1803.

NOVEMBER. LAWS OF MAR.YLAND.

CHAP.

LXIII.

Not to pilot ves-
sels from sea to
Virginia, &*c.

XXI. AND BE IT ENACTED, That no pilot licensed in virtue of this act shall undertake to con-
duel or pilot any vessel, from sea, and bound to any port of Virginia, unless such vessel is below the
Horseshoe, and no pilot appointed by law of that state shall be below the Horseshoe, and shall/
offer to pilot such vessel, in such case the pilot from this state shall deliver up such vessel to the
first authorised Virginia pilot who shall speak him, and will take charge of the said vessel, and shall
demand no reward, provided the legislature of Virginia have made a similar regulation as to vessels
from sea, and bound to some port in this state.

Contra&s to be
void, &c.

XXII. AND BE IT ENACTED, That all contracts made between the master of any vessel in dis-
tress and any pilot shall be void, but the pilot shall be entitled to a reasonable reward for his aid and
services rendered.

How vacancies
are to be filled,
&c.

XXIII. AND BE IT ENACTED, That if any of the said board of examiners shall die, resign, re-
fuse to act or remove from the said city, or be otherwise rendered incapable to act, the remaining
examiners, or a majority of them, shall fill up such vacancy, provided that they shall so regulate
their appointments as to have at least one member of the board a person skilled in the business of
piloting.

Commence-
ment, &c.

XXIV. AND BE IT ENACTED, That this act shall commence on the first day of February,
eighteen hundred and four, and shall continue in force until the congress of the United States of
America shall take cognizance of the subject.

Vessels obliged
to take a pilot,
&c.

XXV. AND BE IT ENACTED, That all vessels belonging to persons not citizens of any of the
United States, which shall hereafter arrive from sea at any port or ports in this state, shall be
obliged to take a pilot, (in case any one offers,) and pay one third additional pilotage in addition to
the fees allowed by this act, and if the captain of such vessel shall refuse to take such pilot on ap-
plication, he shall notwithstanding be answerable for, and liable to pay, such pilotage, in the same
manner as if the service was performed.

Penalty for ne-
glecting to re-
new warrants,
&c.

XXVI. AND, for an inducement to pilots to pay attention to renew their warrants annually in
the months of April and May in every year, BE IT ENACTED, That such pilot or pilots who shall
neglect to renew as aforesaid, shall, after the first day of June in every year, pay double fees for a
renewal of their warrants, unless prevented by sickness, or being carried out to sea.

Board compe-
tent to deter-
mine, &c.

XXVII. AND BE IT ENACTED, That the aforesaid board of examiners shall be competent to de-
termine, decide and adjudge, all and every matter relative to this act, whether penalty or dispute,
within three days after application by the complainants.

Acts repealed.

XXVIII. AND BE IT ENACTED, That an act, entitled, An act to establish pilots, and to regulate
their fees, passed November session, seventeen hundred and eighty-seven, and the supplement
thereto, passed at November session, seventeen hundred and ninety, so far as the same is provided
for by this act, be and the same Is hereby repealed.

CHAP. LXIV.

Passed 7th of
January, 1804

An ACT enabling the inhabitants of Worcester county to stop Sine-
puxent bay at or between the Haw Hammocks and the Thorough-
fare, and for other purposes.

Preamble.

WHEREAS it is represented to this general assembly, by the petition of a number of sub-
scribers, Inhabitants of the upper part of Worcester county, that the navigation from Saint-
Martin's landing and the Little bay to Sinepuxent inlet is obstructed by shoals, so that there is
great danger in the navigation thereof, and it being conceived by stopping the bay, called Sinepuxent
Bay, at or between the Haw Hammocks and the Thoroughfare, that an inlet will open above the
place so stopped, in such manner as to afford an easy and safe navigation to all the upper part of the
said county, and its vicinity; and this general assembly, being strongly impressed with the general
utility of the said undertaking, and the beneficial consequences that will be derived from the accom-
plishment thereof to the inhabitants of the county and state, by facilitating the trade thereof, and
being willing to give the said undertakers every proper encouragement and support ;

Books to be
opened, &c.

II. BE IT ENACTED, by the General Assembly of Maryland, That it shall and may be lawful for Abisha
Davis, Richard Sampson, James Law, senior, Ambrose White and Robert Mitchell, as managers, to