is guilty of a misdemeanor (s. 239). Courts having admiralty jurisdiction in her Majesty's dominions have power to remove the captain if necessary, and appoint a new master (s. 240).

Local Marine Boards, together with a legal assistant appointed by the Board of Trade, have power to institute investigations as to the incompetency or misconduct of captains and mates (s. 241), and if on such investigation (or on any investigation made by any proper Court in any British possession) the master or mate is found to be incompetent or guilty of any gross act of misconduct, drunkenness or tyranny, or if it is found that damage to the ship or loss of life has been caused by his neglect, or if he is superseded by an Admiralty Court or naval Court, or is convicted of any offence, his certificate may be suspended or cancelled (s. 242). (See also Act of 1862, ss. 23, 24, and 25.)

If any seaman lawfully engaged deserts his service, he is liable to imprisonment for twelve weeks, and he forfeits all effects he leaves on board and all wages due to him. If he neglects or refuses to join his ship or is absent without leave any time within twenty-four hours before the ship's sailing, or at any time during the voyage, he is liable to imprisonment for ten weeks and to forfeit two day's pay, and also six day's pay for every day he is absent. For quitting the ship before she is properly moored he is liable to forfeit a month's pay. For wilful disobedience to lawful commands he is liable to imprisonment for four weeks, and to forfeit two day's pay. For continued disobedience or wilful neglect of duty he is liable to twelve weeks' imprisonment and to forfeit not exceeding six day's pay for every day the offence is continued. For assaulting the master or mate, or for combining with others to disobey commands, he is liable to twelve weeks' imprisonment. For wilfully damaging the ship, stores or cargo, and for smuggling, whereby the owner suffers loss, he must make good the loss or injury, and he is also liable to twelve weeks' imprisonment (s. 243). If any of the above offences are committed, an entry of the fact must be made in the official log, and a further entry is to be made that such statement was read over to the offender, or that a

copy of it was given to him, and his reply thereto (if any) (s. 244).

Seamen whom the captain is compelled to take on board, and also seamen on board without leave, are subject to the same penalties as the crew (s. 245).

The captain or owner may apprehend a deserter without a magistrate's warrant (either with or without a policeman), and then convey him before some proper Court (s. 246). Magistrates may send deserters on board the ship if required by the captain, instead of committing them to prison (s. 247), or they may be sent on board before the term of imprisonment is ended (s. 248). The fact of the desertion is to be entered in the official log, and the entry is to be produced before the proper officer to endorse a certificate of it on the agreement, and copies of the entry in the log and of the certificate are to be sent to the Registrar-General of Seamen (s. 249); the cost of convicting a seaman of desertion to the amount of £3 may be deducted from his wages (s. 251).

If any seaman on being engaged wilfully makes a false statement as to his last ship or gives a wrong name, he incurs a penalty of £5 (s. 255).

Whenever a seaman commits an act of misconduct for which his agreement imposes a fine, and which it is intended to punish by imposing a fine, an entry of the offence is to be made in the official log, and the entry read over to the offender, or a copy thereof given to him. An entry must then be made to the effect that the former entry was read over to him, together with his reply thereto, the same as before provided for offences against discipline, and then the fine is to be deducted from the wages of such offender when he is discharged, the offence being first proved by the captain before the shipping master (or if the seaman is discharged abroad, before the consul or custom-house officer or other person before whom he is discharged). An entry is then to be made in the official log that the fine has been so deducted, and on the arrival of the ship in the United Kingdom the fine is to be paid over to the shipping master (s. 256).

Every person who entices a seaman to desert or wilfully

harbours any seaman who has deserted, incurs a penalty of £10 (s. 257).

Every person who secretes himself and goes to sea in any ship without leave, incurs a penalty of £20 (s. 258).

If during the voyage the captain is superseded, and is succeeded in command by some other person, he is to hand over to his successor all documents relating to the ship and crew, or he incurs a penalty of £100 (s. 259).

Naval Courts.

Any captain in Her Majesty's navy or a consul may summon a “Naval Court" to hear complaints, and investigate wrecks in certain cases requiring immediate investigation (s. 260).

