Die  vom  Englischen  Unterhause  angenommene
Merchant  Shippiwj  Act  1876,  welche  unterdess  bereits
an  das  Oberhaus  gelangt  ist,  enthält  in  den  §§  21  u.  25
folgende  Bestimmungen:
(Penalty  on  ships  carrying  deckloads  of  Umher  in
teinter):  21.  From  and  after  the  1st  day  oj  January,
1877,  a  ship,  British  or  foreign,  arriving  at  any  port
in  the  United  Kingdom,  ichich  has  sailed  from  any  port
beyond  the  limits  of  the  United  Kingdom  after  the  ist
day  of  October  or  bejore  the  16th  day  of  March
in  any  year,  shall  not,  while  subject  to  British  jurisdiction, ­
  carry  as  deck  cargo,  that  is  to  say,  in  any
uncovered  space  upon  deck,  or  in  any  covered  space  not
included  in  the  cubical  contents  forming  the  ship^s  registered ­
  tonnage,  any  timber,  deals,  or  battens.  If  any
timber,  deals,  or  battens,  be  caQ'ried  by  any  ship  in  contravention ­
  oj  this  section,  the  Master  of  the  ship,  and
also  the  Owner,  if  he  is  privy  to  the  ofence,  shall  be
liable  to  a  penalty  not  exceeding  õ  K  for  every  hundred
cubic  feet  of  timber,  deals  or  battens  so  carried,  and  such
penalty,  to  an  amount  not  exceeding  100  K  (ivhatever
may  be  the  maximum  penalty  recoverable)  may  be  recovered ­
  on  summary  conviction.
Provided  that  the  Master  or  Owner  shall  not  be
liable  to  any  penalty  under  this  section  in  respect  of  any
timber,  deals,  or  battens  which  the  Master  has  considered
it  necessary  to  place  or  keep  on  deck  during  the  voyage
on  account  of  the  springing  of  any  leak,  or  oj  any  other
damage  to  the  ship  received  or  apprehended.
Provided  also,  that  nothing  in  this  clause  shall
a  feet  any  foreign  ship  coming  into  any  port  oj  the  United
Kingdom  under  stress  of  iveather,  or  jor  repairs,  or  for
any  other  purpose  than  the  delivery  of  her  cargo.  —