The words “the senior officer present afloat” are substituted for the words “The commanding officer of any fleet, squadron, or vessel acting singly”. At the time of enactment of the Revised Statutes, the word “squadron” meant any number of vessels more than one. Today the concept of “senior officer present afloat” covers as nearly as possible the current equivalent of the original statute.

2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 5948 of this title as this section.

Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of amendments and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.