OFFICERS AND MERCHANT SEAMEN 211 



Certificate of character 



46 U.S.C. 645 (R.S. 4553) 



Upon eveiy discharge effected before a Coast Guard official to whom 

 the duties of sliipping commissioner have been delegated, the master 

 shall make and sign, in the form given in the table marked "B", in 

 the schedule annexed to this chapter, a report of the conduct, character, 

 and qualifications of the pei-sons discharged; or may state in such 

 form, that he declines to give any opinion upon such particulars, or 

 upon any of them; and such Coast Guard official shall keep a register 

 of the same, and shall, if desired so to do by any seaman, give to him 

 or indoree on his certificate of discharge a copy of so much of such 

 report as concerns him. (R.S. § 4553 ; 1946 Reorg. Plan No. 3, §§ 101- 

 104, eft'. July 16, 1946, 11 F.R. 7875, 60 Stat. 1097.) 



Discharge of crews in coastwise trade 



46 U.S.C. 646 



Coast Guard officials to whom the duties of shipping commissioners 

 have been delegated may ship and discharge crews from any vessel 

 engaged in the coastwise trade, or the trade between the United States 

 and the Dominion of Canada, or Newfoundland, or the West Indies, 

 or the Republic of Mexico, at the request of the master or owner of 

 such vessel. (June 19, 1886, ch. 421, §2, 24 Stat. 80; 1946 Reorg. 

 Plan No. 3, §§ 101-104, eff. July 16, 1946, 11 F.R. 7875, 60 Stat. 1097.) 



Coast Guard official as arbiter 



46 U.S.C. 651 (R.S. 4554) 



Every Coast Guard official to whom the duties of shipping commis- 

 sioner have been delegated shall hear and decide any question whatso- 

 ever between a master, consignee, agent, or owner, and any of his crew, 

 \\ liich both parties agree in writing to submit to him ; and every award 

 so made by him shall be binding on both parties, and shall, in any legal 

 })roceedings which may be taken in the matter, before any court of 

 justice, be deemed to be conclusive as to the rights of parties. And 

 any document under the hand and official seal of such Coast Guard 

 official purporting to be such submission or award, shall be prima- 

 facie evidence thereof. (R.S. § 4554 ; 1946 Reorg. Plan No. 3, §§ 101- 

 104, eff. July 16, 1946, 11 F.R. 7875, 60 Stat. 1097.) 



Examination of witnesses 



46 U.S.C. 652 (R.S. 4555) 



In any proceeding" relating to the wages, claims, or discharge of a 

 seaman, carried on before any Coast Guard official to whom the duties 

 of shipping commissioner have been delegated, under the provisions 

 of title 53 of the Revised Statutes, such Coast (luard official may call 

 upon the owner, or his agent, or upon the master, or any mate, or any 

 other member of the crew, to produce any log books, papers, or other 

 documents in their possession or power, respectively, relating to any 

 matter in question in such proceedings, and may call before him and 

 examine any of such persons, being then at or near the place, on any 



