Land Transportation and Traffic Code

Article 652

A charter party must be drawn in duplicate and signed by the contracting parties, and when either does not know how or can not do so, by two witnesses at their request. The charter party shall include, besides the conditions unrestrictedly stipulated, the following statements: 1. The kind, name, and tonnage of the vessel. 2. Her flag and port of registry. 3. The name, surname, and domicile of the captain. 4. The name, surname, and domicile of the agent, if the latter should make the charter party. 5. The name, surname, and domicile of the charterer, and if he states that he is acting by commission, that of the person for whose account he makes the contract. 6. The port of loading and unloading. 7. The capacity, number of tons or weight, or measure which they respectively bind themselves to load and transport, or whether it is the total cargo. 8. The freightage to be paid, stating whether it is to be a fixed amount for the voyage or so much per month, or for the space to be occupied, or for the weight or measure of the goods of which the cargo consists, or in any other manner whatsoever agreed upon. 9. The amount of primage to be paid to the captain. 10. The days agreed upon for loading and unloading. 11. The lay days and extra lay days to be allowed and the rate of demurrage.

Article 653

If the freight should be received without the charter party having been signed, the contract shall be understood as executed in accordance with what appears in the bill of lading, which shall be the only instrument with regard to the freight to determine the rights and obligations of the owner, of the captain, and of the charterer. t

Article 654

The charter parties executed with the intervention of a broker, who certifies to the authenticity of the signatures of the contracting parties made in his presence, shall be full evidence in court; and if said signatures should not agree the ones identical with the signatures the broker must keep in his registry, if kept in accordance to law, shall be final. The contracts shall also be admitted as evidence, even though a broker has not taken part therein, if the contracting parties acknowledge the signatures to be the same as their own. Should no broker have taken part in the charter party and should the signatures not have been acknowledged, doubts shall be decided by what is provided for in the bill of lading, and in the absence thereof by the proofs submitted by the parties.

Article 655

Charter parties executed by the captain in the absence of the agent shall be valid and efficient, even though in executing them he should have acted in violation of the orders and instructions of the agent or shipowner; but the latter shall have a right of action against the captain to recover damages.

Article 656

If in the charter party the time in which the loading and unloading is to take place is not stated, the customs of the port where these acts take place shall be observed. After the period stipulated or the customary one has passed, and should there not be in the freight contract an express clause fixing the indemnification for the delay, the captain shall be entitled to demand demurrage for the usual and extra lay days which may have elapsed in loading and unloading.

Article 657

If during the voyage the vessel should be rendered unseaworthy the captain shall be obliged to charter another one at his expense, in good condition, to take the cargo to its destination, for which purpose he shall be obliged to look for a vessel not only at the port of arrival but in the other ports within a distance of 150 kilometers. If the captain should not furnish a vessel to take the cargo to its destination, either through indolence or malice, the freighters, after a demand of the captain to charter a vessel within an unextendible period, may charter one and apply to the judicial authority requesting that the charter party which may have been made be immediately approved. The same authority shall judicially compel the captain to confirm the charter made by the shippers for his account and under his responsibility. If the captain, notwithstanding his efforts, should not find a vessel to charter, he shall deposit the cargo at the disposal of the freighters, to whom he shall communicate the facts on the first opportunity presenting itself, the charter being regulated in such cases by the distance covered by the vessel, there being no right to any indemnification whatsoever.

Article 658

The freight shall be paid according to the conditions stipulated in the contract, and should they not be specific, or should they be ambiguous, the following rules shall be observed: 1. If the vessel has been chartered by months or by days, the freight shall begin to run from the day the loading of the vessel is begun. 2. In charters made for a fixed period, the freight shall begin from that very day. 3. If the freight is charged according to weight, the payment shall be made according to gross weight, including the containers, such as barrels or any other objects containing the cargo.

