ORGANIC LAWS GOVERNING U.S. COAST GUARD 61 



Cruelty to seamen 



18 U.S.C. 2191 



Wlioever, being the master or officer of a vessel of the United States, 

 on the high seas, or on any other waters within the admiralty and 

 maritime jurisdiction of the United States, flogs, beats, wounds, or 

 without justifiable cause, imprisons any of the crew of such vessel, 

 or withholds from them suitable food and nourishment, or inflicts 

 upon them any corporal or other cruel and unusual punishment, shall 

 be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, 

 or both. 



Surrendering officer inflicting corporal punishment; liability of 

 master 



46 U.S.C. 712 (R.S. 4611) 



Whenever any officer of a vessel of the United States, other than 

 the master thereof, violates section 2191 of title 18, the master shall, 

 if he has actual knowledge of the offense or if complaint be made with- 

 in three days after reaching port, surrender such officer to the proper 

 authorities. Any failure on the part of such master to use due dili- 

 gence to comply herewith, which failure shall result in the escape of 

 such officer, shall render the master or vessel or the owner of the vessel 

 liable in damages for such flogging or corporal punishment to the 

 person illegally punished by such officer. 



Explosives or dangerous weapons aboard vessels 



18 U.S.C. 2277 



(a) Whoever brings, carries, or possesses any dangerous weapon, 

 in^rument, or device, or any dynamite, nitroglycerin, or other ex- 

 plosive article or compound on board of any vessel registered, enrolled, 

 or licensed under the laws of the United States, or any vessel pur- 

 chased, requisitioned, chartered, or taken over by the United States 

 pursuant to the provisions of Act June 6, 1941, ch. 174, 55 Stat. 242, 

 as amended, without previously obtaining the permission of the owner 

 or the master of such vessel ; or 



Whoever brings, carries, or possesses any such weapon or explosive 

 on board of any vessel in the possession and under the control of the 

 United States or which has been seized and forfeited by the United 

 States or ujwn which a guard has been placed by the United States 

 pursuant to the provisions of section 1 of the Act of June 15, 1917, as 

 amended (50 U.S.C. 191), without previously obtaining the permis- 

 sion of the captain of the port in which such vessel is located, shall 

 be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than one year, 

 or both. 



(b) This section shall not apply to the personnel of the Armed 

 Forces of the United States or to officers or employees of the United 

 States or of a State or of a political subdivision thereof, while acting 

 in the performance of their duties, who are authorized by law or by 

 rules or regulations to own or possess any such weapon or explosive. 



