Merchant Shipping Law Amendment Act 1853

L Voluntary Agreements may be made which shall have the same Effect as the Bonds above mentioned.

Whenever Services for which Salvage is claimed are rendered either by the Commander or Crew or Part of the Crew of any of Her Majesty's Ships, or of any other Ship, and the Salvor voluntarily agrees to abandon his Lien upon the Ship, Cargo, and Property alleged to be salved, upon the Master or other Person in charge thereof entering into a written Agreement, attested by Two Witnesses, to abide the Decision of the said High Court of Admiralty or of any Vice-Admiralty Court, and thereby giving Security in that Behalf to such Amount as may be agreed on by the Parties to the said Agreement, such Agreement shall bind the said Ship and the said Cargo and the Freight payable therefor respectively, and the respective Owners of the said Ship, Freight, and Cargo for the Time being, and their respective Heirs, Executors, and Administrators, for the Salvage which may be adjudged to be payable in respect of the said Ship, Cargo, and Freight respectively to the Extent of the Security so given as aforesaid, and may be adjudicated upon and enforced in the same Manner as the Bonds above mentioned; and upon such Agreement being made, the Salvor and the Master or other Person in charge as aforesaid shall respectively make such Statements as are herein-before required to be made by them in case of a Bond being given, except that such Statements need not be made upon Oath ; and the Salvor shall, as soon as practicable, transmit the said Agreement and the said Statements to the Court in which the said Agreement is to be adjudicated upon.