Art. 237. Except in cases where the vessel is legally proved not to be seaworthy, the master cannot sell her without a special power for that purpose from the owners, under the penalty of the sale being declared void.

Art. 238. Every master of a vessel engaged for a voyage is bound to perform it, under the penalty of being auswerable for all losses, damages, and expenses towards the owners and freighters.

Art. 239. The master, who takes charge of a vessel for a joint profit on the voyage, cannot carry on any traffic, or commerce, on his separate account, unless there be an agreement to the contrary.

Art. 240. In case of infraction of the provision contained in the preceding article, the merchandise taken on board by the captain for his private account, shall be forfeited to the other parties interested in the vessel.

Art. 241. The master cannot abandon his vessel during the voyage, whatever may be the danger with which he is threatened, without the advice of the officers and principal mariners; and in that case, he is required to carry away with him the money, and such part as he can of the most valuable of the goods on board, under the penalty of being personally answerable for the same.

If the articles thus taken from the vessel be lost, by accident, the master shall be discharged from any liability on account of them.

Art. 242. The master is required, within twenty-four hours after his arrival, to have his journal certified, and to make his report.

The report must mention,

The place and the time of his departure.

The course he has kept.

The dangers he has run.

The accidents which have happened to the vessel and crew, and all the remarkable circumstances of his voyage.

Art. 243. The report is made at the clerk's office, before the president of the tribunal of commerce.

Dans les lieux où il n'y a pas de tribunal de commerce, le rapport est fait au juge de paix de l'arrondissement.

Le juge de paix qui a reçu le rapport, est tenu de l'envoyer sans délai au président du tribunal de commerce le plus voisin. Dans l'un et l'autre cas, le dépôt en est fait au greffe du tribuna! de commerce.

Art. 244. Si le capitaine aborde dans un port étranger, il est tenu de se présenter au consul de France, de lui faire un rapport, et de prendre un certificat constatant l'époque de son arrivée et de son départ, l'état et la nature de son chargement.

Art. 245. Si, pendant le cours du voyage, le capitaine est obligé de relâcher dans un port français, il est tenu de déclarer au président du tribunal de commerce du lieu, les causes de sa relâche.

Dans les lieux où il n'y a pas de tribunal de commerce, la déclaration est faite au juge de paix du canton.

Si la relâche forcée a lieu dans un port étranger, la déclaration est faite au consul de France, ou, à son défaut, au magistrat du lieu.

Art. 246. Le capitaine qui a fait naufrage, et qui s'est sauvé seul ou avec partie de son équipage, est tenu de se présenter devant le juge du lieu, ou, à défaut de juge, devant toute autre autorité civile, d'y faire son rapport, de le faire vérifier par ceux de son équipage qui se seraient sauvés et se trouveraient avec lui, et d'en lever expédition.

Art. 247. Pour vérifier le rapport du capitaine, le juge reçoit l'interrogatoire des gens de l'equipage, et, s'il est possible, des passagers, sans préjudice des autres preuves.

Les rapports non vérifiés ne sont point admis à la décharge du capitaine, et ne font point foi en justice, excepté dans le cas où le capitaine naufragé s'est sauvé seul dans le lieu où il a fait son rapport.

La preuve des faits contraires est réservée aux parties.

Art. 248. Hors les cas de péril imminent, le capitaine ne peut

In places where there is no tribunal of commerce, the report is made to the justice of peace of the district.

The justice of peace who has received the report, is required to send it without delay to the president of the nearest tribunal of commerce.

In either case it is deposited in the clerk's office of the tribunal of commerce.

Art. 244. If the master touch in a foreign port, he is required to present himself before the French consul, to make a report to him, and to take a certificate attesting the period of his arrival and departure, the condition and nature of his cargo.

Art. 245. If, during the course of the voyage, the master be obliged to put into a French port, he is required to declare to the president of the tribunal of commerce of the place, the causes of his stopping.

In places where there is no tribunal of commerce, the declaration is made to the justice of peace of the district.

If forced by stress of weather, or otherwise, to put into a foreign port, the declaration is made to the French consul, or, if none there, to the magistrate of the place.

Art. 246. The master who has been shipwrecked, and who alone has escaped, or with part of his crew, is required to go before the judge of the place, or, where there is no judge, before any other civil authority, and make his report, to have it verified by those of the crew who may have escaped with him, and to take a certified copy of the same.

Art. 247. In order to verify the report of the master, the judge interrogates the crew, and, if possible, the passengers, without rejecting other proofs.

Reports which are not verified, are not admitted in discharge of the master, and they cannot be produced in a court of justice, except in the case where the master shipwrecked, has escaped alone in the place where he has made his report.

Proof of contrary facts is allowed to the parties.

Art. 248. Except in cases of imminent peril, the master can

décharger aucune marchandise avant d'avoir fait son rapport, à peine de poursuites extraordinaires contre lui.

Art. 249. Si les victuailles du bâtiment manquent pendant le voyage, le capitaine, en prenant l'avis des principaux de l'équipage, pourra contraindre ceux qui auront des vivres en particulier de les mettre en commun, à la charge de leur en payer la valeur.

TITRE V.

De l'Engagement et des Loyers des Matelots et Gens de l'équip

age.

Art. 250. Les conditions d'engagement du capitaine et des hommes d'équipage d'un navire, sont constatées par le rôle d'équipage, ou par les conventions des parties.

Art. 251. Le capitaine et les gens de l'équipage ne peuvent, sous aucun prétexte, charger dans le navire aucune marchandise pour leur compte, sans la permission des propriétaires, et sans en payer le fret, s'ils n'y sont autorisés par l'engagement.

Art. 252. Si le voyage est rompu par le fait des propriétaires, capitaine ou affréteurs, avant le départ du navire, les matelots loués au voyage ou au mois sont payés des journées par eux employés à l'équipement du navire. Ils retiennent pour indemnité les avances reçues.

Si les avances ne sont pas encore payées, ils reçoivent pour indemnité un mois de leurs gages convenus.

Si la rupture arrive après le voyage commencé, les matelots loués au voyage sont payés en entier aux termes de leur con

vention.

Les matelots loués au mois reçoivent leurs loyers stipulés pour le temps qu'ils ont servi, et en outre, pour indemnité, la moitié de leurs gages pour le reste de la durée présumée du voyage, pour lequel ils étaient engagés.

not discharge any part of the cargo before he has made his report, under the penalty of being prosecuted criminally.

Art. 249. If the provisions of the vessel fail, during the voyage, the master, on taking the advice of the principal persons of the crew, may compel those who have a private stock of provisions to put them in common, on condition of being paid the value.

TITLE V.

Of the Engagement and wages of Seamen.

Art. 250. The conditions of the engagement of the master and crew of a vessel, are proved by the shipping articles, or by agreements between the parties.

Art. 251. The master and crew cannot, under any pretence, lade on board the vessel any articles of merchandise for their own account, without the permission of the owners, and without paying the freight, unless they be authorized by the terms of their engagement.

Art. 252. If the voyage be broken up by the act of the owners, captain or freighters, before the departure of the vessel, the seamen hired by the voyage, or by the month, are paid for the days they have been employed in the equipment of the vessel. They also retain as an indemnity the advances they have received. If the advances be not yet paid, they receive for their indemnity one month's pay of the wages agreed upon.

If the rupture of the voyage take place after its commencement, the seamen hired by the voyage are paid in full, according to the terms of the agreement.

Seamen hired by the month, receive their stipulated wages for the time they have served, and in addition, as an indemnity, one half of their wages for the presumed duration of the remainder of the voyage, for which they were engaged.