NAVAL OFFICER. The name of an officer of the United States, whose duties are
prescribed by various acts of congress.
2. Naval officers are appointed for the term of four years, but are
removable from office at pleasure. Act of May 15, 1820, Sec. 1, 3 Story, L.
U. S. 1790.
3. The act of March 2, 1799, Sec. 21, 1 Story, L. U. S. 590, prescribes
that the naval officer shall receive copies of all manifests, and entries,
and shall, together with the collector, estimate the duties on all goods,
wares, and merchandise, subject to duty, (and no duties shall be received
without such estimate,) and shall keep a separate record thereof, and shall
countersign all permits, clearances, certificates, debentures, and other
documents, to be granted by the collector; he shall also examine the
collector's abstracts of duties, and other accounts of receipts, bonds, and
expenditures, and, if found right, he shall certify the same.
4. And by Sec. 68, of the same law, it is enacted, that every
collector, naval officer, and surveyor, or other person specially appointed,
by either of them, for that purpose, shall have full power and authority to
enter any ship or vessel, in which they shall have reason to suspect any
goods, wares, or merchandise, subject to duty, are concealed, and therein to
search for, seize, and secure, any such goods, wares, or merchandise and if
they shall have cause to suspect a concealment thereof in any particular
dwelling house, store, building, or other place, they or either of them
shall, upon proper application, on oath, to any justice of the peace, be
entitled to a warrant to enter such house, store, or other place (in the day
time only,) and there to search for such goods; and if any shall be found,
to seize and secure the same for trial; and all such goods, wares and
merchandise, on which the duties shall not have been paid, or secured to be
paid, shall be forfeited.