STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE ITS HISTORY, ACTIVITIES AND ORGANIZATION THE INSTITUTE FOR GOVERNMENT RESEARCH Washington, D. C. The Institute for Government Research is an association of citizens for cooperating with public officials in the scientific study of government with a view to promoting efficiency and economy in its operations and advancing the science of ad- ministration. It aims to bring into existence such informa- tion and materials as will aid in the formation of public opin- ion and will assist officials, particularly those of the national government, in their efforts to put the public administration upon a more efficient basis. To this end, it seeks by the thoroughgoing study and exam- ination of the best administrative practice, public and private, American and foreign, to formulate those principles which lie at the basis of all sound administration, and to determine their proper adaptation to the specific needs of our public adminis- tration. The accomplishment of specific reforms the Institute recog- nizes to be the task of those who are charged with the respon- sibility of legislation and administration; but it seeks to assist, by scientific study and research, in laying a solid foundation of information and experience upon which such reforms may be successfully built. While some of the Institute's studies find application only m the form of practical cooperation with the administrative of- ficers directly concerned, many are of interest to other admin- istrators and of general educational value. The results of such studies the Institute purposes to publish in such form as will insure for them the widest possible utilization. Robert S. Brookings, Chairman Officers Frank J. Goodnow, Vice-Chairman James F. Curtis, Secretary Trustees Edwin A. Alderman Edwin F. Gay Robert S. Brookings Frank J. Goodnow James F. Curtis R. Fulton Cutting Frederic A. Delano George Eastman Raymond B. Fosdick Felix Frankfurter Frederick Strauss, Treasurer Jerome D. Greene Arthur T. Hadley Herbert C. Hoover A. Lawrence Lowell Samuel Mather Richard B. Mellon Charles D. Norton Martin A. Ryerson Frederick Strauss Silas H. Strawn William H. Taft Ray Lyman Wilbur Robert S. Woodward Director W. F. Willoughby Editor F. W. Powell INSTITUTE FOR GOVERNMENT RESEARCH SERVICE MONOGRAPHS OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT . . ,, ; No. 8 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE - ITS HISTORY, ACTIVITIES AND ORGANIZATION BY LLOYD M. SHORT D. APPLETON AND COMPANY NEW YORK LONDON 1922 COPYRIGHT, 1922, BY THE INSTITUTE FOR GOVERNMENT RESEARCH PBINTB0 IK THE UNITED STATES Or AKKKIOA PUBLICATIONS OF THE INSTITUTE FOR GOVERNMENT RESEARCH STUDIES IN ADMINISTRATION The System of Financial Administration of Great Britain By W. F. Willoughby, W. W. Willoughby, and S. M. Lindsay The Budget By Rene Stourm T. Plazinski, Translator; W. F. McCaleb, Editor The Canadian Budgetary System By H. G. Villard and W. W. Willoughby The Problem of a National Budget By W. F. Willoughby The Movement for Budgetary Reform in the States By W. F. Willoughby Teacher's Pension Systems in the United States By Paul Studensky Organized Efforts for the Improvement of Methods of Ad- ministration in the United States By Gustavus A. Weber The Federal Service: A Study of the System of Personal Administration of the United States Government By Lewis Mayers The System of Financial Administration of the United States (In Preparation) PRINCIPLES OF ADMINISTRATION Principles Governing the Retirement of Public Employees By Lewis Meriam Principles of Government Purchasing By Arthur G. Thomas Principles of Government Accounting and Reporting By Francis Oakey, C. P. A. Principles of Personnel Administration By Arthur W. Procter SERVICE MONOGRAPHS OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT The Geological Survey The Reclamation Service The Bureau of Mines The Alaskan Engineering Commission The Tariff Commission The Federal Board for Vocational Education The Federal Trade Commission The Steamboat-Inspection Service The National Parks Service The Public Health Service The Weather Bureau The Employee's Compensation Commission FOREWORD The first essential to efficient administration of any enter- prise is full knowledge of its present make-up and operation. Without full and complete information before them, as to existing organization, personnel, plant, and methods of oper- ation and control, neither legislators nor administrators can properly perform their functions. The greater the work, the more varied the activities en- gaged in, and the more complex the organization employed, and more imperative becomes the necessity that this informa- tion shall be available and available in such a form that it can readily be utilized. Of all undertakings, none in the United States, and few, if any, in the world, approach in magnitude, complexity, and importance that of the national government of the United States. As President Taft expressed it in his message to Con- gress of January 17, 1912, in referring to the inquiry being made under his direction into the efficiency and economy of the methods of prosecuting public business, the activities of the national government "are almost as varied as those of the en- tire business world. The operations of the government affect the interest of every person living within the jurisdiction of the United States. Its organization embraces stations and centers of work located in every city and in many local sub- divisions of the country. Its gross expenditures amotunt to billions annually. Including the personnel of the military and naval establishments, more than half a million persons are re- quired to do the work imposed by law upon the executive branch of the government. "This vast organization has never been studied in detail as one piece of administrative mechanism. Never have the foundations been laid for a thorough consideration of the re- lations of all its parts. No comprehensive effort has been made to list its multifarious activities or to group them in such a way as to present a clear picture of what the government is doing. Never has