Article 659

The merchandise sold by the captain to pay for the necessary repairs to the hull, machinery or equipment, or for unavoidable and urgent requirements, shall pay freight. t The price of this merchandise shall be fixed according to the success of the voyage, namely: 1. If the vessel should arrive safely at the port of destination, the captain shall pay the price which the sale of merchandise of the same kind brings at that port. 2. If the vessel should be lost, the captain shall pay the price said merchandise would have brought in the sale. The same rule shall be observed in the payment of the freight which shall be in full if the vessel arrives at her destination, and in proportion to the distance covered if she should be lost beforehand.

Article 660

Merchandise jettisoned for the common safety shall not pay freight; but its value shall be considered as general average, and shall be computed in proportion to the distance covered when it was jettisoned.

Article 661

Neither shall merchandise which was lost by reason of shipwreck or stranding pay freight, nor that seized by pirates or enemies. If the freight should have been paid in advance, it shall be returned, unless there was an agreement to the contrary.

Article 662

If the vessel or the merchandise should be recovered, or should the goods of the shipwreck be picked up, the freight corresponding to the distance covered by the vessel transporting the cargo shall be paid; and should the vessel be repaired and transport said merchandise to the port of destination, the full freight shall be paid, without prejudice to what may be due by reason of the average.

Article 663

Merchandise which is damaged or reduced on account of its own defects or bad quality and condition of the packing, or by reason of an accidental case, shall pay full freight, and as was stipulated in the charter party.

Article 664

The natural increase in weight or size of the merchandise loaded on the vessel shall accrue to the benefit of the owner, and shall pay the proper freight fixed in the contract for the same.

Article 665

The cargo shall be specially liable for the payment of the freight expenses, and duties arising therefrom, which must be reimbursed by the shippers, as well as for the part of the general average which may be due, but it shall not be legal for the captain to delay unloading on account of delay in complying with this obligation. Should there be reasons for distrust, the judge or court, at the instance of the captain, may order the deposit of the merchandise until he has been paid in full.

Article 666

The captain may request the sale of the cargo to the amount necessary to pay the freight, expenses, and averages due him, reserving the right to demand the balance due him therefor if the proceeds of the sale should not have sufficed to cover his credit.

Article 667

The goods loaded shall be liable in the first place for their freight and expenses during twenty days, to be counted from the date of their delivery or deposit. During this period, the sale of the same may be requested, even though there be other creditors and the case of bankruptcy of the freighter or consignee should occur. This right can not be made use of, however, on the goods which after being delivered, were turned over to a third person without malice on the part of the latter and for a valuable consideration.

Article 668

If the consignee should not be found or should refuse to receive the cargo, the judge or court, at the instance of the captain, shall order its deposit and the sale of the merchandise in so far as necessary to pay the freight and other expenses on the same. The sale shall likewise take place when the goods deposited run the risk of deteriorating or by reason of their condition or for other reasons the expenses of preservation and custody should be disproportionate to the value thereof. 2. Rights and Obligations of Owners

Article 669

The owners or the captain shall observe in charter parties the capacity of the vessel or that expressly designated in the registry of the same, a difference greater than 2 per cent between that stated and her true capacity not being permissible. If the owners or the captain should contract to carry a greater amount of cargo than the vessel can hold, in view of her tonnage, they shall indemnify the freighters whose contracts they do not fulfill for the losses they may have caused them by reason of their default, according to the cases, viz: If the vessel has been chartered by one freighter only, and there should appear to be an error or fraud in her capacity, and the charterer should not wish to rescind the contract, when he has a right to do so, the charter should be reduced in proportion to the cargo the vessel can not receive, the person from whom the vessel is chartered being furthermore obliged to indemnify the charterer for the losses he may have caused. If, on the contrary, there should be several charter parties, and by reason of the want of space all the cargo contracted for can not be received, and none of the charterers desires to rescind the contract, preference shall be given to the person who has already loaded and arranged the freight in the vessel, and the rest shall take the place corresponding to them in the order of the dates of their contracts. Should there be no priority, the charterers may load, if they wish, pro rata of the amounts of weight or space they may have engaged, and the person from whom the vessel was chartered shall be obliged to indemnify them for the loss and damage.

