500 dollars a year, with a matron, nurse, cooks, Newport; sick seamen furnished with board at the New Haven; same as the last; total in 1812 VOL. III. E 9,513 03 619 18 12 12 1,238 15 1,310 38 214 98 273 19 11,091 69 (those belonging to the navy and the merchant service not distinguished), of whom 17 died. The average number in the hospital during the year was 47; there was paid for clothing 1,369 dollars 75 cents. The average expense per week, per man, was 4 dollars, total Baltimore; the seamen were supplied in 1812 under a contract with Dr. Tobias Watkins, with every necessary thing except clothing and funeral expenses, at the rate of 55 cents a day for each man; the number received was 260, of whom 1 only belonged to the navy. The average number supplied throughout the whole year was 37; the deaths were 16; the expense per week, per man, was 4 dollars 54 cents; total Alexandria; seamen are in part supplied at the alms-house, where 5 dollars a week is paid for all expenses; and in part at private houses at 3 dollars and 50 cents, the physician being paid separately; total in 1812 Norfolk; an hospital purchased and supported by the United States, with a physician at an annual salary of 840 dollars, an assistant at 600 dollars, a steward, nurse, &c. Provisions for the sick are furnished by a purveyor, at 25 cents a day for each seaman. The average number in the hospital throughout the year was 24, of whom 23 belonged to the merchant service, and 1 to the navy; there were 15 deaths; the average cost per week was 3 dollars 51 cents; total in 1812 Camden, N. C.; sick seamen boarded in private houses at 2 and 3 dollars a week; the physicians paid separately; total in 1812 Edenton; same as the last, board 3 dollars a week Plymouth, N. C.; same as the last, board 2 and 3 dollars a week Washington, N. C.; same as the last, board 2 dollars and 50 cents and 3 dollars Newbern; sick seamen boarded in private houses (no return) Wilmington, N. C.; same as the last, board 3 dollars and 50 cents a week Charleston; the net amount collected in the port is paid to the city treasurer, the corporation engaging to receive and supply such seamen as are ob 10,137 68 8,448 91 323 02 5,441 51 195 26 349 59 65 65 69 58 366 29 jects of relief from this fund; total amount paid in 1812 Savannah; sick seamen are received in the Savannah hospital, and furnished with every thing at the rate of 4 dollars 50 cents a week each; the account for three quarters of the year 1812 have been received; during that period 84 seamen were admitted, and there were 7 on an average constantly in the hospital; total expense New Orleans; the sick seamen are received in the hospital of charity, and there supplied with what is necessary, except medical attendance, at the rate of 75 cents a day each; a'surgeon is paid by the United States at the rate of 1000 dollars a year. In 1812, 189 seamen were admitted (those belonging to the navy not distinguished from the merchant service), making an average of 11 constantly in the hospital; the number of deaths not given; the average expense was 7 dollars and 16 cents per week, per man; total 1,093 68 1,279 97 4,358 14 $ 57,680 74 § 10. The fund for the benefit of destitute American seamen in foreign countries is raised in the following manner: Whenever an American vessel is sold in a foreign country, and her company discharged, or when an American seaman is discharged with his own consent in a foreign country, the master of the vessel is bound to pay to the consul or commercial agent in the port, three months pay for every seaman so discharged, besides paying the seamen the wages due them. Two-thirds of this sum is paid by the consul to the seaman on his engagement on board of any vessel to return to the United States, the remaining third is retained for the purpose of creating the aforesaid fund. It is the duty of American consuls and agents to provide subsistence and passages to the United States for all destitute American seamen within their respective districts, and the masters of all American vessels are bound to take them on board for that purpose, on such terms as may be agreed on between the master and consul, not exceeding ten dollars for each person. No master, however, is obliged to take more than two destitute seamen for every hundred tons burthen of his vessel; and the seamen, if able, are bound to do duty on board. In cases where there is no consul nor agent at the port whence the seamen are し brought, such reasonable compensation is to be granted, in addition to the allowance of $10, as may be deemed equitable by the comptroller of the treasury. $11. A number of regulations have been established by law at different times, for the government and protection of Ameri can seanien. The masters of vessels bound to foreign ports are required, under certain penalties, to execute a shipping-agreement with their mariners, at