a complete description been given of the agencies through which these activities are performed. At vii viii FOREWORD no time has the attempt been made to study all of these acti ities and agencies with a view to the assignment of each acti ity to the agency best fitted for its performance, to the avoi ance of duplication of plant and work, to the integration of ; administrative agencies of the government, so far as may practicable, into a unified organization for the most effecti and economical dispatch of public business." To lay the basis for such a comprehensive study of the c ganization and operations of the national government as Pn ident Taft outlined, the Institute for Government Resear has undertaken the preparation of a series of monographs, which the present study is one, giving a detailed description each of the fifty or more distinct services of the governmei These studies are being vigorously prosecuted, and it is hop that all services of the government will be covered in a coi paratively brief space of time. Thereafter, revisions of t monographs will be made from time to time as need arises, the end that they may, as far as practicable, represent curre conditions. These monographs are all prepared according to a unifor plan. They give : first, the history of the establishment ai development of the service; second, its functions, describ not in general terms, but by detailing its specific activitie third, its organization for the handling of these activitie fourth, the character of its plant; fifth, a compilation of, reference to, the laws and regulations governing its operation sixth, financial statements showing its appropriations, expe ditures and other data for a period of years ; and finally, a fi bibliography of the sources of information, official and privai bearing on the service and its operations. In the preparation of these monographs the Institute h kept steadily in mind the aim to produce documents that w be of direct value and assistance in the administration of pub' affairs. To executive officials they offer valuable tools of a ministration. Through them, such officers can, with a mi imum of effort, inform themselves regarding the details, n only of their own services, but of others with whose facilitk activities, and methods it is desirable that they should be f miliar. Under present conditions services frequently enga; in activities in ignorance of the fact that the work project* has already been done, or is in process of execution by oth services. Many cases exist where one service could make e fective use of the organization, plant or results of other ser FOREWORD ix ices had they knowledge that such facilities were in existence. With the constant shifting of directing personnel that takes place in the administrative branch of the national government, the existence of means by which incoming officials may thus readily secure information regarding their own and other serv- ices is a matter of great importance. To members of Congress the monographs should prove of no less value. At present these officials are called upon to legislate and appropriate money for services concerning whose needs and real problems they can secure but imperfect infor- mation. That the possession by each member of a set of monographs, such as is here projected, prepared according to a uniform plan, will be a great aid to intelligent legislation and appropriation of funds can hardly be questioned. To the public, finally, these monographs will give that knowledge of the organization and operations of their gov- ernment which must be had if an enlightened public opinion is to be brought to bear upon the conduct of governmental affairs. These studies are wholly descriptive in character. No at- tempt is made in them to subject the conditions described to criticism, nor to indicate features in respect to which changes might with advantage be made. Upon administrators them- selves falls responsibility for making or proposing changes which will result in the improvement of methods of adminis- tration. The primary aim of outside agencies should be to emphasize this responsibility and facilitate its fulfillment. While the monographs thus make no direct recommenda- tions for improvement, they cannot fail greatly to stimulate efforts in that direction. Prepared as they are according to a uniform plan, and setting forth as they do the activities, plant, organization, personnel and laws governing the several serv- ices of the government, they will automatically, as it were, reveal, for example, the extent to which work in the same field is being performed by different services, and thus furnish the information that is essential to a consideration of the great question of the better distribution and coordination of activi- ties among the several departments, establishments, and bu- reaus, and the elimination of duplications of plant, organiza- tion and work. Through them it will also be possible to sub- ject any particular feature of the administrative work of the government to exhaustive study, to determine, for example, what facilities, in the way of laboratories and other plant and x FOREWORD equipment, exist for the prosecution of any line of work ar where those facilities are located; or what work is being doi in any field of administration or research, such as the prom< tion, protection and regulation of the maritime interests of tl country, the planning and execution of works of an enginee ing character, or the collection, compilation and publication < statistical data, or what differences of practice prevail in r spect to organization, classification, appointment, and prom tion of personnel. To recapitulate, the monographs will serve the double pu pose of furnishing an essential tool for efficient legislation, a ministration and popular control, and of laying the basis f critical and constructive work on the part of those upon who responsibility for such work primarily rests. Whenever possible the language of official statements or r ports has been employed, and it has not been practicable in ; cases to make specific indication of the language so quoted. CONTENTS HAPTIB PAQK FOREWORD I. HISTORY I Establishment and Early Growth of the Service: 1838- 1870 i Establishment of a Central Office: 1871-1903 ... 