Alexandria Advertiser And Commercial Intelligencer

TRANSLATIONS
From French papers to the 27th of April received at Charleston.

BORDEAUX, April 17.

The Principal Commissary of the Marine to the Editor of the Echo.

I send you, citizen, a copy of a dispatch I have received from the minister of the marine, by which you will see that the government of the United States of America has decided that all the vessels of that nation, before they proceed to sea, shall be furnished with a bill of health, stating the state of the health of the inhabitants of the port of departure and its neighborhood. You will remark, citizen, that this dispatch is of the 23d of Pluviose last, (February 12) and if I have not hitherto given it publicity through the journals, it was because I had reason to believe that the government of the United States would extend its hand to the execution of its orders; but the arrival of many American vessels without bills of health, proves to me that the captains of that nation have endeavoured to elude a regulation of which the interest of humanity requires the complete execution. I pray you to insert the dispatch here joined in your journal, as well as the form of the bill of health, so that the merchants of this port, by having knowledge of it, may inform the owners of vessels in the United States with whom they correspond, that they ought to direct their captains to be very exact in furnishing themselves with bills of health, seeing that I shall act with great strictness against all American vessels, and they will have to undergo a quarantine, more or less prolonged, in the Island of Patras. Such are the dispositions agreed upon between the French and American governments, and I cannot depart from them, particularly in the approaching season, which by reason of the hot weather, requires the most active attention.

Auguste Bergeaud.

The Minister of the Marine and the Colonies, to the Maritime Prefect at Rochefort.

I make known you, citizen prefect, that the government of the U. States of America has provisionally determined that all the vessels of that nation, before they proceed to sea, are bound to be furnished with a bill of health, making known the state of the public health in the port of departure and its neighborhood. This measure has for its object to secure American navigators from the delays which they have sometimes suffered in our ports from the suspicions too lightly founded, and under this view it also interests the commerce of France. I send you herewith a printed copy of the patent or certificate which is to be delivered. This certificate is to be signed by the collector and naval officer, and is to be legalized by the commissary of commercial relations or consuls of the power to the ports of which the vessel is bound, if there are any in the port of departure. It is essential to remark, that in the United States there are no collectors but in the following ports, viz Portsmouth in New-Hampshire; Newbury-Port, Salem, Beverly, Boston, New-Port, Providence, New-York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk, Wilmington, (N. C.) Charleston, (S. C.) and Savannah, as these officers are at the head of their customs, they are only at the most important ports; in the others, there is only a naval officer; of course, the certificate will only bear his signature. In those places where lazaretto's are established, the officers of health should also give their attestation. It is to be hoped that the congress in its approaching session, will make these certificates obligatory, and will pass laws relative to health. In consequence, I invite you citizen prefect, to make this known to the administrators of the different ports, in your department, and to require that they demand from every vessel coming from the U. S. this certificate, or the bill of health with which they ought to be furnished, and to regulate their admission into our ports conformably thereto, and to the laws established relative to health.

A true copy,
Decres.
The vice admiral, Marine prefect.
MARTIN.

Form of the certificate.
United States of America. District of

To all who shall see these presents.

We, the collector and naval officer in the port of

by virtue of these presents, certify and make known, that the captain, officers, sailors and passengers of the

named the

loaded with

and of which

is captain; and with the number of officers, sailors and passengers ready to depart or the port of

or some other place beyond the sea, are all in good health, And we certify further, that in this port or its neighborhood.

Given under our hands, and the seal of the custom-house, of the day of

and in the year of our Lord and in the year of the independence of the United States,

A. B.
C. D.