Customs Consolidation Act 1876

As to report of cargo

50 Master to report within 24 hours after arrival according to Form No.1 in Schedule B.

The master of every ship, whether laden or in ballast shall, within twenty-four hours after arrival from parts beyond the seas at any port in the United Kingdom, make due report of such ship to the collector or other proper officer in the form No. 1 in Schedule B. to this Act, and containing the several particulars indicated in or required thereby, or in such other form and manner as the Commissioners of Customs may direct; and such report, except where otherwise specially allowed or provided for by their order or at ports where goods may be landed into transit sheds, shall be made before bulk be broken.

51 On failure, master to forfeit 100l. Goods not reported may be detained.

If such master shall fail to make due report, or if the particulars or any of them contained in such report be false, he shall forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds; and all goods not duly reported may be detained by any officer of Customs until so reported or the omission explained to the satisfaction of the Commissioners of Customs, and may in the meantime be removed to the Queen's warehouse.

52 Commissioned ships, British or foreign, having goods on board, to deliver an account or forfeit 100l. Such ships liable to search.

The captain or other officer having the charge of any ship (having commission from Her Majesty or from any foreign state), having on board any goods laden in parts beyond the seas, shall, on arrival at any port in the United Kingdom, and before any part of such goods be taken out of such ship, or when called upon so to do by any officer of the Customs, deliver an account in writing under his hand to the best of his knowledge of the quality and quantity of every package or parcel of such goods, and of the marks and numbers thereon, and of the names of the respective shippers and consignees of the same, and shall make and subscribe a declaration at the foot of such account declaring to the truth thereof, and shall also truly answer to the collector or other proper officer such questions concerning such goods as shall be required of him, and on failure thereof such captain or other officer shall forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds ; and all such ships shall be liable to such searches as merchant ships are liable to, and the officers of the Customs may freely enter and go on board all such ships, and bring from thence on shore into the Queen's warehouse any goods found on board any such ship as aforesaid, subject nevertheless to such regulations in respect to ships of war belonging to Her Majesty as shall from time to time be directed in that respect by the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury.

53 Master to answer questions. Bulk not to be broken or stowage altered. Penalty, 100l.

The master of every ship arriving from parts beyond the seas shall at the time of making report answer all such questions relating to the ship, cargo, crew, and voyage as shall be put to him by the collector or other proper officer; and if he refuses to answer or does not answer truly, or if after the arrival within four leagues of the coast of the United Kingdom bulk shall be broken, or any alteration made in the stowage of the cargo of such ship so as to facilitate the unlading of any part of such cargo before report of such ship and cargo, or if any part be staved, destroyed, or thrown overboard, or any package be opened, unless cause be shown to the satisfaction of the Commissioners of Customs, in every such case the master shall forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds.

54 Packages reported "Contents unknown" may be opened and examined. Prohibited goods forfeited.

If the contents of any package intended for exportation in the same ship shall be reported by the master as being unknown to him, the officers' of the Customs may open and examine such package on board such ship, or bring the same to the Queen's warehouse for that purpose; and if there be found therein any goods which are prohibited to be imported such goods shall be forfeited, unless the Commissioners of Customs shall permit them to be exported.