Every seaman, being a foreigner, who declares his intention of becoming a citizen of the United States in any competent court, and shall have served three years on board of a merchant vessel of the United States subsequent to the date of such declaration, may, on his application to any competent court, and the production of his certificate of discharge and good conduct during that time, together with the certificate of his declaration of intention to become a citizen, be admitted a citizen of the United States; and every seaman, being a foreigner, shall, after his declaration of intention to become a citizen of the United States, and after he shall have served such three years, be deemed a citizen of the United States for the purpose of manning and serving on board any merchant-vessel of the United States, anything to the contrary in any act of Congress notwithstanding; but such seaman shall, for all purposes of protection as an American citizen, be deemed such, after the filing of his declaration of intention to become such citizen. (R. S., 2174.) The collector of every district shall keep a book or books, in which, at the request of any seaman, being a citizen of the United States of America, and producing proof of his citizenship, authenticated in the manner hereinafter directed, he shall enter the name of such seaman, and shall deliver to him a certificate, in the following form, that is to say: "I, A. B., collector of the district of D., do hereby certify, that E. F., an American seaman, aged ———— years, or thereabouts, of the height of ———— feet ———— inches, (describing the said seaman as particularly as may be,) has, this day, produced to me proof in the manner directed by law; and I do hereby certify that the said E. F. is a citizen of the United States of America. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office, this ———— day of ————." It shall be the duty of the collectors to file and preserve the proofs of citizenship so produced. (R. S., 4588; June 19, 1886.) The collector of every port of entry in the United States shall send a list of the seaman to whom certificates of citizenship have been granted, once every three months, to the Secretary of State [together with an account of such impressments or detentions, as shall appear, by the protests of the masters, to have taken place.] (R. S., 4591.) Shipping officers. The general duties of a shipping-commissioner shall be: _First._ To afford facilities for engaging seamen by keeping a register of their names and characters. _Second._ To superintend their engagement and discharge, in manner prescribed by law. _Third._ To provide means for securing the presence on board at the proper times of men who are so engaged. _Fourth._ To facilitate the making of apprenticeships to the sea service. _Fifth._ To perform such other duties relating to merchant seamen or merchant ships as are now or may hereafter be required by law.