Article 670

If the person from whom the vessel is chartered, after receiving a part of the freight, should not find sufficient to make up at least three-fifths of the amount which the vessel can hold, at the price he may have fixed, he may substitute for the transportation another vessel inspected and declared suitable for the same voyage, the expenses of transfer being defrayed by him, as well as the increase, should there be any, in the price of the charter. Should he not be able to make this change, the voyage shall be undertaken at the time agreed upon; and should no time have been fixed, within fifteen days from the time of beginning to load, should nothing to the contrary have been stipulated. If the owner of the part of the freight already loaded should procure some more at the same price and under similar or proportionate conditions to those accepted for the freight received, the person from whom the vessel is chartered or the captain can not refuse to accept the rest of the cargo; and should he do so, the freighter shall have a right to demand that the vessel put to sea with the cargo she may have on board.

Article 671

After three-fifths of the vessel is loaded, the person from whom she is chartered can not, without the consent of the charterers or freighters substitute the vessel designated in the charter party by another one, under the penalty of making himself thereby liable for all the losses and damages occurring during the voyage to the cargo of the person who did not consent to the change.

Article 672

If the vessel has been chartered in whole, the captain can not, without the consent of the person chartering her, accept freight from any other person; and should he do so, said charterer may oblige him to unload it and require him to indemnify him for the losses suffered thereby.

Article 673

The person from whom the vessel is chartered shall be liable for all the losses caused the charterer by reason of the voluntary delay of the captain in putting to sea, according to the rules prescribed, provided he has been requested to put to sea at the proper time through a notary or judicially.

Article 674

If the charterer should carry to the vessel more freight than that contracted for, the excess may be admitted in accordance with the price stipulated in the contract, if it can be well stowed without injuring the other freighters, but if in order to stow said freight it should be necessary to stow it in such manner as to throw the vessel out of trim the captain must refuse it or unload it at the expense of its owner. The captain may likewise, before leaving the port, unload the merchandise placed on board clandestinely, or transport it, if he can do so and keep the vessel in trim, demanding by way of freightage the highest price which may have been stipulated for said voyage.

Article 675

If the vessel has been chartered to receive the cargo in another port, the captain shall appear before the consignee designated in the charter party, and, should the latter not deliver the cargo to him, he shall inform the charterer and await his instructions, and in the meantime the lay days agreed upon shall begin to run, or those allowed by custom in the port, unless there is a special agreement to the contrary. Should the captain not receive an answer within the time necessary therefor, he shall make efforts to find freight; and should he not find any after the lay days and extra lay days have elapsed, he shall make a protest and return to the port where the charter was made. The charterer shall pay the freightage in full, discounting that which may have been earned on the merchandise which may have been carried on the voyage out or on the return trip, if carried for the account of third persons. The same shall be done if a vessel, having been chartered for the round trip, should not be given any cargo for her return.

Article 676

The captain shall lose the freightage and shall indemnify the charterers if the latter should prove, even against the certificate of inspection, should one have taken place at the port of departure, that the vessel was not in a condition to navigate at the time of receiving the cargo.

Article 677

The charter party shall be enforced if the captain should not have any instructions from the charterer, and a declaration of war or a blockade should take place during the voyage. In such case the captain shall be obliged to make the nearest safe and neutral port, and request and await orders from the freighter; and the expenses incurred and salaries earned during the detention shall be paid as general average. If, by orders of the freighter, the cargo should be discharged at the port of arrival, the freight for the voyage out shall be paid in full.

Article 678

If the time necessary, in the opinion of the judge or court, in which to receive orders from the freighters should have elapsed without the captain having received any instructions, the cargo shall be deposited, and it shall be liable for the payment of the freight and expenses incurred by reason of the delay which shall be paid from the proceeds of the part first sold. 3. Obligations of Charterers

Article 679

The charterer of an entire vessel may subcharter the whole or part thereof for the amounts he may consider most convenient, without the captain being allowed to refuse to receive on board the freight delivered by the second charterers, provided the conditions of the first charter are not changed, and that the person from whom the vessel is chartered be paid the full price agreed upon even though the full cargo is not embarked, with the limitation established in the next article.

