to, returning from, and one day's attendance at, the place of examination, are paid or tendered to him at the time of the service of the subpoena. (R. S. § 870, U. S. Comp. St. § 1481.)

Letters rogatory from United States courts-When any commission or letter rogatory, issued to take the testimony of any witness in a foreign country, in any suit in which the United States are parties or have an interest, is executed by the court or the commissioner to whom it is directed, it shall be returned by such court or commissioner to the minister or consul of the United States nearest the place where it is executed. On receiving the same, the said minister or consul shall indorse thereon a certificate, stating when and where the same was received, and that the said deposition is in the same condition as when he received it; and he shall thereupon transmit the said letter or commission, so executed and certified, by mail, to the clerk of the court from which the same issued, in the manner in which his official dispatches are transmitted to the Government. And the testimony of witnesses so taken and returned shall be read as evidence on the trial of the suit in which it was taken, without objection as to the method of returning the same. When letters rogatory are addressed from any court of a foreign country to any circuit court of the United States, a commissioner of such circuit court. designated by said court to make the examination of the witnesses mentioned in said letters, shall have power to compel the witnesses to appear and depose in the same manner as witnesses may be compelled to appear and testify in courts. (R. S. § 875, amended Act Feb. 27, 1877, c. 69, § 1, 19 Stat. 241, U. S. Comp. St. § 1486.)

Witnesses; subpoenas; may run into another districtSubpoenas for witnesses who are required to attend a court of the United States, in any district, may run into any other district: Provided, That in civil causes the witnesses living out of the district in which the court is held do not

live at a greater distance than one hundred miles from the place of holding the same. (R. S. § 876, U. S. Comp. St. § 1487.)

Witnesses; subpoena; form; attendance under-Witnesses who are required to attend any term of a circuit or district court on the part of the United States, shall be subpoenaed to attend to testify generally on their behalf, and not to depart the court without leave thereof, or of the district attorney; and under such process they shall appear before the grand or petit jury, or both, as they may be required by the court or district attorney. (R. S. § 877, U. S. Comp. St. § 1488.)

ACT MARCH 9, 1892 (27 Stat. 7 [U. S. Comp. St. § 1476]). An act to provide an additional mode of taking depositions of witnesses in causes pending in the courts of the United States.

Depositions; mode of taking-In addition to the mode of taking the depositions of witnesses in causes pending at law or equity in the district and circuit courts of the United States, it shall be lawful to take the depositions or testimony of witnesses in the mode prescribed by the laws of the State in which the courts are held. (Act March 9, 1892, c. 14, 27 Stat. 7, U. S. Comp. St. § 1476.)

7. THE HANDWRITING ACT

ACT FEB. 26, 1913 (37 Stat. 683 [U. S. Comp. St. § 1471]). An Act relating to proof of signatures and handwriting.

Comparison of handwriting-In any proceeding before a court or judicial officer of the United States where the genuineness of the handwriting of any person may be involved, any admitted or proved handwriting of such person shall be competent evidence as a basis for comparison by witnesses, or by the jury, court, or officer conducting such proceeding, to prove or disprove such genuineness. (Feb. 26, 1913, c. 79, 37 Stat. 683, U. S. Comp. St. § 1471.)

8. SUITS IN FORMA PAUPERIS (27 Stat. 252, amended 36 Stat. 866 [U. S. Comp. St. § 1626])

An Act to amend section one, chapter two hundred and nine of the United States Statutes at Large, volume twenty-seven, entitled "An Act providing when plaintiff may sue as a poor person and when counsel shall be assigned by the court," and to provide for the prosecution of writs of error and appeals in forma pauperis, and for other purposes.

Suits by poor persons; prepayment of or security for fees or costs; affidavit of poverty-Any citizen of the United States entitled to commence or defend any suit or action, civil or criminal, in any court of the United States, may, upon the order of the court, commence and prosecute or defend to conclusion any suit or action, or a writ of error, or an appeal to the circuit court of appeals, or to the Supreme Court in such suit or action, including all appellate proceedings, unless the trial court shall certify in writing that in the opinion of the court such appeal or writ of error is not taken in good faith, without being required to prepay fees or costs or for the printing of the record in the appellate court or give security therefor, before or after bringing suit or action, or upon suing out a writ of error or appealing, upon filing in said court a statement under oath in writing that because of his poverty he is unable to pay the costs of said suit or action or of such writ of error or appeal, or to give security for the same, and that he believes that he is entitled to the redress he seeks by such suit or action or writ of error or appeal, and setting forth briefly the nature of his alleged cause of action, or appeal. (Act July 20, 1892, c. 209, § 1, 27 Stat. 252, amended Act June 25, 1910, c. 435, 36 Stat. 866, U. S. Comp. St. § 1626.)

9. CERTAIN ADMIRALTY SUITS AGAINST THE UNITED STATES

[Public-No. 156-66th Congress.]

[S. 3076.]

An Act Authorizing suits against the United States in admiralty, suits for salvage services, and providing for the release of merchant vessels belonging to the United States from arrest and attachment in foreign jurisdictions, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That no vessel owned by the United States or by any corporation in which the United States or its representatives shall own the entire outstanding capital stock or in the possession of the United States or of such corporation or operated by or for the United States or such corporation, and no cargo owned or possessed by the United States or by such corporation, shall hereafter, in view of the provision herein made for a libel in personam, be subject to arrest or seizure by judicial process in the United States or its possessions: Provided, That this Act shall not apply to the Panama Railroad Com

pany.

Sec. 2. That in cases where if such vessel were privately owned or operated, or if such cargo were privately owned and possessed, a proceeding in admiralty could be maintained at the time of the commencement of the action herein provided for, a libel in personam may be brought against the United States or against such corporation, as the case may be, provided that such vessel is employed as a merchant vessel or is a tug boat operated by such corporation. Such suits shall be brought in the district court of the United States for the district in which the parties so suing, or any of them, reside or have their principal place of business in the United States, or in which the vessel or cargo charged with liability is found. The libelant shall forthwith serve a

copy of his libel on the United States attorney for such district and mail a copy thereof by registered mail to the Attorney General of the United States, and shall file a sworn return of such service and mailing. Such service and mailing shall constitute valid service on the United States and such corporation. In case the United States or such corporation shall file a libel in rem or in personam in any district, a cross-libel in personam may be filed or a set-off claimed against the United States or such corporation with the same force and effect as if the libel had been filed by a private party. Upon application of either party the cause may, in the discretion of the court, be transferred to any other district court of the United States.

Sec. 3. That such suits shall proceed and shall be heard and determined according to the principles of law and to the rules of practice obtaining in like cases between private parties. A decree against the United States or such corporation may include costs of suit, and when the decree is for a money judgment, interest at the rate of 4 per centum per annum until satisfied, or at any higher rate which shall be stipulated in any contract upon which such decree shall be based. Interest shall run as ordered by the court. Decrees shall be subject to appeal and revision as now provided in other cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction. If the libelant so elects in his libel the suit may proceed in accordance with the principles of libels in rem wherever it shall appear that had the vessel or cargo been privately owned and possessed a libel in rem might have been maintained. Election so to proceed shall not preclude the libelant in any proper case from seeking relief in personam in the same suit. Neither the United States nor such corporation shall be required to give any bond or admiralty stipulation on any proceeding brought hereunder. Any such bond or stipulation heretofore given in admiralty causes by the United States, the United States Shipping Board, or the United States Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation, shall become void