the foot of which there must be a memorandum in writing of the day and hour on which the subscribing mariners shall render themselves on board to begin the voyage, which they are bound strictly to observe, on penalty of a day's wages for every hour they are absent. A penalty is also imposed of three days pay for every day he may be absent after shipping himself, and should he be absent more than 48 hours at a time, he forfeits all the wages due to him, every thing that he had on board the vessel, or in any store in which they may have been lodged at the time of his desertion, for the use of the owners of the vessel, besides being liable for all the damages they may sustain by being obliged to hire another seaman in his place. When a seaman deserts in the United States he may be apprehended by a justice of the peace, and confined in the house of correction or common jail, till the vessel is ready to proceed on her voyage, or till the master require his discharge. Heavy penalties also are imposed on persons harbouring runaway sea men. The act for the protection of American seamen was passed on the 28th of May, 1796. It enacts that the collector of every district shall keep a book for registering seamen who are American citizens, in which every seaman may have his name entered who shall produce authenticated proof of his citizenship, of which he shall receive a certificate. In order that full and speedy information may be obtained of the impressment of seamen in American vessels, by any foreign power, it is the duty of the master of every American vessel, on board of which an impressment has taken place, as soon as possible to make a protest, stating the manner of such impressment, by whom made, together with the name and place of residence of the person impressed; distinguishing also whether he was an American citizen, and if not, to what nation he belonged. Should this protest be made in a foreign country, it must be transmitted to the nearest consul or agent, or to the American minister, should there be one, and a copy preserved to be sent to the secretary of state on the arrival of the vessel in the United States. Should the protest be made within the United States, or in a foreign country where there is no consul, agent, or minister of the United States, the original protest must be transmitted to the secretary of state. The collectors of the customs are bound to make known the provisions of this law to all masters of vessels entering or clearing at their office; and the master of every vessel, before he is admitted to an entry, is required to declare on oath, whether any of his crew has been impressed in the course of his voyage, and how far he has complied with the directions of the act. For a neglect of this duty the master is liable to a fine of $100, for which the collector is bound to prosecute. The collectors send a list of the registered seamen every three months to the department of state, with a list of such impressments as appear to have taken place by the protests of the masters; and it is the duty of the secretary of state to lay an annual statement before congress, containing an abstract of the returns of the collectors, and of the communications received from the agents in foreign countries. Every American vessel bound on a voyage across the Atlantic, must have on board, at the time of leaving the last port, at least 60 gallons of water, 100lb. of salt meat, and 100lb. of wholesome ship-bread, well secured under deck, for every person on board, over and above the provisions laid in by the master or passengers, and in like proportion for longer and shorter voyages. In case the crew of any vessel which shall not have been so provided shall be put on short allowance during the voyage, they shall have a right to an extra day's pay as long as the short allowance shall be continued. Every American vessel bound on a foreign voyage, of 150 tons burthen, navigated by more than nine persons, must be provided with a chest of medicines, put up by some apothecary of known reputation. The medicine-chest must be examined and supplied at least once a year by an apothecary. In default of attention to these regulations, the master of the vessel must bear the expense attending the sickness of any of his men at any place they may touch at, without any right to deduct it from their wages. The regula tion respecting medicine-chests was enacted in 1790; it has been subsequently extended to all merchant vessels of 75 tons or upwards, navigated with more than five persons, and bound to any port in the West Indies. In order to enjoy the benefits of American vessels, viz. a lower rate of duties on imports and tonnage, and the right to a licence for carrying on the coasting trade or fisheries, it is necessary in the former case to be registered, and in the latter to be enrolled. In both cases they must have been built in the United |