Vessels formerly documented and which have been sold to the United States and resold to citizens, must be documented under the old name and official number, but vessels never before documented and sold by the United States to citizens, may be redocumented under any name selected that is approved by the commissioner.
In forwarding the application for change of name the Collector of Customs is required to submit his recommendations giving any reasons for or against the change. The usual reasons in support of a change are a desire on the part of the company to carry out some established policy in the naming of its vessels, or a desire to shorten or lengthen a name, as the case may be.
The fee required is prescribed by law upon a sliding scale from $10 to $100, according to gross tonnage, the former figure being for vessels of 99 gross tons and under, and the latter for vessels of 5,000 gross tons and over.
V. Entry and Clearance
Whether or not a vessel is required to enter and clear depends, first, upon whether she is registered, and second, upon her tonnage and the service in which she is engaged.
All vessels under registry (as distinguished from vessels enrolled or licensed) are required to enter and clear at every port, except when bound from a point in one state to that of an adjoining state.
If not registered the question depends in the first instance upon the size of the vessel. The law, as inherited from the early days, when smuggling was frequent in small vessels, and it was considered important to keep them under close supervision, makes a distinction between vessels under twenty tons and those above that tonnage.
If under 20 tons (and properly documented, that is licensed) and laden wholly with American goods, or with foreign goods in packages as imported not exceeding $400 in value, or of aggregate value not over $800, they may trade from a customs district in one state to a customs district in the same or an adjoining state, without entering or clearing. But if over twenty tons, such vessels are permitted to trade, without entering or clearing, from one customs district in the same Great District to another in the same Great District, or from a State in one Great District to an adjoining State in another Great District: Except as thus provided all vessels engaged in the coasting trade must enter and clear on their arrival at, or departure from, each port.
The five Great Districts referred to have been defined as follows and should not be confused with the customs collection districts:—
1. Atlantic coast from Canada to Mexico.