ing payment for transportation charges. In case of death of Marine Corps personnel while absent from station of duty, there being no Marine Corps activity at the point where death occurs, and time does not permit the preparation and forwarding of government bill of lading, the mortuary holding the remains for shipment to the home of the deceased will be instructed to forward remains on a collect commercial express receipt with instructions to the railway express agency to collect no transportation charges from the consignee on the shipment, as transportation charges will be paid upon transmittal of the express receipt to the Commandant of the Marine Corps (Code: CSJ).

6. Railway express agency regulations provide that the value of every shipment must be declared by shipper. Additional charges are assessed when the declared value exceeds $50 on a shipment weighing 100 pounds or less, or exceeds 50 cents per pound on shipment weighing over 100 pounds. Shipping officers will exercise care in valuating shipments of government property forwarded on government bills of lading and if shipment of 100 pounds or less is made the bill of lading will be noted "VALUATION NOT EXCEEDING $50.00." When shipment weighs 100 pounds or more the bill of lading should be noted "VALUATION NOT EXCEEDING 50 CENTS PER POUND." However, if in the opinion of the shipping officer, shipments should be released at a higher valuation to protect the interests of the Marine Corps, authority will be requested from the Commandant of the Marine Corps (Code: CSJ).

53055 SHIPMENT VIA WATER

1. Shipments via water carriers shall be forwarded by vessels of United States registry unless such action is impracticable. When it has been determined by the President, as provided for by Title 34, U. S. C. 528, that freight charges by American vessels for transportation of supplies for use of the Marine Corps are excessive or unreasonable, the Marine Corps is authorized to procure such transportation through

free competition open to both American and foreign shipowners. (26 Op. Atty. Gen. 415). The employment of a foreign vessel for transporting Marine Corps supplies where a vessel of the United States is unavailable is not in violation of this act.

2. In Maritime Law, General Average is a contribution by the several interests engaged in a martime venture to make good the loss of one of them for voluntary sacrifices of part of the ship or cargo to save the residue of property or the lives of those on board from impending peril, or for extraordinary expenses necessarily incurred for the common benefits and safety of all interests in the venture. The right of contribution is based upon the principle that whatever is sacrificed for common safety of associated interests shall be made good by all interests which were exposed to the common peril and were saved from the common danger by the sacrifice. The obligation to contribute in General Average rests upon the vessel, the cargo, the freight (money) and the owners of such interests. General Average is not applicable to shipments by government vessels. General Average claims are recognized by the government as legitimate obligations. In cases of General Average, copies of bills of lading and priced invoices covering Marine Corps materials, shipped in the vessel concerned, will not be furnished directly to the average adjuster but will be forwarded with the average adjuster's request to the office of the Judge Advocate General (Admiralty Section) Department of the Navy, Washington 25, D. C. The Marine Corps does not furnish bond nor any other document pertaining to the General Average claim. All General Average claims must be submitted to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and after administrative examination, such claims will be presented to the General Accounting Office for direct settlement.

3. Shipping officers will take necessary action to insure that cars containing material for shipment to a port for intercoastal or overseas movement will arrive at the port forty-eight hours prior to the sailing time of the vessel.

53056 SHIPMENT BY MOTOR

(GOVERNMENT) CARRIER

1. Government owned motor vehicles may be used for the transportation of government freight as directed by the authority having cognizance over the motor vehicle equipment. Government owned vehicles that are being transferred or returned to an assigned station shall be loaded with available Marine Corps freight whenever possible.

53057 SHIPMENT VIA COMMERCIAL

MOTOR CARRIER

1. The term "common carrier" means a person or firm undertaking to transport property or any classes of property for the general public in interstate, or foreign commerce for compensation whether over regular or irregular routes. According to law, common carriers may not choose or discriminate among shippers. They are required by state and federal laws to publish and file tariff rates. It is the duty of a common carrier to furnish equipment, where possible, when service is requested. In the motor-carrier field there is more variation in the classification of freight and in applicable rates than prevails among rail carriers. Shipping officers will inform themselves sufficiently on classification and rates of common carriers whose services are available so that a discriminating choice of carriers may be made when utilization of motor-carrier service is appropriate. Care will be taken to use only motor common carriers that are authorized by the Interstate Commerce Commission or a state regulatory body to perform the service. Special rights or permits issued by the Interstate Commerce Commission, or by a state regulatory body as appropriate, are required for transportation of explosives in accordance with paragraph 53302.