Article 680

A charterer who does not make up the full cargo he bound himself to ship shall pay the freightage of the amount he fails to ship, if the captain did not take other freight to make up the cargo of the vessel, in which case he shall pay the first charterer the difference should there be any.

Article 681

If the charterer should ship goods different from those indicated at the time of executing the charter party, without the knowledge of the person from whom the vessel was chartered or of the captain, and should thereby give rise to losses, by reason of confiscation, embargo, detention, or other causes, to the person from whom the vessel was chartered or to the shippers, the person giving rise thereto shall be liable with the value of his shipment and furthermore with his property, for the full indemnity to all those injured through his fault.

Article 682

If the merchandise shipped should have been for the purpose of illicit commerce, and was taken on board with the knowledge of the person from whom the vessel was chartered or of the captain, the latter, jointly with the owner of the same, shall be liable for all the losses which may be caused the other shippers, and even though it may have been agreed, they can not demand any indemnity whatsoever of the charterer for the damage caused the vessel.

Article 683

In case of making a port to repair the hull, machinery, or equipment of the vessel, the freighters must wait until the vessel is repaired, being permitted to unload her at their own expense should they deem it advisable. If, for the benefit of the cargo subject to deterioration, the freighters or the court, or the consul, or the competent authority in a foreign land should order the merchandise to be unloaded, the expenses of loading and unloading shall be for the account of the former.

Article 684

If the charterer, without the occurrence of any of the cases of force majeure mentioned in the foregoing article, should wish to unload his merchandise before arriving at the port of destination, he shall pay the full freight, the expenses of the stop made at his request, and the losses and damages caused the other freighters, should there be any.

Article 685

In charters for transportation of general freight any of the freighters may unload the merchandise before the beginning of the voyage, by paying one-half the freight, the expense of stowing and restowing the cargo, and any other damage which may be caused the other shippers.

Article 686

After the vessel has been unloaded and the cargo placed at the disposal of the consignee, the latter must immediately pay the captain the freight due and the other expenses to which he may be liable for said cargo. The primage must be paid in the same proportion and at the same time as the freight, all the changes and modifications to which the latter should be subject also governing the former.

Article 687

The charters and freighters can not abandon merchandise damaged on account of the inherent vice of the goods or by reason of an accidental case, for the payment of the freight and other expenses. The abandonment shall be proper, however, if the cargo should consist of liquids and should they have leaked out, there not remaining in the containers more than one-quarter of their contents. 4. Total or Partial Rescissions of Charter Parties

Article 688

A charter party may be annulled at the request of the charterer: 1. If before loading the vessel he should abandon the charter, paying half of the freightage agreed upon. 2. If the capacity of the vessel should not agree with that stated in the certificate of the tonnage, or if there is an error in the statement of the flag under which she sails. 3. If the vessel should not be placed at the disposal of the charterer within the period and in the manner agreed upon. 4. If, after the vessel has put to sea, she should return to the port of departure, on account of risk of pirates, enemies, or bad weather, and the freighters should agree to unload her. In the second and third cases the person from whom the vessel was chartered shall indemnify the charterer for the losses he may suffer. In the fourth case the person from whom the vessel was chartered shall have a right to the freightage in full for the voyage out. If the charter should have been made by the months, the charterers shall pay the full freightage for one month, if the voyage were to a port in the same waters, and two months, if the voyage were to a port in different waters. From one port to another of the Peninsula and adjacent islands, the freightage for one month only shall be paid. 5. If a vessel should make a port during the voyage in order to make urgent repairs and the freighters should prefer to dispose of the merchandise. When the delay does not exceed thirty days, the freighters shall pay the full freight for the voyage out. Should the delay exceed thirty days, they shall only pay the freight in proportion to the distance covered by the vessel.