The Naval Court is to consist of at least one officer of the navy, one consul, and one shipmaster (s. 261), and it has power to supersede the master and appoint a successor, discharge seamen and order their wages to be forfeited, decide disputes as to wages, &c., send home offenders for trial, and order payment of costs of the proceedings in the Court, &c., &c. (s. 263).

All orders of the Naval Court are to be entered in the official log, and signed by the president of the Court (s. 264). Every Naval Court is also to report its proceedings to the Board of Trade (s. 265).

Crimes on the High Seas and Abroad.

All offences committed out of Her Majesty's dominions by any master, seaman, or apprentice are to be within the jurisdiction of the Court of Admiralty of England (s. 267).

If any offence committed on the high seas is reported to any British consul, he may enquire into the case, and if necessary send the offender to England in custody; and such consul may order the captain of any British ship homeward bound to give such offender a passage home (s. 268).

If any death has occurred during the voyage, the facts are to be inquired into by the shipping master when the crew are discharged (s. 269).

Registration of Seamen.

An office to be called the "General Register and Record Office of Seamen” is to be established by the Board of Trade, who are to appoint a "Registrar General of Seamen" (s. 271) to keep a register of all persons serving in ships (s. 272). All captains whose crews are discharged in the United Kingdom are to make out a list of such crew in a form provided by the Board of Trade, and deliver it to the shipping master (s. 273). In case of foreign-going ships the list is to be made out within forty-eight hours after the ship's arrival in port or on the discharge of the crew, whichever first happens, and delivered to the shipping master, who is to give a receipt for it, which must be produced at the custom house before the ship can be cleared inwards (s. 274). In the case of home-trade ships the lists have to be made out half-yearly, within twenty-one days after the 30th of June and the 31st of December. The shipping master gives a receipt for the list, which must be produced at the custom house before any clearance or transire for the ship can be obtained (s. 275). If a ship is sold or lost, the list is to be made out up to the time of sale or loss (s. 276).

The captains of all ships (except passenger ships) arriving at foreign ports where there is a British consul, or at ports in British possessions abroad, and remaining at such ports for forty-eight hours, are to deliver to the consul or officer of customs the agreement with the crew, and all indentures of apprenticeship, to be kept by such officer during the ship's stay in port; captains neglecting to comply are subject to a penalty of £20 (s. 279).

Official Logs.

Official log books are to be kept by all ships (except those employed exclusively in the coasting trade of the United Kingdom) in the form authorized by the Board of Trade, and if desired the form may also combine the ordinary ship's log (s. 280).

Every entry in the official log is to be made as soon as

possible after the occurrence of the event to which it relates, and if not made on the same day, both the date of the occurrence and the date of the entry must appear, and all entries respecting occurrences happening before the arrival of the ship at her port of discharge are to be made within twentyfour hours after her arrival there (s. 281).

The captain of every ship for which an official log is to be kept is to enter the following matters in it :—

Every conviction of a seaman, with the punishment awarded.

Every offence committed for which it is intended to prosecute or fine the offender, (with a memorandum that the entry was read over to the offender, and his answer thereto).

Every offence for which punishment is inflicted on board,
and the punishment inflicted.

A statement of the conduct, character, and qualifications
of each of his crew, or a statement that the captain
declines to give an opinion on such particulars.
Every case of illness or injury of any seaman, the nature
thereof, and the medical treatment adopted (if any).
Every death, with the cause thereof.

Every birth, with sex of infant, and names of parents.
Every marriage taking place on board, with the names
and ages of the parties.

The name of every seaman or apprentice quitting the
ship, with place, time, manner, and cause thereof.
The amount of wages due to any seaman who enters the
navy during the voyage.

The wages of any seaman who dies during the voyage,
and the gross amount of all deductions to be made
therefrom.

Particulars of the sale of the effects of any deceased sea

man.

Every collision with any other ship, and the circumstances under which it occurred.

The entries are to be signed by the master and mate or some other member of the crew (s. 283); entries of illness or