Foreign Ship Registry Act

The Foreign Ship Registry Act was a federal legislation that provided for the admission of foreign-built ships to the American registry.

Foreign Ship Registry Act
Long titleAn Act to provide for the admission of foreign-built ships to American registry for the foreign trade, and for other purposes.
Acronyms (colloquial)FSRA
NicknamesForeign Ship Registry Act of 1914
Enacted bythe 63rd United States Congress
EffectiveAugust 18, 1914
Citations
Public lawPub.L. 63–175
Statutes at Large38 Stat. 698
Legislative history
  • Introduced in the House as H.R. 18202 by Joshua W. Alexander (D-MO)
  • Reported by the joint conference committee on August 14, 1914; agreed to by the House on August 17, 1914 (Agreed) and by the Senate on August 17, 1914 (40-20)
  • Signed into law by President Woodrow Wilson on August 18, 1914

It provided admission of foreign-built ships to the American registry for foreign trade, making it easier for them to legally hoist the American flag. The bill provided for the survey, measurement, and inspection of such ships, though it did not require American ownership of a majority of stock in corporations applying for American registry, which was a clear violation of international custom and international law. Theoretically, Germany could get American registration, hoist the U.S. flag on its merchant vessels, and avoid the British Blockade. This possibility provoked much British protest; however, the German owners of vessels in American harbors dared not risk losing their property and did not take advantage of the act.

Suspension of the 1914 Statute

On September 7, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson issued Executive Order 2696 suspending the United States statute for a period of two years.[1]

See also

Admiralty law
Flag of convenience
International Mercantile Marine Co.
Ship registration

References

  1. Peters,Gerhard; Woolley, John T. "Woodrow Wilson: "Executive Order 2696 — Suspending Law Admitting Foreign-Built Ships to American Entry," September 7, 1917". The American Presidency Project. University of California - Santa Barbara.

Periodical Bibliography

Sources

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