|
COMMERCE. 117
lyn, and 3 must be nautical men. They choose one of their number President, appoint a Secretary,
use a seal, and keep an office. They are exclusive surveyors of vessels damaged or wrecked, or
arriving in distress, and, when called upon, judge of the fitness of vessels to depart upon voyages.
They are also, upon application, required to estimate the value or measurement of vessels when
the same is in dispute,or libeled; and they may examine goods in warehouses that have been
damaged on shipboard. The Board, or some member thereof, must attend all sales of vessels or
their cargoes condemned and in a damaged state ; and such sales by auction must be made under
the.direction and by order of the Wardens, and are exempt from auction duties.1
The Commissioners of Health are authorized to collect of the masters of every vessel entering
the port of New York a certain tax, for the benefit of the Health Office.2
Ttae Board of Commissioners of Emigration, consisting of the Mayors of New
York and Brooklyn, the Presidents of the German Society and Irish Emigrant Society, and 6 Com¬
missioners appointed by the Governor and Senate, have charge of the interests of immigrants
when they first arrive at New York*3
Tlie Marine Court of tlie City of Mew Yorlt has jurisdiction in civil cases arising
between persons engaged in maritime affairs, where the sum in dispute does not exceed $500.4
Canadian Trade.—The revenues collected on the Canada frontier, in some periods, have
fallen short of the cost of collecting them. The Reciprocity Treaty of 1854 admits the greater part
of articles the produce of the U. S. and B. A. into each country respectively free of duty.5
|
1 The Wardens are paid by fees and percentages upon sales.
Special Wardens are appointed to reside at quarantine. They
report to the Board of Wardens of N. Y,, and have jurisdiction
as wardens over vessels detained in quarantine. The Board
of Port Wardens reports annually to the Comptroller a state¬
ment of its receipts and expenses, with an affidavit of each
member and of the Secretary that they have not received
directly or indirectly any moneys except their legal fees.
2 Under an act passed in March, 1801, the amount of this tax
was fixed at $1.50 for every cabin and 75 cts. for every steerage
passenger, mate, and mariner. In 1813 the tax was fixed at
$1.50 for every captain and cabin passenger;, $1.00 for every
steerage passenger and mariner of foreign vessels; and 25 cts.
for master, mate, and sailor of every coasting vessel. The
moneys thus paid, after supporting the Marine Hospital at Quar¬
antine and contingencies and yielding $8,000 annually to the.
Society for the Reform of Juvenile Delinquents, was invested by
the Comptroller as the “ Marine Fund.” In 1831 the Board of
Trustees of the Seamen’s Fund and Retreat was created, under
whose direction the present establishment known as the “ Sear
men’s Retreat,” on Staten Island, more particularly described
on page 566, has since been managed. Of the 44,932 admitted
sp to Jan. 1, 1859, 80 per cent, were discharged cured, 8£ per
?ent. were relieved, 3 per cent, were discharged by request, and
ff per cent. died.
3 Tho master of every vessel bringing passengers from foreign
.countries must give a bond of $300, conditioned that such per-
«ns shall not become chargeable for support within 5 years.
®hey may commute this bond by paying,$2 upon each passenger,
nf which sum J is set apart for the counties other than N. Y.
toward the support of emigrants in the several counties. For
every lunatic, idiot, deaf and dumb, blind, maimed, or infirm
person, and every widow with children, or person over 60 years
of age, and liable to become a public charge, a bond of $500 is
required.
The Commissioners of Emigration have a large establish¬
ment on Wards Island for the support of the Sick, infirm,
and destitute, and have leased Castle Garden as a general land¬
ing place. Emigrants may here purchase tickets for any part
of the Union, and procure such articles as they may stand in
need of, without encountering the horde of faithless agents and
mercenary runners that,formerly proved the scourge of immigra¬
tion and the disgrace of the city. The Marine Hospital at |
Quarantine was placed under these Commissioners in 1847. See
pages 116, 427, 565.
4 These actions may be for compensation for the performance,
or damages for the violation, of a contract for services on board
a vessel during a voyage performed in whole or in part, or in¬
tended to be performed, by the vessel; or for assault and battery,
false imprisonment, or other injury committed on board a ves¬
sel upon the high seas, and not coming within the jurisdiction
of the U. S. District Courts. The Marine Court is held daily,
except on Sundays and holidays; and its Justices, three innum-
'ber, are elected for a term of 4 years, and enter upon their
duties on the second Tuesday of May after their election. Their
Clerk is appointed by the Supervisors, and their salary is fixed
by the Common Council and cannot be increased during their
term of office.
The State Government, before the adoption of the Federal
Constitution, had instituted a court of Admiralty; but in 1789
it surrendered these powers to the General Government, and
they have since been exercised by the District Court of the U. S.
Suits for salvage, and other questions arising in the sale of
wrecked property, are decided in this court.
The Governor appoints 15 Wreck Masters in Suffolk, 12 in
Queens, 3 in Kings, 2 in Richmond, and 2 in Westchester cos.
These officers have, with coroners and sheriffs, the custody of
wrecks and property cast ashore by the sea. Such property
belongs to the owners, and may be recovered by paying reason¬
able salvage and in due course of law.
5 Imports from Canada duty free for the year ending June 30,
1858.
District. Value.
Champlain......................................................... $1,499,819-
Oswegatchie....................................................... 934,708
Cape Vincent.... ..5......................................... 1,210,351
Sackets Harbor............................. 2,892
Oswego.......................... 1,859,798
Genesee...................................................... 263,574
Niagara............................................................. 786,070
Buffalo Creek...................................................... 1.336,820
NewYork........................................ 624,060
Total in' New York..................................... 7,918,092
Total in United States........................ 14,752,255 |
Statistics of the several Collection Districts upon the Canada Frontier for different periods.
|
Collection District. |
1830 to 1848, (19 years.) |
1848 to 1851, (3 years.) |
1851 to 1854, (3 years.) |
|
Gross
Revenue. |
Expenses of
Collection. |
Revenue. |
Expenses of
Collection. |
Gross
Revenue. |
Expenses of
Collection. |
|
Champlain...................
Oswegatchie.........................
Cape Vincent........................
Sackets Harbor........ ............
Genesee...............................
Niagara...............................
Buffalo................................ |
$192,877.80
63,201.74
21,649.98
13,983.04
206,759.84
133,019.97
53.527.07
150,437.60 |
$130,938.86
116.874.47
78,437.26
106,492.84
157,519.67
80,954.47
117,943.82
197,653.80 |
$133,326.68
42,842.41
22,410.78
16,603.54
273,173.92
45,324.66
44,076.44
148,740.03 |
$22,965.22
16,002.22
14,222.58
27,000.95
38,210.43
13,368.47
21,277.69
49,601.19 |
$297,601.76
98.754.11
84,577.74
21,204.23
389.711.03
29.430.52
74,641.59
263,222.58 |
$32,267.44
21,446.80
22,9.35.52
22A64.23
48,211.98
21,860.28
25,618.04
49,473.89 |
|