6 Development of the Service Since 1903 16 II. ACTIVITIES 28 Inspection of Vessels 30 Inspection of Hulls 31 Inspection of Boilers 35 Inspection of Equipment 37 Certificates of Inspection 43 Reinspection of Vessels . 46 Inspection and Approval of Boiler Plates 48 Inspection and Approval of Equipment 49 Inspection for Other Departments 51 Examination and Licensing of Marine Officers 53 Examination and Certification of Seamen and Life-Boat Men 57 Determination of Ship's Complement and Accommoda- tions Therefor 58 Investigations of 'Marine Casualties and Violations of Inspection Laws 60 Establishment of Regulations to Prevent Collisions . . 67 Determination of Ship's Passenger Allowance .... 70 Inspection of Passenger Accommodations 73 Regulation of the Transportation of Dangerous Articles 75 II. ORGANIZATION 80 General Administration 80 Marine Boiler Plate Inspection 83 Inspection Service 84 Conclusion 96 Outline of Organization 100 Classification of Activities 109 Publications in Laws 113 Financial Statements 120 Bibliography 124 Index 129 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE: ITS HISTORY, ACTIVITIES AND ORGANIZATION CHAPTER I HISTORY The United States Steamboat-Inspection Service, a bureau f the Department of Commerce, has, as its primary duty or inction, the administration of the laws of the United States lacted for the purpose of safeguarding the lives of passengers i steamboats and other vessels engaged in marine transporta- on. In the performance of this important function, the ser- ice is chiefly engaged in three general types of work: (i) he inspection of the hulls, machinery, and equipment of *ssels of the merchant marine of the United States made ibject to such inspection by acts of Congress; (2) the licens- ig of the officers and the certification of the crews of such >ssels; (3) the conduct of trials and investigations to ascer- .in violations of the steamboat-inspection laws and of the lies and regulations established for their proper administra- on. The activities of the service bring it into close contact ith several large business interests of the nation as well as ith millions of men, women, and children annually carried / vessels subject to its jurisdiction. Shipbuilders, manufac- irers of marine equipment, iron and steel mills rolling aterial for the construction of boilers, and the manufacturers c marine boilers, all are vitally interested in and affected by le work of this service. 1 &:..-< , STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE Establishment and Early Growth of the Service: 183 1870. The Steamboat-Inspection Service had its beginni in an act of Congress approved July 7, 1838 (5 Stat. L., 30. the first legislation enacted by the national government lo< ing toward the "better security of the lives of passengers board of vessels propelled in whole or in part by stear. Owners or masters of such vessels were required to emp a competent number of experienced and skillful engineers, have the hulls of their vessels inspected every twelve mon and the boilers of the same every six months to determ their strength and durability, and to provide their ships w lifeboats, signal lights, fire pumps and hose, and other equ ment to insure protection of those on board. A license c tificate had to be procured by such owner or master, si scribing to their compliance with these requirements, bef< passengers could be carried. This act further authorized c trict judges of the United States within whose district any po of entry or delivery might be, on the navigable waters, ba lakes, and rivers of the United States and "upon the appli tion of the master, or owner of any steamboat or vessel p pelled in whole or in part by steam, to appoint from time time, one or more persons skilled and competent to m; inspections of such boats and vessels, and of the boilers c machinery of the same." The inspectors thus appointed w authorized to inspect such vessels when called upon by master or owner, receiving compensation from the own of vessels inspected at the rate of five dollars for each 1: and five dollars for each boiler. After each inspection, inspectors were authorized, if the vessel was found to m all requirements, to issue a license certificate or certificate inspection to the owner or master, which was required to ' posted up and kept in some conspicuous part of the boat the information of the public." The concluding section this act, which initiated the inspection of steam-vessels in United States, provided that any person employed on boar< boat in which lives were lost through his misconduct, ne; HISTORY 3 gence, or inattention to duty should be deemed guilty of man- slaughter. Several laws of minor importance were passed in the years immediately following the act of 1838 extending its provis- ions and making Certain modifications in its application. An act approved March 3, 1843 (S Stat. L., 626) provided for additional steering apparatus on steam-vessels in case of an emergency such as in the event of the pilot being driven from the wheel by fire. The number of passengers that vessels subject to the steamboat laws could carry was limited by the act of February 22, 1847 (9 Stat. L., 127), while the act of March 3, 1849 (9 Stat. L., 399), extended the above to in- :lude all vessels bound from any port in the United States to any port or place in the Pacific Ocean or on its tributaries or from any such port or place to any port in the United States Dn the Atlantic or its tributaries. The present Steamboat-Inspection Service, however, dates ts establishment from an act of Congress approved August 30, 1852 (10 Stat. L., 1852), and known as the "Steamboat \ct." Since this act furnished the foundation upon which i large part of the service, as it is at present organized, was Duilt, it may be well to examine its provisions somewhat in ietail, especially those pertaining to the administration of the service. It provided for the appointment of nine supervising nspectors, by the President, by and with the advice