TWENTY‑FOURTH
Congress, Session II, Chapter 21, Vol. 5.
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 it shall be lawful to enlist boys for
the navy, with the consent of their parents or guardians, not being under
thirteen or over eighteen years of age, to serve until they shall arrive at the
age of twenty‑one years; and it shall be lawful to enlist other persons
for the navy, to serve for a period not exceeding five years, unless sooner
discharged by direction of the President of the United States; and so much of
an act entitled "An act to amend the act entitled 'An act to amend the act
authorizing the employment of an additional naval force," approved
fifteenth May, one thousand eight hundred and twenty, as is inconsistent with
the provisions of this act, shall be, and is hereby, repealed.
Sec. 2. And be
it further enacted, That when the time of service of any person enlisted
for the navy shall expire, while he is on board any of the public vessels of
the United States employed on foreign service, it shall be the duty of the
commanding officer of the fleet, squadron or vessel in which such person may
be, to send him to the United States in some public or other vessel, unless his
detention shall be essential to the public interests, in which case the said
officer may detain him until the vessel in which he shall be serving shall
return to the United States; and it shall be the duty of said officer,
immediately to report to the navy department of such detention, and the causes
thereof.
Sec. 3. And be
it further enacted, That such persons as may be detained after the
expiration of their enlistment, under thee next preceding section of this act,
shall be subject, in all respects to the laws and regulations for the
government of the navy, until their return to the United States, and all such
persons as shall be so detained, and all such as shall voluntarily re‑enlist
to serve until the return of the vessel in which they shall be serving, and
their regular discharge therefrom in the United States shall, while so
detained, and while so serving under their re‑enlistment, receive an
addition of one‑fourth to their former pay.
Approved, March 2, 1837.
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