CHAPTER V. 
FORMALITIES ON IMPORTATION. 
A —Waterguard Formalities. 
Boarding.—As already mentioned (page 17), the Commissioners 
of Customs and Excise have power to appoint boarding stations, 
or places where vessels (including yachts and fishing boats) on 
arrival must be brought to for boarding by the Customs officers. 
Information as to the position of the appointed boarding stations 
at any particular port can be obtained on application at the Custom 
House of the port. Particulars of newly appointed boarding 
stations are posted up for public inspection at the appropriate 
Custom Houses. 
The law provides that if any ship on arrival at any port or place 
in Great Britain, Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands shall not 
come as quickly up to the proper place of mooring or unlading as 
the nature of the port or place will admit without touching at any 
other place, and in proceeding to such proper place shall not bring 
to at the station appointed by the Commissioners of Customs and 
Excise for the boarding of ships, or if after arrival at such place 
such ship shall remove therefrom except with the knowledge of 
the proper officer of Customs and Excise directly to some other 
proper place of mooring or unlading, the person having charge of 
such ship, whether master* or pilot, shall be liable to a penalty. 
Health Regulations. —Ships from abroad are, for health purposes, 
governed by regulations issued under the Public Health Acts by 
the respective Health Authorities in England and Wales, Scotland 
and Northern Ireland. Special regulations of the Ministry of 
Health, in England, are in force at Bristol, Gloucester, Harwich, 
Ipswich, Liverpool and Manchester. The regulations are adminis- 
tered by the local Sanitary Authorities, but the Customs co-operate 
to the extent explained in the following paragraph. 
Pratique.—On the arrival at a boarding station of a ship from a 
port or place outside Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel 
Islands, and the Isle of Man, the Customs officer on boarding duty 
ascertains by enquiryt from the master or surgeon—if the ship 
carries a surgeon— 
(1) Whether the ship is an “infected ” or a suspected ” 
ship ; or 
(2) Whether it has come from or has, during the voyage, 
calied at a port infected with cholera, yellow fever or plague. 
* The term ‘‘ master ” is defined by law as *“ the person having or taking 
the charge or command of any ship.” 
t In the case of aircraft arriving from abroad, enquiry is made of the 
pilot as to the health of the crew and passengers, but “ Certificates of 
Pratique ”’ (see page 31) are not issued.