Merchant Shipping Act 1894

224 Power of court to order offender to be taken on board ship.

(1) Where a seaman or apprentice is brought before a court on the ground of the offence of desertion, or of absence without leave, or of otherwise absenting himself without leave, the court, if the master or the owner or his agent so require, may (and if out of the United Kingdom in lieu of committing him to prison), cause him to be conveyed on board his ship for the purpose of proceeding on the voyage or deliver him to the master, or any mate of the ship, or the owner, or his agent, to be by them so conveyed, and may in such case order any costs and expenses properly incurred by or on behalf of the master or owner by reason of the offence to be paid by the offender, and, if necessary, to be deducted from any wages which he has then earned, or by virtue of his then existing engagement may afterwards earn.

(2) If in the United Kingdom a seaman or apprentice to the sea service intends to absent himself from his ship or his duty, he may give notice of his intention, either to the owner or to the master of the ship, not less than forty-eight hours before the time at which he ought to be on board his ship : and in the event of that notice being given, the court shall not exercise any of the powers conferred by this section for causing the offender to be conveyed on board his ship.