223.—(1) If out of the United Kingdom, either at the commencement or during the progress of any voyage, a seaman or apprentice is guilty of the offence of desertion or of absence without leave, or otherwise absents himself from his ship without leave, the master, any mate, the owner, ship’s husband, or consignee, may in any place in Her Majesty’s dominions out of the United Kingdom, with or without the assistance of the local police officers or constables (and those officers and constables are hereby directed to give assistance if required), and also at any place out of Her Majesty’s dominions, if and so far as the laws in force at that place will permit, arrest him without first procuring a warrant.

(2) A person so arresting a seaman or apprentice may in any case, and shall in case the seaman or apprentice so requires and it is practicable, convey him before some court capable of taking cognizance of the matter to be dealt with according to law, and for that purpose may detain him in custody for a period not exceeding twenty-four hours, or such shorter time as may be necessary; but if the seaman or apprentice does not require to be so taken before a court, or if there is no such court at or near the place, the person arresting him may at once convey him on board his ship.

(3) If it appears to the court before whom, the case is brought that an arrest under this section has been made on improper or on insufficient grounds, the master, mate, owner, ship’s husband, or consignee who made the arrest, or caused it to be made, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds; but the infliction of that fine shall be a bar to any action for false imprisonment in respect of the arrest.

(4) If out of the United Kingdom, a seaman or apprentice is imprisoned for having been guilty of the offence of desertion or of absence without leave, or for having committed any other breach of discipline, and during his imprisonment and before his engagement is at an end, his services are required on board his ship, a justice of the peace may, on the application of the master or of the owner or his agent, notwithstanding that the period of imprisonment is not at an end, cause the seaman or apprentice to be conveyed on board his ship for the purpose of proceeding on the voyage, or to be delivered to the master or any mate of the ship, or to the owner or his agent, to be by them so conveyed.