Upon arrival at any port in the United States of any vessel or other conveyance from a foreign port or place, either directly or by way of another port in the United States, or upon such arrival from another port in the United States of any vessel or other conveyance belonging to a line designated by the Secretary of the Treasury as a common carrier of bonded merchandise, and, after due report and entry of such vessel in accordance with existing law or due report, under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe, of the arrival of such other conveyances, the collector of customs, with the concurrence of the naval officer at ports where there is a naval officer, shall grant, upon proper application therefor, a special license to lade or unlade the cargo of any such vessel or other conveyance at night; that is to say, between sunset and sunrise. (Sec. 1.) The master of any vessel from a foreign port or place, upon arrival within a customs collection district of the United States, bound to a port of entry in such district, may make preliminary entry of the vessel by making oath or affirmation to the truth of the statements contained in his original manifest and delivering his said original manifest to the customs officer who shall board such vessel within such district, with a copy of said original manifest for the use of the naval officer at ports where there is a naval officer; whereupon, upon arrival at the wharf or place of discharge, the lading or unlading of the cargo of such vessel may proceed, by both day and night, under such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe. (Sec. 2.) Before any such special license to lade or unlade at night shall be granted and before any permit shall be issued for the immediate lading or unlading of any such vessel after preliminary entry, as hereinbefore provided, either by day or by night the master, owner, agent, or consignee of such vessel or other conveyance shall make proper application therefor and shall at the same time execute and deliver to the United States, through the collector of customs, a good and sufficient bond, in a penal sum to be approved by the said collector, conditioned to indemnify and save the United States harmless from any and all losses and liabilities which may occur or be occasioned by reason of the granting of such special license or the issuing or granting of such permit for immediate lading or unlading; or the master, owner, agent, consignee, or probable consignee, as aforesaid, may execute and deliver to the United States, in like manner and form, a good and sufficient bond, in the panel sum of fifty thousand dollars, conditioned to indemnify and save the United States harmless from any and all losses and liabilities which may occur or be occasioned by reason of the granting of such special licenses and the issuing or granting of such permits for immediate lading or unlading by day and night during a period of six months. (Sec. 3.)