Article 689

At the request of the person from whom the vessel is chartered the charter party may be rescinded: 1. If the charterer at the termination of the extra lay days does not place the cargo alongside the vessel. In such case the charterer must pay half the freight stipulated besides the demurrage for the lay days and extra lay days elapsed. 2. If the person from whom the vessel was chartered should sell her before the charterer has begun to load her and the purchaser should load her for his own account. In such case the vendor shall indemnify the charterer for the losses he may suffer. If the new owner of the vessel should not load her for his own account the charter party shall be respected, and the vendor shall indemnify the purchaser if the former did not inform him of the charter pending at the time of making the sale.

Article 690

The charter party shall be rescinded and all action arising therefrom shall be extinguished if, before the vessel puts to sea from the port of departure, any of the following cases should occur: 1. A declaration of war or interdiction of commerce with the power to whose ports the vessel was going to sail. 2. A condition of blockade of the port of destination of said vessel, or the breaking out of an epidemic after the contract was executed. 3. The prohibition to receive the merchandise of the vessel at the said port. 4. An indefinite detention, by reason of an embargo of the vessel by order of the government or for any other reason independent of the will of the agent. 5. The impossibility of the vessel to navigate, without fault of the captain or agent. The unloading shall be made for the account of the charterer.

Article 691

If the vessel can not put to sea on account of the closing of the port of departure, or any other temporary cause, the charter shall be in force without any of the contracting parties having a right to claim damages. The subsistence and wages of the crew shall be considered as general average. During the interruption the charterer may, at the proper time and for his own account, unload and load the merchandise, paying demurrage if the reloading should continue after the reason for the detention has ceased.

Article 692

A charter party shall be partially rescinded, unless there is an agreement to the contrary, and the captain shall only be entitled to the freight for the voyage out, if, by reason of a declaration of war, closing of ports, or interdiction of commercial relations during the voyage, the vessel should make the port designated for such a case in the instructions of the charterer. 5. Passengers on Sea Voyages

Article 693

Should the passage price not have been agreed upon, the judge or court shall summarily fix it, after a statement of experts.

Article 694

Should the passenger not arrive on board at the time fixed, or should leave the vessel without permission from the captain, when the latter is ready to leave the port, the captain may continue the voyage and demand the full passage price.

Article 695

The right to passage, if issued to a specified person, can not be transferred without the consent of the captain or of the consignee.

Article 696

If before beginning the voyage the passenger should die, his heirs shall only be obliged to pay half of the passage agreed upon. If there should be understood in the price stipulated the expenses of subsistence, the judge, or court, hearing experts if he considers it necessary, shall fix the amount to be paid the vessel. Should another passenger be received in the place of the deceased, nothing shall be paid by said heirs.

Article 697

If before beginning the voyage it should be suspended through the sole fault of the captain or agent, the passengers shall be entitled to have their passage refunded and to recover for losses and damages; but if the suspension was due to an accidental cause, or to force majeure, or to any other cause beyond the control of the captain or agent, the passengers shall only be entitled to the return of the passage money.

Article 698

In case a voyage already begun should be interrupted the passengers shall be obliged only to pay the passage in proportion to the distance covered, and shall not be entitled to recover for losses and damages if the interruption is due to an accidental cause or to force majeure, but have a right to indemnity if the interruption should have been caused by the captain exclusively. If the interruption should be by reason of the disability of the vessel, and the passenger should agree to await her repair, he can not be required to pay any increased price of passage, but his living expenses during the delay shall be for his own account. In case the departure of the vessel is delayed the passengers have a right to remain on board and to be furnished with food for the account of the vessel, unless the delay is due to an accidental cause or to force majeure. If the delay should exceed ten days, the passengers who request it shall be entitled to the return of the passage; and if it were due exclusively to the captain or agent they may furthermore demand indemnity for losses and damages. A vessel which is exclusively destined to the transportation of passengers must take them directly to the port or ports of destination, no matter what the number of passengers may be, making all the stops indicated in her itinerary.

Article 699

After the contract has been rescinded, before or after the commencement of the voyage, the captain shall have a right to claim payment for what he may have furnished the passengers.

Article 700

In all that relates to the preservation of order and police on board the vessel the passengers shall conform to the orders given by the captain, without any distinction whatsoever.