2. The term "contract carrier" means any person or firm who or which under special and individual contract or agreements transports property in intrastate, interstate or foreign commerce for compensation. Contract car

riers limit their activities further to particular commodities. Interstate contract carriers are not required to file tariffs indicating exact charges for transportation but must file schedules or tariffs with the Interstate Commerce Commission indicating minimum rates or charges.

3. Section 22, Part I, and Section 217, Part II of the Interstate Commerce Act provide that motor carriers may tender special or reduced quotations (usually called Section 22 Quotations) for transportation of property on a Government bill of lading. These quotations should be executed by the carrier in the form of a unilateral contract setting forth commodity descriptions, point of origin and destination, minimum weight and applicable rates. Any carrier desiring to tender Section 22 Quotations for transportation of Marine Corps property will be advised to forward the original and eight copies to the Commandant of the Marine Corps (Code CSJ). Service under Section 22 Quotations will not be utilized without prior approval of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

4. When exclusive use of a carrier's vehicle is required to meet the needs of the service and is authorized by the transportation officer and a carrier is requested to provide this service, a statement "Exclusive use of vehicle necessary in the transportation of this shipment” will be inserted on the government bill of lading under the description of articles and signed by authorizing officer.

5. On shipments made by commercial motor carriers where the estimated value of the cargo shipped exceeds the cargo insurance coverage carried by transporting carrier, the shipping officer will call to the attention of the carrier the value of the property offered for shipment. The estimated value will not be shown on the bill of lading or dray ticket.

6. It is the policy of the Marine Corps to conform to state and local laws, regulations, and ordinances relating to weight and size limitations of motor vehicles. Except in instances of overriding and urgent military necessity, no

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commercial vehicular movement which exceeds any legal weight or size limitation will be undertaken unless prior permission is granted by the state or states concerned upon request of the authorized representative of the Marine Corps. In each instance of overriding and urgent military necessity in which an oversize or overweight commercial movement is made, a report will be made to the Commandant of the Marine Corps (Code CSJ) and a full statement of the circumstances and justification will be submitted.

having a flash point of 80 degrees Fahrenheit or less, oxidizing materials, radium, radio-active materials, wet storage batteries, and vaporizing substances. In no case will shipping officers forward shipments of Marine Corps property via commercial air carriers without obtaining a route order.

2. When it is necessary to procure service via government aircraft, the procedure to be followed will be found in the U. S. Navy Shipping Guide.

53058 SHIPMENT VIA MAIL

1. Packages of public property partaking of the characteristics of fourth-class mail matter weighing not more than four pounds and not more than 100 inches in length and girth combined, may be forwarded by parcel post under the penalty privilege. However, the penalty privilege does not apply to air mail, registration, insurance fees, or to parcel-post shipments weighing in excess of four pounds. The limit of weight on packages to be shipped by mail, including air mail and parcel post within the continental limits of the United States and overseas addressed "c/o FLEET POST OFFICE," is 70 pounds, and postage in the form of stamps must be affixed on shipments of fourth-class mail exceeding four pounds. Unmailable matter includes explosives, poisons, corrosive articles and firearms, and shipping officers should not tender such items for mailing.

53059 SHIPMENT VIA AIR

1. Shipments by air carriers will be made only when the shipment is urgently needed at destination and where other means of transportation will not suffice. Air carrier rates in most cases exceeds rates by any other means of transportation because of the premium service rendered. For safety reasons the following items will not be accepted for shipment by air carriers: acids, or corrosive liquids, compressed gases, explosive, inflammable liquids or solids

53060 SHIPMENT VIA FREIGHT FORWARDERS

1. Use of freight forwarder service is recommended, in order to take advantage of lower rates, but is not approved until the forwarder has executed with the Marine Corps an agreement including the following provisions:

a. To accept all shipments tendered by the Marine Corps when such shipments are within the general scope of operations of the freight forwarder. Under this clause shipments of low classification ratings or shipments of excessively low weight density must be accepted even though such shipments ordinarily are not accepted from commercial shippers.

b. To observe as a maximum the lowest standard "less than carload all rail rates" or charges and that the total charge for a shipment will not be greater than the charge for a minimum carload of the same freight at the standard carload all rail rate between same origin and destination.

c. To move shipments on schedule and not hold them to make up forwarders tonnage under any circumstances within the forwarders control.

d. To move shipments from initial point of origin to final destination on through government bills of lading or on collect commercial bills of lading for association with government bills of lading.

e. Upon request to hold, reconsign, divert, or reroute in transit, any shipment at the first point where required change in routing can be accomplished, subject to tariff provisions.

f. To maintain absolute secrecy concerning nature and movement of all shipments of Marine Corps freight tendered to the forwarder.

