. 8. And be it further Enacted, That the first section of the act, entitled “An
act to regulate the carriage of passengers in merchant vessels,” approved February
twenty-second, eighteen hundred and forty-seven, be so amended, that when the height
or distance between the decks of the vessel referred to in the said section, shall
be less than six feet, and not less than five feet, there shall be allowed to each
passenger sixteen clear superficial feet on the deck, instead of fourteen, as prescribed
in said section; and if the height or distance between the decks shall be less than
five feet, there shall be allowed to each passenger twenty-two clear superficial feet
on the deck; and if the master of any such vessel, shall take on board his vessel,
in any port of the United States, a greater number of passengers than is allowed by
this section, with the intent specified in said first section of the act of eighteen
hundred and forty-seven, or of the master of any such vessel shall take on board,
at a foreign port
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port, and bring within the jurisdiction of the United States, a greater number of
passengers than is allowed by this section, said master shall be deemed guilty of
a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished in the manner provided
for the punishment of persons convicted of a violation of the act aforesaid; and in
computing the number of passengers on board such vessels, all children under the age
of one year, at the time of embarkation, shall be excluded from such computation.
Sec. 9. And be it further Enacted, That this act shall take effect, in respect to
such vessels sailing from ports in the United States, in thirty days from the time
of its approval; and in respect to every such vessel sailing from ports in Europe,
in sixty days after such approval; and it is hereby made the duty of the Secretary
of State to give notice, in the ports of Europe, of this act, in such manner as he
may deem proper.
Sec. 10. And be it further Enacted, That so much of the first section of the act,
entitled “An act regulating passenger ships and vessels,” approved March second, eighteen
hundred and nineteen, or any other act that limits the number of passengers to two
for every five tons, is hereby repealed.
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[ certification
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04/07/1848
Clerk.
04/07/1848
Passed the House of Representatives
April 7th 1848.
Attest.
Tho. J CampbellApril 7th 1848.
Attest.
Clerk.
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[ docketing
]
commerce
[ docketing
]
H R 29[?]
[ docketing
]
An Act
to provide for the ventilation of passenger vessels, and for other purposes.
to provide for the ventilation of passenger vessels, and for other purposes.
[ certification
]
05/12/1848
Secretary
05/12/1848
In Senate of the United Stat[es?]
May 12. 1848
Resolved, That this Bill pa[ss?]
with amendments.
Attest
Asbury Dickins.May 12. 1848
Resolved, That this Bill pa[ss?]
with amendments.
Attest
Secretary
[ docketing
]
Amendments concurred in
Hampton
May 17th
Hampton
May 17th
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In Senate of the United States,
May 12. 1848
Resolved, That the Bill from the House of Representatives entitled
“An Act to provide for the ventilation of passenger vessels, and for other purposes,” do pass with the following
“An Act to provide for the ventilation of passenger vessels, and for other purposes,” do pass with the following
Amendments:—
Sec. 1 line 10 strike out from the word “deck” to and including the word “high” in the 11th line.
line 14 after the word “deck” strike out the words—“and two windows”
line 15 after the word “or” insert the word “a”
Add to the end of the section the following:—
“Provided, nevertheless, booby, hatches may be substituted for such houses in vessels having three permanent decks.”
line 14 after the word “deck” strike out the words—“and two windows”
line 15 after the word “or” insert the word “a”
Add to the end of the section the following:—
“Provided, nevertheless, booby, hatches may be substituted for such houses in vessels having three permanent decks.”
Sec. 2. line 2 after the word “the” insert the word “legal”
line 9 strike out from “the word “apartments” to and including the word “thereof” in the 10th line.
line 21 strike out the word “decks” and insert in lieu thereof the word “deck”—and after
line 22 strike out the word “vessels” and insert in lieu thereof the word “vessel”
line 9 strike out from “the word “apartments” to and including the word “thereof” in the 10th line.
line 21 strike out the word “decks” and insert in lieu thereof the word “deck”—and after
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the word “of” in the same line insert the word “any”line 22 strike out the word “vessels” and insert in lieu thereof the word “vessel”
Sec. 3. strike out all after the enacting clause to the end of the section and insert
in lieu thereof as follows:—
“That every vessel carrying more than fifty such passengers shall have for their use, on deck, housed and conveniently arranged, at least one camboose or cooking range, the dimensions of which shall be equal to four feet long and one foot six inches wide for every two hundred passengers, and provision shall be made in the manner afores-aid in this ratio for a greater or less number of passengers: Provided, however, and nothing herein contained shall take away the right to make such arrangements for cooking between decks if that shall be deemed desirable.”
“That every vessel carrying more than fifty such passengers shall have for their use, on deck, housed and conveniently arranged, at least one camboose or cooking range, the dimensions of which shall be equal to four feet long and one foot six inches wide for every two hundred passengers, and provision shall be made in the manner afores-aid in this ratio for a greater or less number of passengers: Provided, however, and nothing herein contained shall take away the right to make such arrangements for cooking between decks if that shall be deemed desirable.”
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Sec 4. line 32 strike out from the word “recovered” to the end of the section, and
insert in lieu thereof as follows:—
“in the circuit or district court of the United States: Provided, nevertheless, and nothing herein contained shall prevent any passenger, with the consent of the captain, from furnishing for himself the articles of food herein specified, and, if put on board in good order, it shall fully satisfy the provisions of this act so far as regards food: And provided, further, That any passenger may, also, with the consent of the captain, furnish for himself an equivalent for the articles of food required in other and different articles; and if without waste or neglect on the part of the passenger or inevitable accident, they prove insufficient, and the captain shall furnish comfortable food to such passengers during the residue of the voyage, this in regard to food shall also be a compliance with the terms of this act.”
“in the circuit or district court of the United States: Provided, nevertheless, and nothing herein contained shall prevent any passenger, with the consent of the captain, from furnishing for himself the articles of food herein specified, and, if put on board in good order, it shall fully satisfy the provisions of this act so far as regards food: And provided, further, That any passenger may, also, with the consent of the captain, furnish for himself an equivalent for the articles of food required in other and different articles; and if without waste or neglect on the part of the passenger or inevitable accident, they prove insufficient, and the captain shall furnish comfortable food to such passengers during the residue of the voyage, this in regard to food shall also be a compliance with the terms of this act.”
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Sec 5 line 17 from the word “cleansed” strike out to and including the word “vessel”
in the 17th & 18th lines.
line 20 strike out the word “fifty” and insert in lieu thereof the words “one hundred”
line 20 strike out the word “fifty” and insert in lieu thereof the words “one hundred”
[ certification
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Secretary
Attest
Asbury Dickins.Secretary
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[ docketing
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H R. 292
Amendments
Amendments
[ certification
]
05/16/1848
Clerk.
05/16/1848
House of Representatives
May 16. 1848.
Resolved that this House do agree to the Senates amendments to House bill No 292.
Attest,
Tho J CampbellMay 16. 1848.
Resolved that this House do agree to the Senates amendments to House bill No 292.
Attest,
Clerk.
Partially Printed Document, 16 page(s), Volume Volume 1, RG 233, Entry 362: Thirtieth Congress, 1847-1849, Records of Legislative Proceedings, Bills and Resolutions Originating in the House, 1847-1849, NAB,