Shipping Commissioners Act of 1872

The Shipping Commissioners Act of 1872 was a United States law dealing with American mariners serving in the United States Merchant Marine.

Among other things, the act:

• was passed to combat crimps.^[1]
• required that a sailor had to sign on to a ship in the presence of a federal shipping commissioner.^[1]
• required that a seaman be paid off in person.^[1]

The presence of a shipping commissioner was intended to ensure the sailor wasn't "forcibly or unknowingly signed on by a crimp."^[1]

The legislation was modeled on England’s Merchant Shipping Act 1854.^[2]

See also

• Organized Labour portal

• Shanghaiing
• Maritime history of the United States
• Slave Trade Acts