Whenever the owner, charterer, or any person or corporation operating, managing or controlling any steamship, vessel or boat shall wilfully fail, neglect or refuse to carry out or perform any express contract or portion thereof for the towing, loading, unloading, dunnaging or stevedoring of such steamship, vessel or boat, any person or persons, firm or corporation sustaining thereby any loss or damage which is capable of definite ascertainment shall have a lien upon such steamship, vessel or boat for said loss or damage. The rank and priority of the lien hereby created and the manner of its enforcement shall be fixed, controlled and regulated by the provisions of the existing law pertaining to liens for similar services already performed.
[ 1903 c 149 § 1; RRS § 1187.]