TWENTY‑EIGHTH Congress, Session I, Chapter 17, Vol. 5.

An Act to amend an act entitled "An act to provide for the enlistment of boys for the naval service, and to extend the term of enlistment of seamen."

          Sec. 1.  Be it enacted in the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in congress assembled, That from and after the passage of this act, the provisions of the second and third sections of the act entitled "An act to provide for the enlistment of boys for the naval service, and to extend the term of enlistment of seamen," approved March second, one  thousand eight hundred and thirty‑seven, which authorize and provide for the detention of any person enlisted for the navy, after the expiration of the enlistment, until the return of such person to the United States, shall be understood and construed to authorize and provide for the detention of such person until the arrival of the vessel in which he shall be so detained at a port of the United States, and until he shall have received his regular discharge by order of the Secretary of the Navy: Provided, That such detention shall not exceed the term of thirty days from the time of arrival of the said vessel in a port of the United States.

          Sec. 2.  And be it further enacted, That the commanding officer of any vessel, squadron, or fleet, of the navy of the United States, when upon the high seas or in any foreign port where there is no resident consul of the United States, shall be and is hereby authorized and empowered to exercise all the powers of a consul in relation to mariners of the United States.

          Approved, February 20, 1845.