and con- sent of the Senate, who were to be competent and experienced nen in the construction and operation of merchant vessels. These supervising inspectors were required to meet once a year "or joint consultation and to establish rules and regulations or the uniform administration of the inspection laws. At his joint session, the supervising inspectors were also to issign to each of their number the limits of the territory >ver which he should exercise supervision and control. A letailed description of the nature of the work of these super- r ising inspectors will be reserved for a later chapter, but it s sufficient to note here that they were charged with the super- 4 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE vision of the work of the local inspectors within their r spective districts, to assist in the actual work of inspectic when necessary, to report cases of neglect, carelessness ar inefficiency among local inspectors to the Secretary of tl Treasury, who was given the power of removal, and to fu nish the latter with technical information on matters pertai] ing to the welfare of the service. The supervising inspecto were to receive a salary of $1500 per annum and all necessai and reasonable traveling expenses incurred in the performan< of their duties. The provisions of this act, in regard to the appointment ( local inspectors, superseded the act of 1838. For certain co lection districts specifically enumerated in the act, two inspe tors were to be appointed by a commission consisting of tl collector or other chief officer of customs of the distric the supervising inspector in charge of the district, and tl judge of the United States District Court, and approved t the Secretary of the Treasury. The compensation of the local inspectors, to be known as the inspector of hulls and tl inspector of boilers, was definitely fixed by the act, and rang< from $200 to $2000 per annum, being based upon the est mated amount of work required in the various districts. Fe< for the inspection of vessels and the issuance of license ce tificates to officers of the same were to be turned over to tl collector of customs who would remit the same to the Tre surer of the United States. In addition to their work in tl inspection of vessels, the local inspectors, acting as a boar were authorized to license and classify all engineers and pile of steamers carrying passengers. Appeals were permitted be taken from the decisions of the local boards to the supe vising inspector of the district. The act also prescribed a ditional requirements for vessels, such as precautions again fire, additional life-saving equipment, and a special licen to carry certain dangerous or inflammable articles. In addition to approving the appointment of local inspe tors, the Secretary of the Treasury was authorized by tl HISTORY 5 act of 1852 to receive reports from the board of supervising inspectors, to inquire into the operation of the inspection laws, and to make recommendations to Congress. Accord- ingly a personal agent of the Treasury Department was ap- pointed by the Secretary to collect information as to the work of the service and to attend the meetings of the board of super- vising inspectors. The reports of this officer, together with the annual reports of the proceedings of the board of super- vising inspectors, furnished the Secretary with information as to the needs of the service upon which to base his recom- mendations to Congress. The rather prevalent hostility and opposition to the inspection laws in the years immediately fol- lowing the passage of the "Steamboat Act," especially among the officers and owners of vessels, was later greatly minimized by the increasing and apparent benefits of their operation. The board of supervising inspectors in their annual report to the Secretary of the Treasury for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1862, noted particularly this changed attitude on the part of those directly affected by the work of the inspection serv- ice : "A general admission of the great utility of the laws and expressions of satisfaction at the results which have followed its observance, which to those interested in such property is now fully apparent, has now taken the place of the original opposition with which the inspectors were met in many in- stances; and incomplete as this law may be, in some respects, the cause of almost every accident to passenger steamers which now occurs can be readily traced to a violation of its provisions, or of the regulations of this board made pursuant thereto." Numerous acts were passed, following the reorganization of :he service in 1852, usually upon recommendations made to Congress by the Secretary of the Treasury, which served to enlarge the work of the service by providing new inspection iistricts and imposing additional requirements upon the >wner of steam-vessels. The provisions of these acts, in summary form, are as follows: 6 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE (1) Joint resolution of March 3, 1853 (10 Stat. L., 262 defining more specifically the duties of inspectors under t "Steamboat Act." (2) Act of March 3, 1855 (to Stat. L., 715), regulatii the carriage of passengers on steam-vessels both as to nur ber and accommodations therefor. (3) Act of June 8, 1864 (13 Stat. L., 120), making pr vision for an additional supervising inspector and two loc boards, and abolishing one local inspection district. The a of 1852 was also extended to include ferry-boats, tug-boa and canal-boats carrying passengers for hire. (4) Act of July 4, 1864 (13 Stat. L., 390), further reg lating the carriage of passengers on steamboats and oth vessels. (5) Act of March 3, 1865 (13 Stat. L., 514), providing f two local assistant inspectors and one additional local insrx tion board, and reestablishing the inspection district abolish the previous year. (6) Act of July 25, 1866 (14 Stat. L., 227), further pr viding for the safety and accommodation of passengers, a: fixing the salaries of local inspectors. Establishment of a Central Office: 1871-1903. The act 1852, while giving the Secretary of the Treasury a certs amount of