for any collector, naval officer, surveyor, or commander of any of the cutters herein after mentioned, to arrest and bring back, or cause to be arrested and brought back, such ship or vessel, to such port of the United States to which it may be most conveniently done. Provided, that if it shall be made to appear by the oath of the said master, or other person having the charge or command of such ship or vessel, and of the person next in command, or other sufficient proof to the satisfaction of the collector of the district, within which such ship or vessel shall afterwards come, or to the satisfaction of the court in which the prosecution for such penalty may be had, that the said departure or attempt to depart, was occasioned by distress of weather, pursuit or duress of enemies, or other necessity, the said penalty shall not be incurred.
Sec. 30. And be it further enacted,Within what time report is to be made. That within twenty-four hours after the arrival of any ship or vessel, from any foreign port or place, at any port of the United States established by law, at which an officer of the customs resides, or within any harbor, inlet or creek thereof, if the hours of business at the office of the chief officer of the customs at such port will permit, or as soon thereafter as the said hours will permit, the master or other person having the charge or command of such ship or vessel shall repair to the said office, and shall make report to the said chief officer, of the arrival of the said ship or vessel; and within forty-eight hours after such arrival, shall make a further report in writing, to the collector of the district, which report shall be in the form, and shall contain all the particulars required to be inserted in a manifest, as the case may be; and the said master, or person having the charge or command of any such ship or vessel, shall declare to the truth of such report or manifest, as the same ought to be in conformity to this act; which declaration shall be on oath or solemn affirmation, before the said collector of the district, in the manner and form following, to wit:
I (A. B.)Oath on making report. do solemnly, sincerely and truly swear (or affirm) that the report and manifest subscribed with my name, and now delivered by me to the collector of the district of (insert the name of the district) contains, to the best of my knowledge and belief, a just and true account of all the goods, wares and merchandise, including packages of every kind and nature whatsoever, which were on board the (insert the denomination and name of the vessel) at the time of her sailing from the port of (here insert the name of the port or place the vessel last sailed from) or which have been laden or taken on board at any time since, and that the packages of the said goods are as particularly described as in the bills of lading, signed for the same by me, or with my knowledge; that I am at present, and have been during the voyage, master of the said vessel, (or insert, if otherwise, specifying how long he has been master) that no package whatsoever or any goods, wares or merchandise have been unladen, landed, taken out, or in any manner whatever removed from on board the said (insert denomination and name of the vessel) since her departure from the said port of (insert the name of the last port she sailed from) except such as are now particularly specified and declared in the abstract or account herewith, and that the clearance and other papers, now delivered by me to the collector, are all that I now have, or have had, that any way relate to the cargo of the said vessel. And I do further swear (or affirm) that the several articles specified in the said manifest, as the sea stores for the cabin and vessel, are truly such, and were bona fide put on board the said (insert the denomination and name of the vessel) for the use of the officers, crew and passengers thereof, and have none of them been brought, and are not intended, by way of merchandise, or for sale, or for any other purpose, than above mentioned, and are intended to remain on board for the consumption of the said officers and crew: I further swear (or affirm) that if I shall hereafter discover, or know of any other or greater quantity of
