Chapter 221. to constitute a Bureau of Navigation in the Treasury Department
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CHAP. 221.— An Act to constitute a Bureau of Navigation in the Treasury Department.July 5, 1884. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled*,Bureau of Navigation in Treasury Department. That there shall be in the Department of the Treasury of the United States a Bureau of Navigation, under the immediate charge of a Commissioner of Navigation. Sec. 2. Commissioner of Navigation.Authority. That the Commissioner of Navigation, under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, shall have general superintendence of the commercial marine and merchant seamen of the United States, so far as vessels and seamen are not, under existing laws, subject to the Duties.supervision of any other officer of the Government.
He shall be specially charged with the decision of all questions relating to the issue of registers, enrollments, and licenses of vessels, and to the filing and preserv- FORTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Chs. 221, 222. 1884. 119 ing of those documents; and wherever in title forty-eight or fifty of theR. S., Title 48, 795; R. S., Title 50, 833.Duties devolving upon Register of Treasury relating to navigation to be performed by Commissioner of Navigation.Duties. Revised Statutes any of the aboved-named documents are required to be surrendered or returned to the Register of the Treasury, such requirement is hereby repealed, and such documents shall be surrendered and returned to the Commissioner of Navigation.
Said Commissioner shall have charge of all similar documents now in the keeping of the Register of the Treasury, and shall perform all the duties hitherto devolved upon said Register relating to navigation. Sec. 3. That the Commissioner of Navigation shall be charged with the supervision of the laws relating to the admeasurement of vessels, and the assigning of signal letters thereto, and of designating their official number; and on all questions of interpretation growing out of the execution of the laws relating to these subjects, and relating to the collection of tonnage tax, and to the refund of such tax when collected erroneously or illegally, his decision shall be final.
Sec. 4. That the Commissioner of Navigation shall annually prepare and publish a list of vessels of.the United States belonging to the commercial marine, specifying the official number, signal letters, names, rig, tonnage, home port, and place and date of building of evry vessel, distinguishing in such list sailing-vessels from such as may be propelled by steam or other motive power. Ho shall also report annually to theTo make report, annually to Secretary of Treasury. Secretary of the Treasury the increase of vessels of the United States, by building or otherwise, specifying their number, rig, and motive power.
He shall also investigate the operations of the laws relative to navigation, and annually report to the Secretary of the Treasury such particulars as may, in his judgment, admit of improvement or may require amendment. . Sec. 5. That the Commissioner of Navigation shall, under the directionEmpowered to change names of vessels, etc. of the Secretary of the Treasury, be empowered to change the names of vessels of the United States, under such restrictions as may have been or shall be prescribed by act of Congress.
Sec. 6. That the Commissioner of Navigation shall be appointed by theAppointment of Commissioner. President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and shall receive a salary of four thousand dollars per annum.Salary.Clerk, etc.; transfer of, to be deputy commissioner. And the Secretary of the Treasury shall have power to transfer from existing Bureaus or divisions of the Treasury one clerk, to be designated as deputy commissioner of navigation, to act with the full powers of said Commissioner during his temporary’ absence from his official duty for any cause, and such additional clerks as he may consider necessary to the successful operation of the Bureau of Navigation, without impairing the efficiency of the Bureaus or divisions whence such clerks may be transferred Sec. 7.
That this act shall be in force and take effect on and after July first, eighteen hundred and eighty-four. Approved, July 5, 1884.