AMERICAN
AMERICAN PASSENGERS' ACT.
CHAP. CCXIII.-An Act to Regulate the Carriage [March 3, 1855] of Passengers in Steamships and other Vessels.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress Assembled, That no master of any vessel owned in whole or in part by a citizen of the United States, or by a citizen of any foreign country, shall take on board such vessel, at any foreign port or place other than foreign contiguous territory of the United States, a greater number of passengers than in proportion of one to every two tons of such vessel, not including children under the age of one year in the computation, and computing two children over one and under eight years of age as one passenger. That the spaces appropriated for the use of such passengers, and which shall not be occupied by stores or other goods not the personal baggage of such passengers, shall be in the following proportions, viz.:-On the main and poop decks or platforms, and in the deck houses, if there be any, one passenger for each sixteen clear superficial feet of deck, if the height or distance between the decks or platform shall not be less than six feet; and on the lower deck (not being an orlop deck,) if any, one passenger for eighteen such clear superficial feet, if the height or distance between the decks or platforms shall not be less than six feet, but so as that no passengers shall be carried on any other deck or platform, nor upon any deck where the height or distance between decks is less than six feet, with intent to bring such passengers to the United States, and shall leave such port or place and bring the same, or any number thereof, within the jurisdiction of the United States: or if any such master of any vessel shall take on board his vessel, at any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States, any greater number of passengers than in the proportion aforesaid, to the space aforesaid or the tonnage aforesaid, with intent to carry the same to any foreign port or place other than foreign contiguous territory as aforesaid, every such master shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanour, and, upon conviction thereof, before any circuit or district Court of the United States, shall, for each passenger taken on board beyond the limit aforesaid, or the space aforesaid, be fined in the sum of fifty dollars, and may also be imprisoned, at the discretion of the judge before whom the penalty shall be recovered, not exceeding six months; but should it be necessary, for the safety or convenience of the vessel, that any portion of her cargo, or any other article or articles, should be placed on, or stored in, any of the decks, cabins or other places appropriated to the use of passengers, the same may be placed in lockers or enclosures prepared for the purpose on an exterior surface impervious to the waves, capable of being cleansed in like manner as the decks or platforms of the vessel. In no case, however, shall the places thus provided be deemed to be a part of the space allowed for the use of passengers, but the same shall be deducted therefrom, and in all cases where prepared or used, the upper surface of the said lockers or enclosed spaces shall be deemed and taken to be the deck or platform from which measurement shall be made for the purposes of this Act. It is also provided, that there shall be one hospital in the spaces appropriated to passengers, and separate partition, and when used may be included in the space allowable for passengers, but the same shall not occupy more than one hundred superficial feet of deck or platform: Provided, That on board two-deck ships, where the height between the decks is seven and one-half feet or more, fourteen clear superficial feet of deck shall be the proportion required for each passenger.