or foreclosed in the same manner as is provided by law for the assignment, discharge, or foreclosure of mortgages of real estate.

MASSACHUSETTS.-Any person furnishing labor or materials for constructing, repairing, altering or equipping any vessel, shall have a lien therefor upon the same, and such lien shall take precedence of all other liens except mariners' wages. When, however, the vessel departs from the port where the debt was contracted, to some other port within the State, such debt shall cease to be lien at the expiration of twenty days from her departure; and in all cases such debts shall cease to be a lien after the vessel shall have arrived at any port out of the State.

Any person who shall actually perform labor in erecting, altering or repairing any building or structure upon real estate, or shall furnish materials actually used for the same, by virtue of any agreement with, or consent of the owner thereof, or other person having authority or acting for such owner to procure labor or furnish materials in his behalf, shall have a lien upon such building or structure, and upon the interest of the owner of the building and structure, in the lot of land upon which the same is situated, to secure the payment of the amount due to him for such labor or materials. Such lien shall be dissolved unless the person who may desire to avail himself thereof shall, within thirty days after he shall cease to labor on, or furnish materials for such building or structure, file in the office of the clerk of the city or town in which the same is situated, a statement of a just and true account of the amount due to him, with all just credits given, together with a description of the property intended to be covered by the lien, sufficiently accurate for identification, with the name of the owner or owners of the property, if known, which certificate shall be subscribed and sworn to by the person claiming the lien, or by some one in his behalf. Such lien shall be dissolved at the expiration of ninetydays from the day it is recorded, unless suit shall have been commenced within that time for the amount of the debt.

In a case where a number of persons have performed labor on a vessel or building, they may all join in the same petition for their respective liens, and the same proceedings shall be had in regard to the rights of each as if he had petitioned for his individual lien.

Such liens may be enforced by a petition to the Superior Court for the county where the property to which the lien attaches is situate.

When the amount of the claim does not exceed one hundred dollars, the lien may be enforced by petition to a justice of the peace or police court; and such justices and courts shall have

like power and authority within their jurisdiction as are herein conferred upon the Superior Court, with like rights of appeal to the parties as exist in other civil cases.

Whether filed as a petition, or inserted in a summons, the pctition shall contain a Frief statement of the contract on which it is founded, and of the amount due thereon, with a description of the premises subject to a lien, and all other material facts and circumstances; and shall pray that the premises may be sold, and the proceeds of the sale be applied to the discharge of the demand.

RHODE ISLAND.-Any person furnishing labor or materials for constructing, altering or repairing, on written contract with the owner or his agent, any building, canal, turnpike, railroad or other improvement, shall have therefor a lien, which shall take precedence of all subsequent liens; the building, or other improvement, as the case may be, and the land on which it is situate, standing pledged for the debt for the term of four months from the completion of the work, when it shall cease. unless legal action be previously taken to enforce payment of the debt. Persons performing labor on such building, or other improvement, can have no lien upon the same, unless he shall, within thirty days after commencing the work, give notice in writing to the owner of the property that he has commenced the work, and that he designs to claim the benefit of the lien created by this act. But this lien will cease at the expiration of four months from the serving of such notice, unless legal action shall be previously taken to enforce the payment of the claim.

All steam engines in all their parts, and all boilers, kettles or vats made of iron, copper, wood or other materials, whether set in brick or stone, or not so set; and all water-wheels, gearing o shafting, in any mill or building, and there used or intended to be used; and all steam-pipes, gas-pipes, and water-pipes, cocks and eave-troughs made of copper or other metal, attached to any mill or other building, shall, for all the purposes of lien, be considered and treated as parts of such mill or other building.

CONNECTICUT.-Any person furnishing labor or materials for the construction of any building, alterations or repairs, exceeding the sum of twenty-five dollars, shall have a lien on such building, and on the land on which it is situate; and such lien shall take precedence of all subsequent liens, and the premises so held shall be liable to foreclosure by such person, as if held by a mortgage. Such lien may remain for sixty days, when it shall cease, unless the person holding it shall previously have lodged with the town clerk a written certificate of the amount of his claim, the date of the commencement of the same, and an intelligible description of the premises against which it is

held, the same being subscribed and sworn to as the amount justly due, as nearly as the same can be ascertained. This cer tificate shall be recorded by the Town Clerk with deeds of land This lien is good against all subsequent claims by other parties. NEW YORK.-On Vessels.-Whenever a debt, amounting to fifty dollars or upwards, as to a sea-going or ocean-bound vessel, or amounting to fifteen dollars or upwards, as to any other vessel, shall be contracted by the master, owner, charterer, builder, or consignee, of any ship or vessel, or the agent of either of them, within this State, for either of the following purposes:

1st, On account of work done, or materials, or other articles furnished in this State, for or towards the building, repairing, fitting, furnishing, or equipping such ship or vessel.

2d, For such provisions and stores furnished within this State, as may be fit and proper for the use of such vessel, at the time wher the same were furnished.

3d, On account of the wharfage and expenses of keeping such vessel in port, including the expense incurred in employing persons to watch her.

4th, On account of loading or unloading, or for advances made for the purpose of procuring necessaries for such ship or vessel, or for the insurance thereof.

5th, Or whenever a debt amounting to twenty-five dollars or upwards shall be contracted as aforesaid, within this State, on account of the towing or piloting such vessel, or on account of the insurance or premiums of insurance of or on such vessel, or her freight,—such debt shall be a lien upon such vessel, her tackle, apparel, and furniture, and shall be preferred to all other liens thereon, except mariner's wages.

