Speech #510097320

Wells. a brief synopsis of our shipping laws. which will exhibit the policy of our Government for more than a hundred years on this great subject: 1. No American citizen is allowed to import a foreignbuilt vessel. in tie sense of purchasing. acquiring a registry or title to. or of using her as his own property. the only other absolute prohibitions of imports on the part of the United States being in respect to counterfeit money and obscene publications or objects. * $ * * S S 2. An American vessel ceases to be such If owfied in the smallest degree by any person naturalized in theUnited States who may. afteracquiring such ownership. reside "for more than one year in the country in which he originated. or more than two years in any foreign country. unless such person be a consul or other public agent of the United States." 3. If a nativeborn American citizen. for health. pleasure. or any other purpose. except as a consul of the United States or as a partner or agent in an exclusively American mercantile house. decides to reside ("usually") in some foreign country. any American vessel of which he may be. in all or any part. owner at once loses its register and ceases to be entitled to the protection of the flag of the United States. even though the vessel may have been of American construction and have regularly paid taxes In the United States. and the owner himself has no thought of finally relinquishing his American citizenship. The sections of the Revised Statutes are referred to here under each one of these heads. 4.