2. If any shipping officer should determine through association and use of the approved freight forwarders, that any forwarder is not complying with the preceding agreements, nor accepting or handling shipments of freight in accordance therewith, full report should be made to the Commandant of the Marine Corps (Code: CSJ).

3. For a list of approved freight forwarders for Marine Corps activities see Navy Shipping Guide, Article 1815-3 (d).

53061

SHIPMENT OF DECEASED
PERSONNEL AND PERSONAL
EFFECTS

1. When the unaccompanied body and effects of a deceased member of the Marine Corps is to be forwarded to the home of the deceased, shipment in the United States will be made by express, at Government expense, and the consignee notified by telegram. When personnel on active duty die outside the continental United States, shipment will be made via Government vessel, if practicable, otherwise by commercial carrier, and consigned to the commanding officer of the naval hospital at the port of debarkation for further shipment to destination. If there be no naval hospital at or in the immediate vicinity of that port, the shipment will be consigned to the Marine Corps Depot or Post Supply Officer, thereat, except that bodies shipped to the United States from Asiatic stations will be consigned to the Commandant of the Twelfth Naval District at San Francisco, California. In the case of cremated remains, shipments in the United States will be made in the most economical manner other than by ordinary freight.

2. When death occurs outside the District of Columbia and burial in the Arlington National Cemetery is desired, the body should be con

signed to the Officer in Charge, Arlington National Cemetery, Fort Myer, Virginia, and billed to Washington, D. C. This will obviate the necessity and delay of obtaining a permit for the transfer of the body through the District of Columbia. As soon as the body has been shipped a telegram will be sent to Headquarters, U. S. Marine Corps, and the Officer in Charge, Arlington National Cemetery, Fort Myer, Virginia, giving the date of shipment, dimensions of outside box, number of persons in funeral party, and the date, hour, and number of train on which the body will reach Washington.

3. Whenever practicable, the shipment should be so timed as to arrive in Washington between the hours of 8 a. m. and 2 p. m., because the Government hearse is available only between those hours. Should the body arrive after 2 p. m., it will have to remain at the Union Station until the following morning, when it will be removed to the Arlington National Cemetery and placed in the receiving vault pending funeral arrangements. The services of an undertaker in Washington are not required in cases of this kind, nor is there any expense attached to the opening and closing of the grave in Arlington.

4. Under no circumstances will burial be made in Arlington National Cemetery on a Sunday or national holiday, or on Saturday after

53100 REQUEST FOR ROUTINGS

1. Routing will be requested from the Commandant of the Marine Corps (Code CSJ) for all shipments to be forwarded by commercial carrier under government bill of lading except as follows:

a. Shipment via carriers with whom contract rates or agreements are in effect.

b. Shipments between points in foreign countries.

c. Van shipments of household effects as prescribed in Chapter 8, Joint Travel Regulations.

d. Shipments of Government property and private property not exceeding weight limits set forth in subparagraph 3 below.

e. Shipments for which transportation costs are payable from appropriated fund other than Marine Corps. (See subparagraphs 4 and 5 below).

2. Request for routing on all other shipments will be made by letter, sufficiently in advance of the contemplated movement of the material or property, to permit action and answer by mail whenever practicable. In emergencies where time will not permit, request by dispatch or other expeditious means will be made and such request for routing will contain the following information:

f. Consignee.

g. Destination and delivering carrier (if known).

h. Overseas destination if any.

i. Number of carloads.

j. Weight (in net tons).

k. Cubic feet if destined overseas.

3. In the absence of special instructions to the contrary, shipping officers are authorized to furnish carriers with routing for shipments of government property weighing less than 5000 pounds and personal effects or household goods weighing less than 1000 pounds. They should familiarize themselves with the various lines or carriers such as rail, water, or truck, operating into and out of the town or city in which they are making shipment; the terminal facilities offered, and other facilities from a traffic standpoint.

4. In making shipments for account of the Navy on which transportation costs are payable from Navy appropriated funds, routing via rail or highway weighing over 10,000 pounds, Railway Express weighing over 100 pounds, and commercial air shipments of over 50 pounds, will be requested from the cognizant Navy Central Office in accordance with instructions contained in Navy Shipping Guide, Article 1800.4 and Article 1845.1.

5. In making shipments for account of the Army or Air Force on which transportation costs are payable from Army or Air Force appropriated funds, routing via rail or highway of one car or one truckload; Railway Express in excess of 500 pounds and all commercial air shipments will be requested from the Commandant of the Marine Corps (Code CSJ). It is imperative that the proper identifying appropriation symbol be furnished with routing request and also be shown on all bills of lading