NINTH Congress, Session II, Volume 2, Chapter 26.

An Act establishing navy hospitals.

          Sec. 1.  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the money hereafter collected by virtue of the act, entitled "An act in addition to 'An act for the relief of sick and disabled seamen'," shall be paid to the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Secretary of War, for the time being, who are hereby appointed a board of commissioners, by the name and style of commissioners of navy hospitals, which, together with the sum of fifty thousand dollars, hereby appropriated, out of the unexpended balance of the marine hospital fund, to be paid to the commissioners aforesaid, shall constitute a fund for navy hospitals.

          Sec. 2.  And be it further enacted, That all fines imposed on navy officers, seamen, and marines, shall be paid to the commissioners of navy hospitals.

          Sec. 3.  And be it further enacted, That the commissioners of naval hospitals be, and they are hereby, authorized and required to procure, at a suitable place or places, proper sites for navy hospitals, and if the necessary buildings are not procured with the site, to cause such to be erected, having due regard to economy, and giving preference to such plans as, with most convenience and least cost, will admit of subsequent additions, as the funds will permit and circumstances require; and the commissioners are required, at one of the establishments, to provide a permanent asylum for disabled and decrepid [sic] navy officers, seamen, and marines.

          Sec. 4.  And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of the Navy be authorized, and required to prepare the necessary rules and regulations for the government of the institution, and report the same to the next session of Congress.

          Sec. 5.  And be it further enacted, That, when any navy officer, seaman, or marine, shall be admitted into a navy hospital, the institution shall be allowed one ration per day during his continuance therein, to be deducted from the account of the United States with each officer, seaman, or marine; and, in like manner, when any officer, seaman, or marine, entitled to a pension, shall be admitted into a naval hospital, such pension, during his continuance therein, shall be paid to the commissioners of the navy hospitals, and deducted from the account of each pensioner.

          Approved, February 26, 1811.