indirect supervision over the work of the Steal boat-Inspection Service, failed to place the service definite under the direction and control of any one of the executi departments, without which the necessary and proper dirt tion and control could not be had. This serious defect in t Steamboat Act was pointed out by the special agent of t Treasury Department in his reports to the Secretary of t Treasury as early as 1855. In his report dated November 1855, that officer said: The system is at present without an efficient head. T president of the board of supervising inspectors is, from t necessity of the case, little more than a moderator of debal HISTORY 7 at their annual meetings. The powers that the law confers on the Secretary of the Treasury are very limited. A body without a head is a monster; and so likewise is a body with nine heads. With the Union divided into nine districts, and the supervising inspector in each district exercising a wide discretion in regard to rules and regulations, there has been no uniformity in the operation of the act. It is only at Washington City, where the accounts are collected from all quarters, that there can be a proper supervision of the system. Whether this should be by a Supervisor-General, by the Sec- retary of the Treasury, or by a board especially constituted for that purpose, is for the wisdom of Congress to deter- mine. ... As at present constituted, the board of supervis- ing inspectors is an anomaly. All the other officers of the government are, in some way, brought under suitable respon- sibility, either to the President or to the head of some depart- nent. Some effort must have been made by the Secretary of the Treasury, under the limited authority granted to him by the ict of 1852, to provide such a head for the service, for we ind that a report was made to him in 1870, on a proposed )ill to reorganize the service, by the Chief of the Steamboat- inspection Division. 1 The chief of this division, in all prob- ibility created by departmental order, commented favorably m the work of the special agent detailed by the Secretary of he Treasury in 1852 to report on the operations of the serv- ce and to draw up the proposed bill. The appropriation acts r or the fiscal years ending June, 30, 1870 and 1871, provid- ng for the Steamboat-Inspection Service, contain items cov- ering the salary and traveling expenses of this special agent >f the department. 2 The proposed bill submitted to the Secretary of the Treasury n 1870, by the chief of the Steamboat-Inspection Division, 1 Diligent search of the available records and appropriation acts, is well as inquiries directed to the present head of the bureau, have ailed to reveal at what time and by what authority such a division n the Treasury Department was organized. 2 Act of March 3, 1869 (15 Stat L., 301); and act of July 15, 870 (16 Stat. L., 291). 8 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE which had been approved by the board of supervising inspec tors, was the subject of legislation passed by Congress an< approved February 28, 1871 (16 Stat. L., 440). By th terms of this act, which marks a third important step in th development of steamboat inspection, the recommendation previously noted for an administrative head of the servic were given recognition in the creation of the office of "Super vising Inspector-General" who, under the direction of the Sec retary of the Treasury, should have immediate direction an< supervision over the entire work of the service. This officer who was to be appointed by the President, by and with th advice and consent of the Senate, and selected with referenc to his fitness and ability to systematize and carry into effec all the provisions of law relating to the Steamboat-Inspectioi Service, was granted a salary of $3500 per annum, in addi tion to traveling expenses incurred in the performance of hi duties at the rate of ten cents per mile. The joint meeting of the supervising inspectors, first pro vided for in the act of 1852, was now given a more definit status. The supervising inspectors together with the Super vising Inspector-General, were to assemble as a board, a Washington once a year, and at such other times as the Secrc tary of the Treasury might prescribe, for joint consultatio and for assignment to each of their number the limits of th territory within which he should perform his duties. Th board was vested with authority to establish all necessar rules and regulations required for the proper and uniform ac ministration of the inspection laws, and such regulation: when approved by the Secretary of the Treasury, should hav the full force of law. With one exception, the act of 1871 superseded or repeale all previous legislation on the subjects of inspection, licem ing of officers, and the transportation of passengers and mei chandise on vessels propelled in whole or in part by steam 3 The exception here noted is that section of the act of August 3< 1852, which provided for the punishment and the forfeiture c HISTORY 9 "All steam-vessels navigating any waters of the United States which are common highways of commerce, or open to general or competitive navigation, excepting public vessels of the United States, vessels of other countries, and boats pro- pelled in whole or in part by steam for navigating canals," were made subject to the provisions of this act. Despite frequent modifications and amendments that have been made from time to time, the basic activities and organization of the Steamboat-Inspection Service as thus established have re- mained practically without change up to the present time. There will be reserved for the next chapter a detailed analysis of the activities of the service, as authorized by the act of 1871 and modified by subsequent amendments and ad- ditions thereto, only the more important provisions of the act enlarging the scope of the service being noted here. The following gives a brief resume of the contents of these pro- visions : (1) The respective duties of the various branches of the service, namely the Supervising Inspector-General, the dis- trict supervising inspectors, and the local inspectors were