What is "dock warrant"

Warrant \War"rant\, n. [OE. warant, OF. warant a warrant, a defender, protector, F. garant, originally a p. pr. pf German origin, fr. OHG. wer[=e]n to grant, warrant, G. gew["a]hren; akin to OFries. wera. Cf. Guarantee.]

1. That which warrants or authorizes; a commission giving authority, or justifying the doing of anything; an act, instrument, or obligation, by which one person authorizes another to do something which he has not otherwise a right to do; an act or instrument investing one with a right or authority, and thus securing him from loss or damage; commission; authority. Specifically:

   1. A writing which authorizes a person to receive money or other thing.

   2. (Law) A precept issued by a magistrate authorizing an officer to make an arrest, a seizure, or a search, or do other acts incident to the administration of justice.

   3. (Mil. & Nav.) An official certificate of appointment issued to an officer of lower rank than a commissioned officer. See Warrant officer, below.

2. That which vouches or insures for anything; guaranty; security.

   I give thee warrant of thy place.
   --Shak.

   His worth is warrant for his welcome hither.
   --Shak.

3. That which attests or proves; a voucher.

4. Right; legality; allowance. [Obs.] --Shak. Bench warrant. (Law) See in the Vocabulary. Dock warrant (Com.), a customhouse license or authority. General warrant. (Law) See under General. Land warrant. See under Land. Search warrant. (Law) See under Search, n. Warrant of attorney (Law), written authority given by one person to another empowering him to transact business for him; specifically, written authority given by a client to his attorney to appear for him in court, and to suffer judgment to pass against him by confession in favor of some specified person. --Bouvier. Warrant officer, a noncommissioned officer, as a sergeant, corporal, bandmaster, etc., in the army, or a quartermaster, gunner, boatswain, etc., in the navy. Warrant to sue and defend.

   1. (O. Eng. Law) A special warrant from the crown, authorizing a party to appoint an attorney to sue or defend for him.

   2. A special authority given by a party to his attorney to commence a suit, or to appear and defend a suit in his behalf. This warrant is now disused.
      --Burrill.

Dock warrant, in law, a document by which the owner of a marine or river dock certifies that the holder is entitled to goods imported and warehoused in the docks.

In the Factors Act 1889 it is included in the phrase "document of title" and is defined as any document or writing, being evidence of the title of any person therein named ... to the property in any goods or merchandise lying in any warehouse or wharf and signed or certified by the person having the custody of the goods. It passes by indorsement and delivery and transfers the absolute right to the goods described in it.

In England in 1911, a dock warrant was liable to a stamp duty of threepence, which was denoted by an adhesive stamp, to be cancelled by the person by whom the instrument is executed or issued.