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m 'nwmwtvrnmzmu“ ,‘mfimvxs —— w—u “can: yo.v’fim “it. i t-a win r pew-nu tr 1‘ ts. its near the plane. shl up :i complaint niazle upon oath t .,t‘;' ..li it: as; tin it of eunuch d before any by the owner, t‘t'l‘.~l;_'ln w or agent of such slurp, by mm, .t, 71 t H {gr \f\ ‘si -ltf\l.l('l'> ol' the l’rttt-e Int the his \Hlt‘l'lllli cause such manta-it to he :tpprenmided (Rum m :r ni viii‘ttct,‘ is committed, upon the and brought before him; and ti such seaman shall oath of clliivnatit-n ,tn the case oi'personszallowed by ' not satisfy such yusttcegrs to suclr neglect or default, 1,,“ 1 , “mi-my ot'one or more credible witness or the Justice shall upon due proof, commit such sca-

witnesscs. or Confession of' the party charged, shall: forfeit and pay such sum as the said Justices shall adjtulge, not exceeding ten pouttrls,,atid not less than two pounds, to be levied by \Varrant ofl)isti‘css,and sale of the offenders goods and chattels, under the hands and seals of'such Justices; and when recover- ed, one moiety to be paid to the person so prosecu- ting for the same, and the other moiety into the Treasury ofthis Island, for the use of Her Majesty’s Government; and if there be no goods or chattels, of such offender whereon to levy, it shall be lawful for such Justices, by Warrant undertheir hands and seals, to commit such offender to the common jail of the County, where such offence shall be committed, for the space not exceeding sixty days, and not less than ten days; and such mariner, seaman or appren tice, who shall desert at any time during the voyage on which he is engaged by written contract or arti- cles, shall, over and above the penalties and forfeit- ures to which he is now by law subJect, forfeit all the wages he may be entitled to on board the vessel entered by him after such desertion, to be detained by the master or owner of such vessel, to and for the use ofthe owner ofthe vessel from which he desert- ed, or to be sued for and recovered from him, by such last mentioned owner, by action of debt, or on the case in any Court of Record, or before any Court of Commissioners for the recowry of small debts, if the sum claimed do not exceed twenty pounds.

V. lf proof be made upon oath or affirmation (in the case ofpersons allowed by Law to affirm) by the owner, agent or master of any such ship or vessel, before any of Her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace in this Island, that any seaman, mariner or appren- tice belonging to such ship or vessel, and who may have deserted or absented himself from the same, be kept or concealed on board ofany other ship or ves- sel, within any ofthe harbors ofthis Island, or in any tavern, pothouse or other hense, or place within the County for which such Justice shall be appointed, or if oath or affirmation (in the case of persons allowed by Law to affirm) be made, that such owner, agent, or master, bath good reason to suspect that such seaman, mariner or apprentice is so concealed as aforesaid, it shall be lawful for such Justice to issue his warrant to any ofthe constables or peace ofliccrs within the said county, to make search on board such ship or vessel, or in such tavern, pothouse, or other house or place; and ifsuch seaman shall be found in sueh suspected place, such Justice shall cause such seaman to be delivered over to the owner or master ofthe ship or vessel to which such seaman shall belong, to be taken on board such ship or ves- sel, or be committed to prison in manner directed by the second section ofthis Act.

VI. If any seaman who shall have signed the ar- ticles or agreements required by this Act, shall notl have joined the ship agreeably to the terms of said articles, and the said ship shall have proceeded to' sea without such seaman, any Justice ofthe Peacel

man to the. County Jail, there to be. kept at hard labour for a period not exceeding sixty days; and shall award to the said owner, consignee or agent the costs of such apprehension and commitment and; such seaman shall also be liable to be sued by the owner, consignee or agent, for all advances made to him in accordance with his articles,betore any Court of competent jurisdiction

VII. From and after the passing of this Act, it shall not be lawful for any owner, master, or agent of any ship or vessel, registered in or belonging to this Island,or other person either directly or indirectly to pay or give any money, hire, or reward, to any Innkeeper. 'I‘avernkeeper, Shopkeeper or other per- son or persons, for the procuring of any seaman or seamen for any ship or vessel; and it shall not be lawful for any innkeeper, tavernkeeper, storekeeper, or other person or persons, to receive any money, hire or reward, either directly or indirectly, for the procuring such seaman or seamen; and that any money so to be paid, shall be considered as paid; without consideration, and may be recovered back by action or suit, in any Court having competent jurisdiction; and all bonds, notes, bills, agreements, promises or engagements for paying or giving any money, hire or reward for the above mentioned pur- poses, shall be absolutely null and void to all intents and purposes whatsoever: Provided always, that no mariner, seaman or apprentice, shall be bound by entering or shipping himself on board ofany shi or vessel belonging to and registered in this Island,and of the burthen of fifty tons, or upwards, new measure~ ment, unless the agreement shall be in writing, and declare what wages such mariner or seaman is to have for so long a time as he shall ship himself for, and also shall express the voyage for which such mariner, seaman or apprentice was shipped.

VIII. It shall not be lawful for any master of any ship or vessel, registered in and belonging to this Island, of the burden of fifty tons or upwards, new measurement, trading to parts beyond the seas, or out ofthis Island, to carry to sea on any voyage from this Island, any seamen or other person as one of his crew or compliment,(apprentices excepted) with- out first entering into agreement in writing, with every such seaman, specifying what monthly or other wages each of such seamen is to be paid, the capa- city in which he is to Act, and the nature of the voyage in which the ship is intended to be employed, so that the seaman may have some means of judging of the probable period for which he is likely to be engaged; and the said agreement shall contain the day of the month and year in which the same shall be made, and shall be signed by the mas- ter in the first instance, and by the seamen respec- tively, at the port or place where such seamen shall be respectively shipped; and the master shall cause the same to be by or in the presence of the party who is to attest their respective signatures thereto, truly and distinctly read over to every such seaman before he shall be required to sign the same, in