out- lined in detail; (2) The board of supervising inspectors was authorized to establish such regulations to be observed by all steam-ves- sels in passing each other as they should from time to time deem necessary for safety; (3) Additional boards and local inspectors were authorized and the qualifications of such officers were set down in greater detail ; (4) Ferry-boats, canal-boats, yachts, and other small craft of like character propelled by steam, tug-boats, towing-boats, and freight-boats were made subject to the laws for the in- spection of vessels and the licensing of engineers and pilots ; (5) Reinspections were authorized to be made by local in- spectors at proper times, to ascertain the safety of vessels for office of steamboat inspectors receiving any fee or reward for their services, except that allowed by law. io STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE the purposes of navigation and to detect violations of the it spection laws; (6) Additional requirements were imposed upon the ownei of vessels to provide for the safety and comfort of pa, sengers ; (7) Collectors of customs were forbidden to license, regi; ter or enroll any vessel propelled in whole or in part by steal until satisfied that all provisions concerning the regulation c such vessels had been complied with; (8) The states were prohibited from imposing upon pilo of steam- vessels any obligation to procure a state or oth( license in addition to that issued by the United States; and (9) The issuance of licenses by the boards of local ii spectors to masters, chief mates, engineers, and pilots c steam-vessels was made the subject of detailed regulatioi especially with regard to the qualifications of applicants fc such licenses, and the local inspectors were given power 1 revoke the licenses of officers in case of "bad, intemperal habits, incapacity, inattention to duty, or the. willful violatio of any provisions of this act." It is significant, as was especially brought out in a brie history of the Steamboat-Inspection Service prepared undt the direction of the Secretary of Commerce and Labor an contained in a work known as the "Organization and Law c the Department of Commerce and Labor," published in 190, that the act of 1871 was directed toward the promotion c the security of the lives of all persons on board steam-vessel thereby giving the officers and crews of such vessels the la\\ ful protection that formerly extended only to passengers. Following the passage of the important act of 1871, whic has been characterized by the Supervising Inspector-Genera in his annual report for 1905, as being, without doubt "tr wisest legislation ever devised upon these lines," the subje< of steamboat inspection received frequent attention from Cor gress. Numerous acts were passed from 1872 to 1903 wit the purpose of making more efficient and inclusive the wor HISTORY ii of the service. A great many of these laws, however, were enacted only after urgent and repeated recommendations had been made by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Super- vising Inspector-General in their annual reports. A brief summary of the content of the most important of these acts follows : (1) Act of April 17, 1874 (18 Stat. L., 30), authorizing the issuance of engineers' and pilots' licenses by the boards of local inspectors, to aliens who had declared their intention of becoming citizens of the United States. 4 (2) Act of August 2, 1882 (22 Stat. L., 186), known as "The Passenger Act 1882," superseding all prior acts seek- ing to regulate the transportation of passengers on steam- vessels. Collectors of customs were authorized to direct in- spectors to examine vessels for the purpose of ascertaining the number of passengers such vessels could carry with safety and the accommodations, such as hospital facilities, food, and deck space provided therefor. (3) Act of August 7, 1882 (22 Stat. L., 346), providing that all foreign private steam-vessels carrying passengers from any port of the United States to any other place or country should be subject to the laws for the regulation of steam- vessels. The Secretary of the Treasury was authorized to appoint sixteen "special inspectors of foreign steam-vessels," at a salary of $2000 per annum, who should make reports to the Supervising Inspector-General under such regulations as should be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury. (4) Act of March 3, 1885 (23 Stat. L., 438), adopting the "Revised International Rules and Regulations for Pre- venting Collisions at Sea," to be followed in the navigation of all public and private vessels of the United States upon the high seas or in the coast waters of the United States. (5) Act of June 19, 1886 (24 Stat. L., 79), abolishing the collection of all fees heretofore charged, for the rendering of 4 Previous to the passage of this act, the issuance of such licenses had been restricted by law to citizens of the United States. 12 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE certain services, by collectors of customs and inspectors c steam-vessels, to American vessels. Collectors and inspecto: were required to make a detailed report of service performe and fees provided by law to the Secretary of the Treasury and that officer was authorized to allow and pay said office: for such services, as each would have received prior to tl passage of this act, out of money in the Treasury not othe wise appropriated. 5 (6) Act of January 22, 1894 (28 Stat. L., 28), autho izing the Supervising Inspector-General, under the directic of the Secretary of the Treasury, to detail assistant inspecto' from any local inspection district where such assistant ii spectors were employed, to inspect iron and steel boiler plat< at the mills where the same were manufactured. Materi, for the manufacture of marine boilers, when bearing the stair of an assistant inspector so detailed, was to be accepted t local inspectors as being in full compliance with the rul< of the supervising inspectors with regard to the inspectic of boiler plates. 