Such debt shall cease to be a lien at the expiration of six months after the said debt was contracted, unless at the time when said six months shall expire such ship or vessel shall be absent from the port at which such debt was contracted, in which case the said lien shall continue until the expiration of ten days after such ship or vessel shall next return to said port; and in all cases such debt shall cease to be a lien upon such ship or vessel, whenever such ship or vessel shall leave the port at which such debt was contracted, unless the person having such lien shall, within twelve days after such departure, cause to be drawn up and filed specifications of such lien, which may consist either of a bill of particulars of the demand, or a copy of any written contract under which the work may be done, with a statement of the amount claimed to be due from such vessel, the correctness of which shall be sworn to by such person, his legai representative, agent, or assigns.

The above section, it was ordered by an amendment passed May 4th, 1863, shall not apply to vessels navigating the western and northwestern lakes, or either or any of them. Any deut contracted by the master, owner, charterer, builder, or consignee of any ship

or vessel navigating such lakes, or either of them, shall cease to be a lien at the expiration of six months after the first of January next succeeding the time such debt shall have been contracted, unless during the said six months, such ship or vessel shall be absent from the port at which such debt was contracted, in which case the said lien shall continue until the expiration of ten days after such ship or vessel shall next return to said port. In all cases such debt shall cease to be a lien upon such ship or vessel, unless the person having such debt shall, by the first Tuesday of February next succeeding the time such debt shall have been contracted, cause to be drawn up, verified, and filed, specifications of such debt, in the form and comprising the statements prescribed as aforesaid.

Such specifications shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the county in which such debt shall have been contracted, except that when such debt shall have been contracted in either of the counties of New York, Kings, or Queens, such specifications shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the city and county of New York.

Any person having a lien upon any ship or vessel for any debi contracted for any of the purposes hereinbefore specified, may make application to any officer authorized by law to perform the duties of a justice of the Supreme Court at chambers in the county within which such ship or vessel shall then be, for a warrant to enforce the said lien, and to collect the amount thereof. Such application shall be made in writing, and shall exhibit and specify:

1st, By whom and when such debt was contracted, and for what ship or vessel; 2d, The items composing such debt; 3d, The amount claimed, and that the same is justly due to the person in whose behalf the application is made, over and above all payments and just deductions; 4th, Any assignment or transfer of such debt, if any such has taken place since the same was contracted; 5th, When and where the specification of such debt was filed. Such application shall be verified by the affidavit of the creditor, or of the person making the application, or of his or their agent in that behalf.

The officer to whom such application shall be made, shall thereupon issue a warrant to the sheriff, specifying the amount of the claim, and the names of the persons making such claim, and commanding him to attach, seize, and safely keep said ship or vessel, her tackle, apparel, and furniture, to satisfy such claim, if established, to be a lien upon such vessel, according to law, and to make return of his proceedings under such warrant to the officer who issued the same, within ten days after such seizure.

The person applying for such warrant, after giving the necessary undertaking required by law, shall, within three days after the issuing thereof, cause a notice to be published once in each week for four suc cessive weeks in some newspaper published in the county in which such vessel may then be, or, if no newspaper be so published in such

county, then in the nearest county in which a new spaper shall be so published, setting forth that such warrant has been issued, the amount of the claim specified therein, and that such vessel will be sold for the payment of the claims against her, unless the master, owner, or consignee thereof, or some person interested therein, appear and discharge such warrant according to law, within thirty days from the first publication of such notice.

On Buildings. Any person furnishing labor or materials for constructing, altering, or repairing any building, shall have a lien therefor to the value of the sum agreed to upon the same, to the extent of the right, title, and interest in, of, and to the same, by the party cmploying him; provided the person furnishing such laber or ma terials shall, within thirty days after the performance and comple. tion of such labor, or the final furnishing of such materials, cause to be drawn up and deposit in the hands of the county clerk of the town where the property is located, specifications of the work contracted to be performed, or materials to be furnished, and stating the price or prices agreed to be paid therefor, the name of the owner of the building, and the situation of the building by street and number, if the street be known.

This lien shall take effect from the time of depositing the same in the office of the county clerk, and shall continue in force for the term of twelve months.

Any contractor, sub-contractor, or laborer performing any work, or assignee thereof, and any resident of said county furnishing any materials as above provided, may, after such labor has been performed, or materials furnished, and the service of the notice, required above, bring an action in the Superior Court in the county in which the property is situated, or in the county court of said county, when the amount exceeds fifty dollars, to enforce said lien, which said action shall be commenced by serving a notice containing a state ment of the facts constituting the claim, and the amount thereof, on the owner of the property, or his agent, requiring the said owner to appear in person or by attorney within thirty days after such service, and answer the same, and serve a copy of such answer, together with a notice of any set-off that he may have on the claimant or his attorney; or in default thereof, that the claimant will take judgment against the said owner for the amount claimed to be due for the labor performed or the materials furnished, with interest thereon and costs; and for the purpose of more effectually transacting the business contemplated by this act, said Supreme Court and County Court shall be deemed to be always open.

Within thirty days after the service of such notice and bill of particulars, the defendant shall personally serve the claimant or his attorney with a copy of his answer and notice of set-off, if any he has, duly verified by the oath of the owner, his agent, or contractor,