(1)Before a British ship laden with grain cargo at any port in the Mediterranean or Black Sea and bound to ports outside the Straits of Gibraltar, or laden with grain cargo on the coast of North America, leaves her final port of loading, or within forty-eight hours after leaving that port, the master shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the British consular officer, or, if the port is in a British possession, to the chief officer of customs, at that port, a notice stating—
(a)the draught of water and clear side, as defined by this Part of this Act, of the said ship after the loading of her cargo has been completed at the said final port of loading; and
(b)the following particulars in respect to the grain cargo; namely,—
(i)the kind of grain and the quantity thereof, which quantity may be stated in cubic feet, or in quarters, or bushels, or in tons weight; and
(ii)the mode in which the grain cargo is stowed; and
(iii)the precautions taken against shifting.
(2)The master shall also deliver a similar notice to the proper officer of customs in the United Kingdom, together with the report required to be made by the [39 & 40 Vict. c. 36.] Customs Consolidation Act, 1876, on the arrival of the ship in the United Kingdom.
(3)Every such notice shall be sent to the Board of Trade, as soon as practicable, by the officer receiving the same.
(4)If the master fails to deliver any notice required by this section, or if in any such notice he wilfully makes a false statement or wilfully omits a material particular, he shall for each offence be liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds.
(5)The Board of Trade may, by notice published in the London Gazette, or in such other way as the Board think expedient, exempt ships laden at any particular port or any class of those ships from this section.