Article 701

The convenience or the interest of the passengers shall not obligate nor empower the captain to stand in shore or enter places which may take the vessel out of her course, nor to remain in the ports he must or is under the necessity of touching for a period longer than that required for the business of the navigation.

Article 702

In the absence of an agreement to the contrary, it shall be understood that the maintenance of the passengers during the voyage is included in the price of the passage; but should said maintenance be for the account of the latter, the captain shall be under the obligation, in case of necessity, to furnish them the victuals at a reasonable price necessary for their maintenance.

Article 703

A passenger shall be looked upon as a shipper in so far as the goods he carries on board are concerned, and the captain shall not be liable for what said passenger may preserve under his immediate and special custody unless the damage arises from an act of the captain or of the crew.

Article 704

The captain, in order to collect the price of the passage and expenses of maintenance, may retain the goods belonging to the passenger, and in case of the sale of the same he shall be given preference over the other creditors, acting in the same way as in the collection of freight.

Article 705

In case of the death of a passenger during the voyage the captain is authorized, with regard to the body, to take the steps required by the circumstances, and shall carefully take care of the papers and goods there may be on board belonging to the passenger, observing the provisions of Case No. 10 of Article 612 with regard to members of the crew. 6. Bills of Lading

Article 706

The captain and the freighter of the vessel are obliged to draft the bill of lading, in which there shall be stated: 1. The name, registry, and tonnage of the vessel. 2. The name of the captain and his domicile. 3. The port of loading and that of unloading. 4. The name of the shipper. 5. The name of the consignee, if the bill of lading is issued to order. 6. The quantity, quality, number of packages, and marks of the merchandise. 7. The freight and the primage stipulated. The bill of lading may be issued to bearer, to order, or in the name of a specific person, and must be signed within twenty-four hours after the cargo has been received on board, the freighter being able to request the unloading thereof at the expense of the captain should he not sign it, and in every case indemnity for the losses and damages suffered thereby.

Article 707

Four true copies of the original bill of lading shall be made, all of which shall be signed by the captain and by the freighter. Of these copies the freighter shall keep one and send another to the consignee; the captain shall take two, one for himself and another for the agent. There may, furthermore, be made as many copies of the bill of lading as may be considered necessary by the persons interested; but when they are issued to order or to the bearer there shall be stated in all the copies, be they either of the first four or of the subsequent ones, the destination of each one, stating whether it is for the agent, for the captain, for the freighter, or for the consignee. If the copy sent to the latter should be duplicated there must be stated in said duplicate this fact, and that it is not valid except in case of the loss of the first one.

Article 708

The bills of lading issued to the bearer sent to the consignee shall be transferable by the actual delivery of the instrument; and by virtue of an indorsement, those issued to order. In either case, the person to whom the bill of lading is transferred shall acquire all the rights and actions of the assignor or indorser with regard to the merchandise mentioned in the same.

Article 709

A bill of lading drawn up in accordance with the provisions of this title shall be proof as between all those interested in the cargo and between the latter and the underwriters, proof to the contrary being reserved by the latter.

Article 710

Should the bills of lading not agree, and there should not be observed any correction or erasure in any of them, those possessed by the freighter or consignee signed by the captain shall be proof against the captain or agent in favor of the consignee or freighter; and those possessed by the captain or agent signed by the freighter shall be proof against the freighter or consignee in favor of the captain or agent.

Article 711

The legitimate holder of a bill of lading who does not present it to the captain of the vessel before her unloading, obliging the latter thereby to unload it and place it in deposit, shall be liable for the cost of warehousing and other expenses arising therefrom.

Article 712

The captain can not himself change the destination of merchandise. In admitting this change at the instance of the freighter, he must first take up the bills of lading he may have issued, under the penalty of being liable for the cargo to the legitimate holder of the same.

Article 713

If before delivering the cargo a new bill of lading should be demanded of the captain, it being alleged that the previous ones are not presented on account of their loss or for any other sufficient cause, he shall be obliged to issue it, provided security for the value of the cargo is given to his satisfaction; but without changing the consignment and stating therein the circumstances prescribed in the last paragraph of Article 707, when the bills of lading referred to therein are in question, under the penalty otherwise to be liable for said cargo if not properly delivered through his fault.

