Penalty for master, etc., knowingly carrying letter not exempted from postage

(1) Every person, being either the master of a vessel inward bound or one of the officers, or one of the crew, or a passenger thereof, who knowingly has any letter not exempted from postage in his possession after the master has sent the ship’s letters to the Post Office shall forfeit in respect of every letter ten dollars. (2) A letter in the baggage or on the body of any such person or otherwise in his custody, shall be deemed to be in his possession. 19 (3) Every such person who detains any such letter, after demand made either by an officer of Customs or other person authorised by the Postmaster General to demand ship letters, shall, for every letter, forfeit twenty dollars.