54. An Act supplementary to an act, entitled "An Act concerning navigation""

May 15, 1820

Be it enacted &c., That, from and after the thirtieth day of September next, the ports of the United States shall be and remain closed against every vessel owned wholly or in part by a subject or subjects of His Britannic Majesty, coming or arriving by sea, from any port or place in the province of Lower Canada, or coming or arriving from any port or place in the province of New Brunswick, the province of Nova Scotia, the islands of Newfoundland, St. Johns or Cape Breton, or the dependencies of any of them, the islands of Bermuda, or the Bahama islands, the islands called Caicos, or the dependencies of any of them, or from any other port or place in any island, colony, territory, or possession under the dominion of Great Britain in the West Indies, or on the continent of America, south of the southern boundary of the United States, and not included within the act to which this act is supplementary. And every such vessel, so excluded from the ports of the United States, that shall enter or attempt to enter the same, in violation of this act, shall, with her tackle, apparel, and furniture, together with the cargo on board such vessel, be forfeited to the United States.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That, from and after the thirtieth day of September next, the owner, consignee, or agent, of every vessel owned wholly or in part by a subject or subjects of His Britannic Majesty, which shall have been duly entered in any port of the United States, and on board of which shall have been there laden, for exportation, any article or articles of the growth produce, or manufacture, of the United States, other than provisions and sea-stores necessary for the voyage, shall,

1 Annals of Congress, 16 Cong., 1 Sess., Appendix, pp. 2616–2617.

before such vessel shall have been cleared outward at the customhouse, give bond, in a sum double the value of such article or articles, with one or more sureties, to the satisfaction of the collector, that the article or articles so laden on board such vessel, for exportation, shall be landed in some port or place other than a port or place in any province, island, colony, territory, or possession, belonging to His Britannic Majesty, that is mentioned or described in this act, or in the act to which this act is supplementary. And every such vessel that shall sail, or attempt to sail, from any port of the United States, without having complied with the provisions aforesaid, by giving bond as aforesaid, shall, with her tackle, apparel, and furniture, together with the article or articles aforesaid, laden on board the same as aforesaid, be forfeited to the United States: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be deemed or construed so as to violate any provision of the convention to regulate commerce between the territories of the United States and of His Britannic Majesty, signed the third day of July, one thousand eight hundred and fifteen.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That, from and after the thirtieth day of September next, no goods, wares, or merchandise, shall be imported into the United States of America from the province of Nova Scotia, the province of New Brunswick, the islands of Cape Breton, St. Johns, Newfoundland, or their respective dependencies, from the Bermuda islands, the Bahama islands, the islands called Caicos, or either or any of the aforesaid possessions, islands, or places, or from any other province, possession, plantation, island, or place, under the dominion of Great Britain in the West Indies, or on the continent of America, south of the southern boundaries of the United States, except only such goods, wares, and merchandise, as are truly and wholly of the growth, produce, or manufacture, of the province, colony, plantation, island, possession, or place aforesaid, where the same shall be laden, and from whence such goods, wares, or merchandise, shall be directly imported into the United States; and all goods, wares, and merchandise, imported, or attempted to be

imported, into the United States of America, contrary to the provisions of this act, together with the vessel on board of which the same shall be laden, her tackle, apparel, and furniture, shall be forfeited to the United States.

Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the form of the bond aforesaid shall be prescribed, and the same shall be discharged, and all penalties and forfeitures, incurred under this act, shall be sued for, recovered, distributed and accounted for, and the same may be mitigated, or remitted, in the manner, and according to the provisions, of the act to which this act is supplementary.

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