6 ' (7) Act of March i, 1895 (28 Stat. L., 699), abolishin the office of "special inspector of foreign steam-vessels," i created by the act of August 7, 1882, previously quoted. Tl: inspection of foreign vessels was thereafter to be a part c the duties of the local inspectors and their assistants. A< ditional boards of local inspectors were established and tl salaries of all local inspectors were based upon the numbt of vessels inspected during the preceding year, ranging froi $1200 to $2500 per annum. The act further authorized tl: 15 As previously noted, the payment of fees to the inspectors c vessels for their services was abolished by the act of 1852, but th salaries of such officers as fixed by law had been paid, up to th time, out of receipts from fees derived from the inspection of vesse and the licensing of officers. The annual reports of the Supervisin Inspector-General show that the receipts from these sources wei more than sufficient to cover the salaries and contingent expense of the service. 6 In his annual report for 1893, the Supervising Inspector-Gener; urged that provision be made for the inspection of boiler plates ; the mills. HISTORY 13 appointment by the Secretary of the Treasury, upon the nomination of the supervising inspector of the district, of as- sistant inspectors in collection districts where 225 or more steamers were inspected annually. The Secretary of the Treasury was also given power to appoint clerks for the boards of local inspectors in the above districts. The com- pensation of these additional employees of the service was fixed by the act, and traveling expenses for all officers of the ser- vice were thereafter to be allowed at the rate of eight cents per mile. 7 (8) By an executive order issued on March 2, 1896, all the employees of the Steamboat-Inspection Service, with the ex- ception of the Supervising Inspector-General and the super- vising inspectors, who are appointed by the President, were placed in the classified civil service. 8 7 It is significant to note that two of the important changes made in the service by this act had been repeatedly urged by the Supervis- ing Inspector-General in his annual reports. In the first place, that officer specifically recommended the repeal of the act creating the office of "special inspector of foreign steam-vessels" in his reports for 1889 and 1890, on the ground that the need for such special in- spectors ceased to exist when the act of June 19, 1886, abolishing the collection of all fees, was approved. At the time of the passage of the act of August 7, 1882, requiring the inspection of foreign vessels, the expenses of the service were paid out of the receipts from fees, and such fees could not legally be diverted to pay the salaries and expenses of inspectors of foreign vessels. Since the inspectors were paid on an annual fixed salary basis after 1886, how- ever, they could perform this additional service, which was not heavy, without additional expense to the government. In the second place, the Supervising Inspector-General had fre- quently called attention to the inequalities in the salaries of local inspectors as fixed by the act of 1871, in comparison with the amount of work they were called upon to do, and specifically recommended in his annual report for 1893 a minimum salary of $1500 and amounts in excess of that sum based upon the number of vessels inspected. 8 As early as 1880, the Supervising Inspector-General expressed dissatisfaction with the method of appointment of local inspectors, namely, by a commission consisting of the supervising inspector of the district, the collector of customs, and the United States district judge, a system dating back to 1852 and urged the appointment of the local inspectors from among the list of masters or pilots and engineers licensed by the service, by the Secretary of the Treasury upon nomination by the supervising inspector of the district. In I 4 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE (9) Act of May 28, 1896 (29 Stat. L., 188), making fi years the term of all licenses issued to officers of steam-vesse and providing for their renewal at any time before their e piration. The act defined what vessels should be deem "vessels of the United States," and required that the office of such vessels having charge of a watch, including pilo should in all cases be citizens of the United States. It w provided, however, that this latter requirements should not construed to modify or repeal the act of April 17, 1874. (10) Act of January 18, 1897 (29 Stat. L., 489), subje- ing all vessels of above fifteen tons burden, carrying freig or passengers for hire, propelled by gas, fluid, naphtha, electric motors, to the provisions of law relating to the i spection of hulls and boilers of vessels and to the licensi of engineers and pilots; also to the regulations establish by the board of supervising inspectors with regard to ligh fog signals, steering, and sailing rules. 9 regard to the appointment by commission, he said: 'The pres< mode of appointment by a commission consisting of the supervisi inspector, the collector of customs, and the judge of the distr court, while good in theory, is not found to be so in practice, sii it frequently happens that the lay members of the board are rm anxious for the success of a favorite candidate than for the efficier of the Steamboat-Inspection Service. Therefore I would have nomination of inspectors made by the supervising inspector alone, w would then be solely responsible if unsuitable appointments sho be made, and who would be subject to the discipline of the depa ment for all errors in that respect." This recommendation v repeated in 1886 and again in 1890. In his annual report for 1898, following the issuance of the ab( executive order, the Supervising Inspector-General declared that placing of the employees of the service under the classified ci service was not a success for two reasons: (a) Serious delay in work of the Civil Service Commission and (b) A lack of suffici candidates because of the aversion of applicants toward taking examination. He again advocated nomination by the supervis inspectors and approval by the Secretary of the Treasury, and moval only in case of incompetency, inefficiency, misconduct, physical or mental disability; and for those causes only when pro- 1 before a committee of three supervising inspectors appointed the Supervising Inspector-General. This recommendation, howe\ has never received the approval of Congress. 