33 USC § 386 - Commissioning private vessels for seizure of piratical vessels

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t33/s386"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "33 USC § 386 - Commissioning private vessels for seizure of piratical vessels"
title_number: 33
title_name: "NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS"
section_number: "386"
section_name: "Commissioning private vessels for seizure of piratical vessels"
chapter_number: 7
chapter_name: "REGULATIONS FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF PIRACY"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(R.S. § 4298.)"
---


# § 386. Commissioning private vessels for seizure of piratical vessels

section 385 of this title

The President is authorized to instruct the commanders of the public-armed vessels of the United States, and to authorize the commanders of any other armed vessels sailing under the authority of any letters of marque and reprisal granted by Congress, or the commanders of any other suitable vessels, to subdue, seize, take, and, if on the high seas, to send into any port of the United States, any vessel or boat built, purchased, fitted out, or held as mentioned in .

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**Source Credit**: (R.S. § 4298.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

R.S. § 4298 derived from , .