[Docket: apl. 4. 1793 / from Hamilton / Ent: 3 fols 39 —] 4^th April 1793 The 25^th Section of the act entitled "an act concerning registering & recording of Ships & Vessels" provides the payment of the following fees to the Officers of Customs. — For the admeasurement of a Ship exceeding [Costs] 200 Tons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [undecipherable] 00 For a Certificate of Registry . . . . . . 2 00 — For a Bond . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.25 $4. 25 In Districts where there is no Naval Officer, two thirds of the fee, and one for the use of the Collector & the then third for the use of the Surveyor Where there is more than one Surveyor in any District, each of them is to receive his proportional part of such fee as shall arise in the Port to which he is appointed. The 10^th Section directs that all Certificates of registry shall be countersigned by Surveyors in ports where there is no Naval Officer — [undecipherable] as well from the terms of the law as from the great inconvenience which would result from a different practice it is presumed that the Surveyor of the Port where the Collector resides, is the person contemplated by the law to perform this service. — The following is supposed — that the Vessel is admeasured at an out port. — the Certificates of Registry filled up by a Collector, countersigned by the Surveyor of the Port where the Collector resides. — [strikethrough: Now is the fee of 4.25 to be so divided? why] This fee for all this service is supposed to be 4.25 cents and the point to be determined, whether the distribution is to be made between the two Surveyors — one of whom has admeasured the Vessel, & the other only countersigned the Certificates of Registry. — The 25. Section The 25^th [undecipherable] Section also provides for the payment of 100 Cents as a fee, for every endorsement upon a Certificate of Registry. — This service of making endorsements is performed solely by the Collectors... A question has been made whether this fee for endorsements is to be divided solely among the Officers of the Port that [made the] endorsement, that is to say [undecipherable] the Collectors [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] thing to the [undecipherable] only are [undecipherable] — at all [undecipherable] Surveyors around at Ports in the District where there are [undecipherable] which Surveyors, every [undecipherable] has been appointed. [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] These points being somewhat doubtful, I take the liberty to submit them to your consideration & to request a determination thereon. [I] have the honour to be Sir Hm. A.H.