PROPOSED LEGISLATION. Following are drafts of bills embodying the recommendations of the foregoing pages. The effort has been made to include in bill L those recommendations to which it is believed no objection can be made: A. Free-ship bill. B. Bill extending application of the act under which the New York and Paris were admitted and the St. Louis and St. Paul were built. C. Bill to admit certain foreign-built, American-owned steamships D. Bill to repeal reciprocal tonnage tax exemptions and reduce tonnage taxes within geographical limits nearly contiguons to the United States. E. Bill to abolish compulsory pilotage on coasting sailing vessels. F. Bill requiring, after June 30, 1898, masters and first mates of sailing vessels over 700 tons to be licensed, and requiring annual inspection of the hulls of such vessels after that date. G. Bill to prohibit advances and regulate allotment of wages to seamen. H. Bill to abolish imprisonment of seamen in the common jails of the United States for desertion. I. Bill for free raw materials for shipbuilding. K. Bill to promote repair work in American shipyards. L. General amendments to navigation laws: Sec. 1. Shipping commissioners' offices. Sec. 3. Abolition of crew bonds. Sec. 5. Wages of deceased seamen. Sec. 6. Sale of effects of deceased seamen. Sec. 7. Good conduct on coasting vessels. Sec 8. Abolition of entry and clearance fees on the Great Lakes. Sec. 9. Return of American vessel to the American flag. Sec. 10. Report of wrecks. Sec. 11. Amendments to inland rules to prevent collisions. Sec. 12. The same. Sec. 13. Stamps on foreign-made boilers. Sec. 14. Repeal of obsolete statute. Sec. 15. Repeal of eighteen sections of the Revised Statutes apparently obsolete, unnecessary, and obstructive. Sec. 16. Transfer of sea stores. M. Joint resolution for printing a compilation of the navigation laws. A. A BILL to encourage American shipping. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section forty-one hundred and thirty-two of the Revised Statutes be, and is hereby, amended to read: "SEC. 4132. Vessels belonging wholly to citizens of the United States, and vessels which may be captured in war by citizens of the United States and lawfully condemned as prize, or which may be adjudged to be forfeited for a breach of the laws of the United States, being wholly owned by citizens, and no others, may be registered as directed in this title, but no foreign-built vessel hereafter admitted to American registry shall be entitled to engage in the coasting trade of the United States." B. A BILL to encourage American shipbuilding. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Commissioner of Navigation be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed upon application by a citizen of the United States or a corporation organized under the laws of the United States or of any State thereof, and upon satisfactory proof that such American citizen or corporation is the owner of a foreign-built vessel, to issue an American register to such vessel provided that such citizen or corporation, before the issue of said register shall, under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, give a bond to the United States, with satisfactory sureties, in a penalty equal to the appraised value of the vessel so purchased, that said American owner will build in American shipyards a vessel or vessels of an aggregate tonnage and value not less in amount than that of the vessel so admitted to registry. No foreign-built vessel registered pursuant to this act shall be entitled to engage in the coasting trade of the United States. SEC. 2. This act shall take effect one month after its passage. C. A BILL to encourage American shipping. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Commissioner of Navigation be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed before July first, eighteen hundred and ninety-eight, upon application by a citizen of the United States or a corporation organized under the laws of the United States or of any State thereof, and upon satisfactory proof that such American citizen or corporation is the owner of any steamship named in this act, to issue an American register to such vessel. No vessel registered pursuant to this act shall be entitled to engage in the coasting trade of the United States. D. A BILL concerning tonnage tax. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section cleven of chapter four hundred and twenty-one of the laws of eighteen hundred and eighty-six, as amended by section one of chapter sixty-one of the laws of eighteen hundred and eighty-eight, be, and is hereby, amended to read as follows: "SEC. 11. That section fourteen of 'An act to remove certain burdens on the American merchant marine and encourage the American foreign carrying trade, and for other purposes,' approved June twenty-sixth, eighteen hundred and eighty-four, be, and is hereby, amended to read as follows: 666 SEC. 14. In lieu of the tax on tonnage of thirty cents per ton per annum imposed prior to July first, eighteen hundred and eighty-four, a duty of two cents per ton, not to exceed in the aggregate ten cents per ton in any one year, is hereby imposed at each entry on all vessels which shall be entered in any port of the United States from any foreign port or place in North America, Central America, the West India Islands, the Bahama Islands, the Bermuda Islands, or the coast of South America bordering on the Caribbean Sea, or the Hawaiian Islands, or Newfoundland. A duty of six cents per ton, not to exceed thirty cents per ton per annum, is hereby imposed at each entry upon all vessels which shall be entered in the United States from any other foreign ports, not, however, to include vessels in distress or not engaged in trade. Sections forty-two hundred and twenty-three and forty-two hundred twentyfour, and so much of section forty-two hundred and nineteen of the Revised Statutes as conflicts with this section, are hereby, repealed."" SEC. 2. Section twelve of chapter four hundred and twenty-one of the laws of eighteen hundred and eighty-six and section forty-two hundred and thirty-two of the Revised Statutes are hereby repealed. SEC. 3. This act shall take effect one month after its passage. E. A BILL to remove discriminations against American sailing vessels in the coasting trade. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section forty-four hundred and forty-two of the Revised Statutes be, and is hereby, amended by adding thereto the following: "Whenever the master or mate of a sailing vessel of the United States employed in the coastwise trade, claiming to be a skillful pilot, offers himself for a license, the inspectors shall make diligent inquiry as to his character and merits and if satisfied, from personal examination of the applicant, with the proof that he offers that he possesses the requisite knowledge and skill, and is trustworthy and faithful, they shall grant him a license for the term of one year to pilot any such vessel within the limits prescribed in the license; but such license shall be suspended or revoked upon satisfactory evidence of negligence, unskillfulness, inattention to the duties of his station, or intemperance, or the willful violation of any of the provisions of this title." SEC. 2. That section forty-four hundred and forty-four of the Revised Statutes be, and is hereby, amended to read as follows: "SEC. 4444. No State or municipal government shall impose upon pilots of vessels any obligation to procure a State or other license in addition to that issued by the United States, or any other regulation which will impede such pilots in the performance of the duties required by this title; nor shall any pilot charges be levied by any such authority upon any vessel piloted as provided by this title, nor upon any vessel of the United States employed in the coastwise trade being towed into or out of any port of the United States by a steam vessel under command of a pilot licensed for such port under the laws of the United States; and in no case shall the fees charged for the pilotage of any vessel exceed the customary or legally established rates in the State where the same is performed. Nothing in this title shall be construed to annul or affect any regulation established by the laws of any State, requiring vessels entering or leaving a port in any such State, other than coastwise vessels, to take a pilot duly licensed or authorized by the laws of such State, or of a State situate upon the waters of such State." SEC. 3. That section forty-two hundred and thirty-seven be, and is hereby amended to read as follows: “SEC. 4237. No regulations or provisions shall be adopted by any State which shall make any discrimination in the rate of pilotage or half-pilotage between vessels sailing between the ports of one State and vessels sailing between the ports of different States, or any discrimination against vessels propelled in whole or in part by steam or sail, or against national vessels of the United States; and all existing regulations or provisions making any such discrimination are annulled and abrogated." SEC. 4. This act shall take effect six months after its passage. F. A BILL concerning sail vessels over seven hundred tons. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section forty-four hundred and thirty-eight of the Revised Statutes be, and is hereby, amended to read as follows: "SEC. 4438. The boards of local inspectors shall license and classify the masters, chief mates, engineers, and pilots of all steam vessels, and the masters and chief mates of sail vessels of over seven hundred tons. It shall be unlawful to employ any person, or for any person to serve, as a master, chief mate, engineer, or pilot of any steamer, or as master or chief mate of any sail vessel of over seven hundred tous who is not licensed by the inspectors; and any one violating this section shall be liable to a penalty of one hundred dollars for each offense." SEC. 2. That section forty-four hundred and thirty-nine of the Revised Statutes be, and is hereby, amended to read as follows: "SEC. 4439. Whenever any person applies to be licensed as master of any steam vessel, or of a sail vessel of over seven hundred tons, the inspectors shall make diligent inquiry as to his character, and shall carefully examine the applicant, as well as the proofs which he presents in support of his claim, and if they are satisfied that his capacity, experience, habits of life, and character are such as to warrant the belief that he can be safely intrusted with the duties and responsibilities of the station for which he makes application, they shall grant him a license authorizing him to discharge such duties on any such vessel for the term of one year; but such license shall be suspended or revoked upon satisfactory proof of bad conduct, intemperate habits, incapacity, inattention to his duties, or the willful violation of any provision of this title applicable to him." SEC. 3. That section forty-four hundred and forty of the Revised Statutes be, and is hereby, amended to read as follows: "SEC. 4440. Whenever any person applies for authority to be employed as chief mate of steam vessels, or of sail vessels of over seven hundred tons, the inspectors shall require satisfactory evidence of the knowledge, experience, and skill of the applicant in lading cargo, and in handling and stowage of freight, and shall examine him as to his knowledge and ability in navigation and managing such vessels, and all other duties pertaining to his station; and if satisfied of his qualifications and good character, they shall grant him a license, authorizing him to perform such duties for the term of one year; but such license shall be suspended or revoked upon satisfactory proof of bad conduct, intemperate habits, unskillfulness, or want of knowledge of the duties of his station, or the willful violation of any provision of this title applicable to him." SEC. 4. That section forty-four hundred and seventeen of the Revised Statutes be, and is hereby, amended by adding thereto the words: "The local inspectors shall, once in every year, at least, upon application in writing of the master or owner, carefully inspect the hull of each sail vessel of over seven hundred tons within their respective districts, and shall satisfy themselves that every such vessel so submitted to their inspection is of a structure suitable for the service in which she is to be employed, has suitable accommodations for the crew, and is in a condition to warrant the belief that she may be used in navigation with safety to life." SEC. 5. That this act shall take effect on July first, eighteen hundred and ninetyeight. G. A BILL to prohibit advances and regulate allotments of wages to seamen. