Purpose: Extension of period to establish adequate shipping service to the Virgin Islands
Date: April 7, 1924
(Original document available here)
WHEREAS, an Act of Congress entitled the “Merchant Marine Act Virgin Islands. of 1920”, approved June 5, 1920, contains the following provisions:
“Sec. 21. That from and after February 1, 1922, the coastwise laws of the United States shall extend to the island territories and possessions of the United States not now covered thereby, and the board is directed prior to the expiration of such year to have established adequate steamship service at reasonable rates to accommodate the commerce and the passenger travel of said islands and to maintain and operate such service until it can be taken over and operated and maintained upon satisfactory terms by private capital and enterprise: Provided, That if adequate shipping service is not established by February 1, 1922, the President shall extend the period herein allowed for the establishment of such service in the case of any island Territory or possession for such time as maybe necessary for the establishment of adequate shipping facilities therefor: Provided further, That until Congress shall have authorized the registry as vessels of the United States of vessels owned in the Philippine Islands, the Government of the Philippine Islands is hereby authorized to adopt, from time to time, and enforce regulations governing the transportation of merchandise and passengers between ports or places in the Philippine Archipelago: And provided further, That the foregoing provisions of this section shall not take effect with reference to the Philippine Islands until the President of the United States after a full investigation of the local needs and conditions shall, by proclamation, declare that an adequate shipping service has been established as herein provided and fix a date for the going into effect of the same.”
AND WHEREAS, an adequate shipping service to accommodate the commerce and passenger travel of the Virgin Islands has not been established as provided by Section 21 of the “Merchant Marine Act of 1920″;
AND WHEREAS, a proclamation dated February 1, 1922 , was issued by Warren G. Harding, President of the United States of America, acting under and by virtue of the authority conferred on him by Section 21 of said Act of Congress, declaring that the period for the establishment of adequate shipping service of the aforesaid Virgin Islands be extended from February 1, 1922, to May 1, 1922, and that the extension of the coastwise laws of the United States to the aforesaid Virgin Islands be deferred from February 1, 1922, to May 1, 1922;
AND WHEREAS, a second proclamation dated May 18, 1922, was issued by Warren G. Harding, President of the United States of America, declaring that the period for the establishment of adequate shipping service of the aforesaid Virgin Islands be extended from May 1, 1922, to November 1, 1922, and that the extension of the coastwise laws of the United States to the aforesaid Virgin Islands be deferred from May 1, 1922, to November 1, 1922;
AND WHEREÅS , a third proclamation dated October 28, 1922, was issued by Warren G. Harding, President of the United States of America, declaring that the period for the establishment of adequate shipping service of the aforesaid Virgin Islands be extended from November 1, 1922, to November 1, 1923, and that the extension of the coastwise laws of the United States to the aforesaid Virgin Islands be deferred from November 1, 1922, to November 1, 1923;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States of America, acting under and by virtue of the authority conferred upon me by Section 21 of said Act of Congress, having issued a proclamation on October 25 , 1923, declaring that the period for the establishment of an adequate shipping service to the aforesaid Virgin Islands be extended from November 1, 1923, to May 1, 1924, and that the extension of the coastwise laws of the United States to the aforesaid Virgin Islands be deferred from November 1, 1923, to May 1, 1924, do hereby declare and proclaim that the period for the establishment of adequate shipping service of the aforesaid Virgin Islands be further extended from May 1, 1924, to November 1, 1924;
AND INASMUCH as the extension of the coastwise laws of the United States to the aforesaid Virgin Islands, as provided in Section 21 of the aforesaid act, is dependent upon the establishment of an adequate shipping service to such island possession, I do hereby further proclaim and declare that the extension of the coastwise laws of the United States to the Virgin Islands is deferred from May 1, 1924, to November 1, 1924.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
DONE at the city of Washington this 7th day of April, in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the One Hundred and Forty-eighth.
Citation: The Statutes at Large of the United States of America from December, 1923 to March, 1925
The Coolidge Foundation gratefully acknowledges the volunteer efforts of J Mitchell Rushing, who prepared this document for digital publication.