Dingley Act (shipping)

This article is about a merchant marine law. For a tariff law, see Dingley Act.

The act was introduced by Nelson Dingley, Jr.

The Dingley Act of 1884 was a United States law introduced by U.S. Representative Nelson Dingley, Jr. of Maine dealing with American mariners serving in the United States Merchant Marine.

Among other things, the act:

• prohibited advances on wages,[1] and
• limited the making of seamen's allotments (payment of part of a seaman's wages to another party) to only close relatives.[1]

In 1886, a loophole to the Dingley Act was created, allowing boardinghouse keepers to receive seamen's allotments.[1]

The legislation replaced the Shipping Commissioners Act of 1872.[2]

Notes

1. Bauer, 1988:285.
2. Sullivan, Kathleen (2022). "Sailors, Crimps, and Commerce: Laws Protecting Seamen, 1866–1884". Journal of Policy History. 34 (4): 555–586. doi:10.1017/S0898030622000203. ISSN 0898-0306. S2CID 251955898.

References

• Bauer, K. Jack (1988). A Maritime History of the United States: The Role of America's Seas and Waterways. Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina. ISBN 0-87249-519-1.
• "Andrew Furuseth Special Edition" (PDF). West Coast Sailors, March 12, 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2007. Retrieved March 21, 2007.

See also

• Shanghaiing
• Maritime history of the United States