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it shall be, and is hereby, made unlawful in any case to pay any seaman wages before leaving the port at which such seaman may be engaged in advance of the time when he has actually earned the same, or to pay such advance wages to any other person, or to pay any person, other than an officer authorized by act of Congress, any remuneration for the shipment of seamen. Any person paying such advance wages or such remuneration shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine not less than four times the amount of the wages so advanced or remuneration so paid, and may be also imprisoned for a period not exceeding six months, at the discretion of the court. The payment of such advance wages or remuneration shall in no case, except as herein provided, absolve the vessel, or the master or owner thereof, from full payment of wages after the same shall have been actually earned, and shall be no defense to a libel, suit, or action for the recovery of such wages. If any person shall demand or receive, either directly or indirectly, from any seaman or other person seeking employment as a seaman, or from any person on his behalf, any remuneration whatever for providing him with employment, he shall, for every such offense, be liable to a penalty of not more than one hundred dollars. SEC. 2. It shall be lawful for any seaman to stipulate in his shipping agreement for an allotment of any portion of the wages which he may earn to his wife, mother, or other relative, or to a savings bank. SEC. 3. It shall be lawful for any seaman engaged in a vessel of the burden of seventy-five tons or upward bound from a port on the Atlantic to a port on the Pacific, or vice versa, or in a vessel engaged in foreign trade, except trade between the United States and the Dominion of Canada, or Newfoundland, or the West Indies, or the Republic of Mexico, to stipulate in his shipping agreement for an allotment of an amount, to be fixed by regulation of the Commissioner of Naviga tion, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, not exceeding one month's wages, to an original creditor in liquidation of any just debt for board or clothing which he may have contracted prior to engagement. SEC. 4. It shall be lawful for any seaman in the coasting trade or the trade between the United States and the Dominion of Canada, or Newfoundland, or the West Indies, or the Republic of Mexico to stipulate in his shipping agreement for an allotment of an amount, to be fixed by regulation of the Commissioner of Navigation, with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury, not exceeding ten dollars, to an original creditor in liquidation of any just debt for clothing which he may have contracted prior to engagement. SEC. 5. It shall be lawful for any shipwrecked seaman to stipulate in his shipping agreement for an allotment to an original creditor in liquidation of any just debt for board, clothing, or transportation which he may have contracted prior to engage. ment of an amount certified to as reasonable by the shipping commissioner. SEC. 6. No allotment note shall be valid unless signed and approved by the shipping commissioner. It shall be the duty of said commissioner to examine such allotments and the parties to them and enforce compliance with the law. All stipulations for the allotment of any part of the wages of a seaman during his absence which are made at the commencement of the voyage shall be inserted in the agree ment and shall state the amounts and times of the payments to be made and the persons to whom such payments are to be made. SEC. 7. No allotment to any person or corporation except as provided for in the foregoing sections shall be lawful. Any person who shall falsely claim to be the wife, mother, or other relative or an original creditor of a seaman under this act, or shall make a false statement of the nature or amount of any debt claimed to be due from any seaman under this act, shall for every such offense be punishable by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars or imprisonment not exceeding six months, at the discretion of the court. SEC. 8. This act shall apply as well to foreign vessels as to vessels of the United States; and any master, owner, consignee, or agent of any foreign vessel who has violated its provisions shall be liable to the same penalty that the master, owner, or agent of a vessel of the United States would be for a similar violation. SEC. 9. This act shall not apply to whaling vessels. SEC. 10. Under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, the Commissioner of Navigation shall make regulations to carry out this act. SEC. 11. Section ten of chapter one hundred and twenty-one of the laws of eighteen hundred and eighty-four, approved June twenty-sixth, eighteen hundred and eighty-four, section three of chapter four hundred and twenty-one of the laws of eighteen hundred and eighty-six, approved June nineteenth, eighteen hundred and eighty-six, sections forty-five hundred and thirty-one and forty-six hundred and nine of the Revised Statutes, and so much of chapter ninety-seven of the laws of eighteen hundred and ninety-five, approved February eighteenth, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, as relates to allotments, are hereby repealed. SEC. 12. This act shall take effect one month after its passage. H. A BILL to abolish imprisonment of seamen in the common jails of the United States for desertion. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the first and second subdivisions of section forty-five hundred and ninety-six of the Revised Statutes be, and are hereby amended, to read as follows: "First. For desertion, by forfeiture of all or any part of the clothes or effects he leaves on board and of all or any part of the wages or emoluments which he has then |