Among the duties Neilson is charged with performing is "To examine all slaves shipped to other ports in the United States and see they correspond to the manifest," also "To ascertain the proof of all foreign distilled spirits imported, To measure all vessels and such foreign vessels as by the laws of the United States assigned to be measured," and "to board all vessels arriving from foreign ports,… and endorse their manifests and list of crew, report said arrivals to the Survey or as soon as possible... and or keep a record of the same."