Within a reasonable time after any seizure under section 51 or section 52, the said Canal-officer shall give notice to the owner or person in charge of the property seized that it, or such portion of it as may be necessary, will, on a day to be named in the notice, but not sooner than fifteen days from the date of the notice, be sold in satisfaction of the claim on account of which such property was seized, unless the claim be discharged before the day so named.
And, if such claim be not so discharged, the said Canal-officer may, on such day, sell the property seized or such part thereof as may be necessary to yield the amount due, together with the expenses of such seizure and sale:
Provided that no greater part of the furniture of any vessel or of any cargo or goods shall be so sold than shall, as nearly as may be, suffice to cover the amount due in respect of such vessel, cargo or goods.
The residue of such furniture, cargo or goods, and of the proceeds of the sale, shall be made over to the owner or person in charge of the property seized.