Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all those widows and such child or children as are now receiving a pension under any of the laws of Congress passed prior to the first of August, eighteen hundred and forty-one, (excepting the law passed the third of March, eighteen hundred and thirty-seven,) and those widows and children who have received pensions at any time within five years prior to the passage of this act, may and shall continue to receive the same amount as they have received under any special act, from the time such special act expired: Provided, Such act ceased on or after the first day of September, eighteen hundred and forty-five, or may hereafter terminate. And all such pensions as are now in force, and such as are renewed by this act, shall be paid out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, so long as the said widows shall live as widows; and in case of the death, before or after the passage of this act, of the

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widows, to the orphan child or children of the deceased parties, until they respectively arrive at the age of sixteen years; and to the child or children of said widows in case of marriage by said widows, until said child or children shall respectively arrive at the age of sixteen years; and that the act approved thirtieth April, eighteen hundred and forty-four, shall not be so construed as to exclude officers, seamen, or marines from their pensions when disabled for sea service; Provided, That the whole amount received by the pensioner, including pay for his service and pension, shall not exceed his lowest duty pay. That the orphan child or children of the deceased parties shall have a pension in case the widow has died after drawing a five years' pension, to commence at the time when the widow dies, and to continue until the child or children shall respectively reach the age of sixteen years; and that any casualty by which an officer, seaman, or marine has lost or may lose his life while in the line of his duty, shall be considered sufficient to entitle the widow, child or children to all the benefits of this act.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That engineers, firemen, and coal-heavers in the navy shall be entitled to pensions in the same manner as officers, seamen, and marines; and the widows of engineers, coal-heavers, and firemen in the same manner as the widows of officers, seamen, and marines: Provided, That the pension of a chief engineer shall be the same as that of a lieutenant in the navy; and a pension of the widow of a chief engineer the same as that of the widow of a lieutenant in the navy; the pension of a first assistant engineer the same as that of a lieutenant of marines; and the pension of the widow of a first assistant engineer the same as that of the widow of a lieutenant of marines; the pension of a second or third assistant engineer the same as that of a forward officer; and the pension of the widow of a forward officer; the pension of a fireman or coal-heaver the same as that of a seaman; the pension of the widow of a fireman or coal-heaver the same as that of a seaman: And provided further, That an engineer, fireman, or coal-heaver shall not be entitled to any pension by reason of a disability incurred prior to the thirty-first of August, eighteen hundred and forty-two, nor shall the widow of an engineer, fireman, or coal-heaver be entitled to any pension by reason of the death of her husband, if his death was prior to the said date.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the amount of pension in every case arising under the law (is) not to exceed the half-pay of the deceased officer, seaman, or marine, as it existed in January, eighteen hundred and thirty-five, or such rate of pension as is allowed by this act.

Approved, August 11, 1848.