§ 1699. — Certification of delivery from vessel.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 18USC1699]
TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
PART I--CRIMES
CHAPTER 83--POSTAL SERVICE
Sec. 1699. Certification of delivery from vessel
No vessel arriving within a port or collection district of the
United States shall be allowed to make entry or break bulk until all
letters on board are delivered to the nearest post office, except where
waybilled for discharge at other ports in the United States at which the
vessel is scheduled to call and the Postal Service does not determine
that unreasonable delay in the mails will occur, and the master or other
person having charge or control thereof has signed and sworn to the
following declaration before the collector or other proper customs
officer:
I, A. B., master ___, of the ___, arriving from ___, and now lying
in the port of ___, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I have to the
best of my knowledge and belief delivered to the post office at ___
every letter and every bag, packet, or parcel of letters on board the
said vessel during her last voyage, or in my possession or under my
power or control, except where waybilled for discharge at other ports in
the United States at which the said vessel is scheduled to call and
which the Postal Service has not determined will be unreasonably delayed
by remaining on board the said vessel for delivery at such ports.
Whoever, being the master or other person having charge or control
of such vessel, breaks bulk before he has arranged for such delivery or
onward carriage, shall be fined under this title.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 777; July 3, 1952, ch. 553, 66 Stat.
325; Pub. L. 91-375, Sec. 6(j)(15), Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 778; Pub. L.
103-322, title XXXIII, Sec. 330016(1)(B), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat.
2146.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 327 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch.
321, Sec. 204, 35 Stat. 1127).
Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Amendments
1994--Pub. L. 103-322 substituted ``fined under this title'' for
``fined not more than $100'' in last par.
1970--Pub. L. 91-375 substituted ``Postal Service'' for ``Postmaster
General'' in two places.
1952--Act July 3, 1952, provided for only the unloading of mail from
a vessel as can be expedited by discharge at such port.
Effective Date of 1970 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 91-375 effective within 1 year after Aug. 12,
1970, on date established therefor by Board of Governors of United
States Postal Service and published by it in Federal Register, see
section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91-375, set out as an Effective Date note
preceding section 101 of Title 39, Postal Service.
Transfer of Functions
Offices of collector of customs, comptroller of customs, surveyor of
customs, and appraiser of merchandise in Bureau of Customs of Department
of the Treasury to which appointments were required to be made by
President with advice and consent of Senate were ordered abolished, with
such offices to be terminated not later than Dec. 31, 1966, by Reorg.
Plan No. 1 of 1965, eff. May 25, 1965, 30 F.R. 7035, 79 Stat. 1317, set
out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Functions of offices eliminated were already vested in Secretary of the
Treasury by Reorg. Plan No. 26 of 1950, eff. July 31, 1950, 15 F.R.
4935, 64 Stat. 1280, set out in the Appendix to Title 5.
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in title 39 section 602.