Article 714

If before the vessel puts to sea the captain should die or should discontinue in his position through any accident, the freighters shall have a right to demand of the new captain the ratification of the first bills of lading, and the latter must do so, provided all the copies previously issued be presented or returned to him, and it should appear from an examination of the cargo that they are correct. The expenses arising from the examination of the cargo shall be defrayed by the agent, without prejudice to the right of action of the latter against the first captain, if he ceased to be such through his own fault. Should said examination not be made, it shall be understood that the new captain accepts the cargo as it appears from the bills of lading issued.

Article 715

Bills of lading will give rise to a most summary action or to judicial compulsion, according to the case, for the delivery of the cargo and the payment of the freightage and proper expenses.

Article 716

If several persons should present bills of lading issued to bearer or to order, indorsed in their favor, demanding the same merchandise, the captain shall prefer in delivering the same, the person presenting the copy first issued, with the exception of the case when the latter one was issued on account of the loss of the first one, and if they are held by different persons. In such case, as well as when only second or subsequent copies issued without this proof are presented, the captain shall apply to the judge or court, so that he may order the deposit of the merchandise, and that through him it may be delivered to the proper person.

Article 717

The delivery of the bill of lading shall effect the cancellation of all the provisional receipts of prior date given by the captain or his subalterns for partial deliveries of the cargo which may have been made.

Article 718

After the cargo has been delivered, the bills of lading which the captain signed shall be returned to him, or at least the copy by reason of which the delivery is made, with the receipt for the merchandise mentioned therein. The delay on the part of the consignee shall make him liable for the damages which may be caused the captain thereby. SECTION II Loans on Bottomry and Respondentia

Article 719

A loan on bottomry or respondentia shall be considered that which the repayment of the sum loaned and the premium stipulated, under any condition whatsoever, depends on the safe arrival in port of the goods on which it is made, or of their value in case of accident.

Article 720

Loans on bottomry or respondentia may be executed: 1. By means of a public instrument. 2. By means of a bond signed by the contracting parties and the broker who took part therein. t 3. By means of a private instrument. Under whichever of these forms the contract is executed, it shall be entered in the certificate of the registry of the vessel and shall be recorded in the commercial registry, without which requisites the credits originating from the same shall not have, with regard to other credits, the preference which, according to their nature, they should have, although the obligation shall be valid between the contracting parties. The contracts made during a voyage shall be governed by the provisions of Articles 583 and 611, and shall be effective with regard to third persons from the date of their execution, if they should be recorded in the commercial registry of the port of registry of the vessel before eight days have elapsed from the date of her arrival. If said eight days should elapse without the record having been made in the commercial registry, the contracts made during the voyage of a vessel shall not have any effect with regard to third persons, except from the day and date of their entry. In order that the bonds of the contracts celebrated in accordance with No. 2 may have legal force, they must conform to the registry of the broker who took part therein. In those celebrated in accordance with No. 3 the acknowledgment of the signature must precede. Contracts which are not reduced to writing shall not be the basis for a judicial action.

Article 721

In a bottomry or respondentia bond there must be stated: 1. The kind, name, and registry of the vessel. 2. The name, surname, and domicile of the captain. 3. The names, surnames, and domicile of the person giving and of the person receiving the loan. 4. The amount of the loan and the premium stipulated. 5. The time for repayment. 6. The goods pledged to secure repayment. 7. The voyage for which the risk is run.

Article 722

The bonds may be issued to order, in which case they shall be transferable by indorsement, and the assignee shall acquire all the rights and run all the risks corresponding to the indorser.

Article 723

Loans may be made in goods and in merchandise, their value being fixed in order to determine the amount of the loan.

