Merchant Shipping Act 1894

720 Power of Board of Trade to prescribe forms.

(1) Subject to any special provisions of this Act the Board of Trade may prepare and sanction forms for any book, instrument, or paper required under this Act, other than those required under the First Part of this Act, and may make such alterations in these forms as they think fit.

(2) The Board shall cause every such form to be sealed with their seal or marked with some other distinguishing mark, and before finally issuing any form or making any alteration in a form shall cause public notice thereof to be given in such manner as the Board think requisite in order to prevent inconvenience.

(3) The Board of Trade shall cause all such forms to be supplied at all custom houses and mercautile marine offices in the United Kingdom, free of charge, or at such moderate prices as the Board may fix, or the Board may license any persons to print and sell the forms.

(4) Every such book, instrument, or paper, required under this Act shall be made in the form (if any) approved by the Board of Trade, or as near thereto as circumstances permit, and unless so made shall not be admissible in evidence in any civil proceeding on the part of the owner or master of any ship.

(5) Every such book, instrument, or paper, if made in a form purporting to be the proper form, and to be sealed or marked in accordance with this section, shall be deemed to be in the form required by this Act unless the contrary is proved.