Such application having been duly made and the required bond having been duly executed and delivered, special license or licenses to lade or unlade at night after regular entry of vessels, and due report of other conveyances, may be granted, and a permit or permits may be issued for the immediate lading and unlading, by day and night, of vessels admitted to preliminary entry, or of other conveyances of which due report of arrival has been made: _Provided_, That the provisions of this Act shall extend and be applicable to any vessels or other conveyances bound to a port of entry in the United States to be unladen at a port of delivery or to be unladen at a place of discharge designated by the Secretary of the Treasury under the provisions of section twenty-seven hundred and seventy-six of the Revised Statutes as amended: _Provided further_, That when preliminary entry of a vessel shall be made by the master as herein provided he shall not be relieved from making due report and entry of his vessel at the custom-house in accordance with existing law, and any liability of the master or owner of any such vessel to the owner or consignee of any merchandise landed from her shall not be affected by the granting of such special license, but such liability shall continue until the merchandise is properly removed from the dock whereon the same may be landed. (Sec. 4.)
The Secretary of the Treasury shall fix a reasonable rate of extra compensation for night services of inspectors, storekeepers, weighers and other customs officers and employees in connection with the lading or unlading of cargo at night, or the lading at night of cargo or merchandise for transportation in bond or for exportation in bond, or for the exportation with benefit of drawback, but such rate of compensation shall not exceed an amount equal to double the rate of compensation allowed to each such officer or employee for like services rendered by day, the said extra compensation to be paid by the master, owner, agent, or consignee of such vessel or other conveyance, whenever such special license or permit for immediate lading or unlading or for lading or unlading at night or on Sundays or holidays shall be granted, to the collector of customs, who shall pay the same to the several customs officers and employees entitled thereto according to the rates fixed therefor by the Secretary of the Treasury. Customs officers acting as boarding officers, and any customs officer who may be designated for that purpose by the collector of customs, and hereby authorized to administer the oath or affirmation herein provided for, and such boarding officers shall be allowed extra compensation for services in boarding vessels at night or on Sundays or holidays—at the rate prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury as herein provided, the said extra compensation to be paid by the master, owner, agent, or consignee of such vessels. (R. S., 2871; June 30, 1906; Feb. 13, 1911; sec. 5.)