Master's oath of citizenship. Upon making application for registry of a vessel.
If the master of a vessel is within the district where a registry thereof is to be made, when application is made for registering the same, he shall himself, instead of the owner, or of the agent, or attorney, as hereinafter mentioned, make oath touching his being a citizen, and the means whereby or manner in which he is citizen; in which case, if the master shall knowingly swear to anything untrue, no forfeiture of the vessel, on account of such false oath, shall be incurred, but the master shall be liable to a penalty of one thousand dollars. (R. S., 4144.)