10 U.S.C. § 7657 : US Code - Section 7657: Duties of commanding officer of capturing vessel

Search 10 U.S.C. § 7657 : US Code - Section 7657: Duties of commanding officer of capturing vessel

(a) The commanding officer of a vessel making a capture shall -
(1) secure the documents of the captured vessel, including the
log, and the documents of cargo, together with all other
documents and papers, including letters, found on board;
(2) inventory and seal all the documents and papers;
(3) send the inventory and documents and papers to the court in
which proceedings are to be had, with a written statement -
(A) that the documents and papers sent are all the papers
found, or explaining the reasons why any are missing; and
(B) that the documents and papers sent are in the same
condition as found, or explaining the reasons why any are in
different condition;
(4) send as witnesses to the prize court the master, one or
more of the other officers, the supercargo, purser, or agent of
the prize, and any other person found on board whom he believes
to be interested in or to know the title, national character, or
destination of the prize, and if any of the usual witnesses
cannot be sent, send the reasons therefor to the court; and
(5) place a competent prize master and a prize crew on board
the prize and send the prize, the witnesses, and all documents
and papers, under charge of the prize master, into port for
adjudication.
(b) In the absence of instructions from higher authority as to
the port to which the prize shall be sent for adjudication, the
commanding officer of the capturing vessel shall select the port
that he considers most convenient in view of the interests of
probable claimants.
(c) If the captured vessel, or any part of the captured property,
is not in condition to be sent in for adjudication, the commanding
officer of the capturing vessel shall have a survey and an
appraisal made by competent and impartial persons. The reports of
the survey and the appraisal shall be sent to the court in which
proceedings are to be had. Property so surveyed and appraised,
unless appropriated for the use of the United States, shall be sold
under authority of the commanding officer present. Proceeds of the
sale shall be deposited with the Treasurer of the United States or
in the public depositary most accessible to the court in which
proceedings are to be had and subject to its order in the cause.