Article 724

The loans may be constituted jointly or separately: 1. On the hull of the vessel. 2. On the rigging. 3. On the equipment, provisions, and fuel. 4. On the engine, if the vessel is a steamer. 5. On the cargo. If the loan is constituted on the hull of the vessel, there shall be understood as also subject to the liability of the loan, the rigging, equipment and other goods, provisions, fuel, steam engines, and the freight earned during the voyage subject to the loan. If the loan is made on the cargo, all that constitutes the same shall be subject to the repayment; and if on a particular object of the vessel or of the cargo, the object exclusively and specifically mentioned only shall be liable.

Article 725

No loans can be made on the salaries of the crew, nor on the profits which it is expected to earn.

Article 726

If the lender should prove that he loaned a larger amount than the value of the article liable for the bottomry loan, by reason of fraudulent measures employed by the borrower the loan shall only be valid for the amount at which said object is appraised by experts. The surplus principal shall be returned with legal interest for the whole period of the duration of the disbursement.

Article 727

If the full amount of the loan contracted to load the vessel should not be made use of for the cargo, the surplus shall be returned before clearing. The same procedure shall be observed with regard to the goods taken as a loan if they could not all have been loaded.

Article 728

The loan which the captain takes at the point of residence of the owners of the vessel shall only affect that part of the latter which belongs to the captain, if the other owners or their agents should not have given their express authorization thereto or should not have taken part in the transaction. If one or more of the owners should be requested to furnish the amount necessary to repair or provision the vessel, and should not do so within twenty-four hours, the interest which the parties in default may have in the vessel shall be liable for the loan in the proper proportion. Outside of the residence of the owners the captain may contract loans in accordance with the provisions of Articles 583 and 611.

Article 729

Should the goods on which money is taken not be subjected to any risk, the contract shall be considered an ordinary loan, the borrower being under the obligation to return the principal and interest at the legal rate, if the interest stipulated should not have been lower.

Article 730

Loans made during the voyage shall have preference over those made before the clearing of the vessel, and they shall be graduated by the inverse order to that of their dates. The loans for the last voyage shall have preference over prior ones. Should several loans have been made at a port made under stress and for the same purpose, all of them shall be paid pro rata.

Article 731

The actions which may be brought by the lender shall be extinguished by the absolute loss of the goods on which the loan was made, if said loss arose from an accident of the sea at the time and during the voyage designated in the contract, and should it be proven that the cargo was on board; but this shall not take place if the loss were caused by the inherent defect of the thing or through the fault or malice of the borrower, or through barratry on the part of the captain, or if it were caused by damages suffered by the vessel as a consequence of being engaged in contraband, or if it arose through loading the merchandise on a vessel other than that designated in the contract, unless this change should have been made by reason of force majeure. The proof of the loss is incumbent upon the person who received the loan, as well as the proof of the existence in the vessel of the goods declared to the lender as the object thereof.

Article 732

Lenders on bottomry or respondentia shall suffer in proportion to their respective interest, the general average which may take place in the goods on which the loan was made. In particular averages, in the absence of an express agreement between the contracting parties, the lender on bottomry or respondentia shall also contribute in proportion to his respective interest, should it not belong to the kind of risks excepted in the foregoing article.

Article 733

Should it not have been stated in the contract for what period the lender runs the risk, the said risk shall last with regard to the vessel, engines, rigging, and equipment from the moment said vessel puts to sea until she drops anchor in the port of destination, and with regard to the merchandise, from the time it is loaded on the shore or wharf of the port of shipment until unloaded in the port of consignment.

Article 734

In case of shipwreck the amount liable for the return of the loan shall be reduced to the proceeds of the goods saved, after the costs of the salvage have been deducted. If the loan were on the vessel or any of her parts, the freightage earned during the voyage for which said loan was contracted shall also be liable for its payment, as far as it is available.

Article 735

If the same vessel or cargo should be the object of a loan on bottomry or respondentia and marine insurance, the value of what may be saved shall be divided, in case of shipwreck, between the lender and the underwriter, in proportion to the legitimate interest of each one, taking into consideration, for this purpose only, the principal with relation to the loan, and without prejudice to the right of preference of other creditors in accordance with Article 580.

Article 736

If there should be delay in the repayment of the principal or premiums of the loan, the former only shall bear legal interest. SECTION I Averages