Chapter XXIII. *authorizing an expenditure and making an appropriation for the Prosecution of the Claims of certain Citizens of the United States, for Property captured by the belligerent Powers.*March 3, 1797.[Obsolete.] Section 1
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Chap. XXIII.— An Act *authorizing an expenditure and making an appropriation for the Prosecution of the Claims of certain Citizens of the United States, for Property captured by the belligerent Powers.*March 3, 1797.[Obsolete.] Section 1.Fifty thousand dollars appropriated to prosecute claims of American citizens, in England in prize causes. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled.* That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized to advance, on account of the several prize causes before the court of admiralty and court of appeals in England, a sum sufficient to defray the costs thereof, so far as the agents of the United States may have become sureties for the same.
And that for defraying, during the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven, that expense, and that which may be incurred in procuring from the admiralty courts of any of the belligerent powers, copies of papers relative to the property of American citizens, captured by any of the said powers, a sum not exceeding fifty thousand dollars, shall be, and hereby is appropriated, in addition to the sums which, from the appropriations for intercourse with foreign nations, have been expended under the direction of the President of the United States, in the prosecution of those claims; which sum shall be paid from any monies which may be in the treasury, not otherwise appropriated.
Sec. 2.Costs incurred by the United States to be deducted from the sums recovered. *And be it further enacted,* That from the money which has been, or which shall be received on any claim, as aforesaid, all costs in the prosecution therefor, which have been, or which shall be incurred by the United States, shall be taken and deducted, or otherwise refunded, and shall be accounted for by the agent or agents employed therein, under the direction of the President; which account, as far as may be then had, shall be submitted to Congress at their next session.
Approved, March 3, 1797.