It shall and may be lawful, upon complaint made by any pilot to the mayor or any alderman in the city of Philadelphia, or to any Justice of the Peace¹ in any county within this Commonwealth, and they are hereby respectively empowered and required to issue forth a precept in writing, under hand and seal, in the nature of a summons, capias or attachment, as the case may require, directed to any constable, commanding him to bring or cause to come before such mayor, alderman or justice, any person or persons against whom such complaint shall be made, respecting any demand on masters of vessels, owners, consignees or others, respecting pilotage, or other claims as pilots, and thereupon proceed to hear the proofs and allegations of the said parties, or such of them as shall appear, and to determine and pass judgment thereon, where the same shall not exceed the sum of twenty-six dollars and sixty-seven cents, in like manner as debts not exceeding ten pounds are by the laws of this commonwealth recoverable, and subject to the like appeal, security, trial and costs; and that all such claim or demand, for a sum or sums of money, exceeding twenty-six dollars and sixty-seven cents, shall be sued for and recovered, with costs of suit, by action of debt, case, bill, plaint or information, in any court of record within this state.