9 The Supervising Inspector-General, in his annual report 1888, called special attention to an accident that had occurred dur HISTORY 15 (n) Act of February 15, 1897 (29 Stat. L., 530), reduc- ing the rate allowed for traveling expenses of all inspectors in the service from eight to five cents per mile. (12) Act of March 3, 1897 (29 Stat. L., 687), authoriz- ing the Secretary of the Treasury to direct the inspection of any foreign vessel admitted to American registry and the issuance of the usual certificate of inspection, the tests in such inspections to be the same in all respects as were required in the inspection of American vessels. (13) Act of March 23, 1898 (30 Stat. L., 340), extend- ing the provision in the act of 1871 which authorized in- spectors to examine, license, and classify chief mates of steam- vessels, to include chief mates of ocean or coastwise steam- vessels, second or third mates of such vessels in charge of a watch, and mates of river steamers. (14) Act of April 21, 1898 (30 Stat. L., 360), creating an additional board of local inspectors. (15) Act of December 21, 1898 (30 Stat. L., 764), ex- tending the provisions for the inspection of vessels and the licensing of officers to include sail vessels of over 700 tons and all other vessels or barges of over 100 tons burden carry- ing passengers for hire. 10 (16) Act of February 15, 1902 (32 Stat. L., 34), amend- ing the act of August 7, 1882, which provided for the in- spection of foreign steam- vessels, by authorizing the recip- rocal recognition of the inspection of hulls, boilers, and equip- ment, by foreign countries, in the case of foreign passenger steamers belonging to countries having inspection laws similar to or approximating those of the United States. the year. A steamer had collided with a naphtha launch, and upon investigation, the board of local inspectors placed the blame on the pilot of the launch. Using this as an example he urged the desira- bility of extending the inspection laws to include motor boats. 10 The action thus taken was recommended almost forty years before, by the board of supervising inspectors, in its report to the Secretary of the Treasury for 1860. Attention was called to the frequent accidents involving sail vessels and the recommendation made that the act of 1852 be extended to include such vessels. 16 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE This review of the rapid development of the Steamboat-I spection Service following the establishment of a central off for the service in 1871, serves to indicate the growing i: portance of this bureau and the recognition by Congress tl it was performing a function vitally necessary to the proj protection of the lives of those who were subject to the dang< of navigation. Attention is also called to the direct influei exercised by the Supervising Inspector-General upon legis tion looking toward an enlarged scope of the activities of 1 service and improvement in its personnel and administrat organization. Development of the Service Since 1903. Together witl considerable number of other 'bureaus performing a vari< of functions, the Steamboat-Inspection Service was at fi organized within the Treasury Department. There was logical basis for this arrangement except perhaps 1 fact that the customs officers were charged with the enfor ment of the inspection laws. An unsuccessful attempt v made in 1882-1883 to transfer this service, together w other bureaus at that time organized within the Treasury I partment, such as the Revenue Marine Service, the Coast c Geodetic Survey, the Marine-Hospital Service, the Life-S. ing Service, the Lighthouse Board, and the Revenue-Cut Service, to the Navy Department, all to be grouped un a Bureau of Mercantile Marine in the latter Department, bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on J uary 2, 1883, upon the recommendation of the Secretary the Navy to affect this transfer, but it met with decided position from the heads of these various bureaus. 11 11 The main objection voiced by all of the officers concerned ^ the undesirability of intrusting the administration of the civil 1; of the country to an armed branch of the government, suppoi and maintained for war purposes only. Two additional object! were voiced by the Supervising Inspector-General against the tre fer of his particular service, namely, (i) That, while admitting the part of naval officers superior educational, theoretical, technical knowledge, yet the inspection of boilers and machinery " an operation requiring practical knowledge and experience, quali HISTORY 17 A proposal for administrative reorganization introduced in the Senate on December 4, 1901, met a more favorable recep- tion. It was proposed to establish a Department of Commerce and Labor "to foster, promote and develop the foreign and domestic commerce, the mining, manufacturing, shipping, and fishery industries, the labor interests, and the transportation facilities of the United States," and to transfer to the new department all bureaus connected with, and germane to the work and duties thus assigned to it. The bill was received in the House and referred to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce on January 30, 1902, which committee reported favorably to the House on January 6, 1903. Not all of the proposed changes, however, were supported. With regard to the transfer of the Steamboat-Inspection Service to the new department, the committee reported : "Possibly the Steamboat-Inspection Service might be transferred without great injury to the public interests, but that bureau has largely to do with collectors of customs at the different ports, and it has not been thought wise by your committee at this time to recommend its transfer." The proposed bill, as finally passed, was substantially that introduced in the Senate in 1901. The act was approved by the President on February 14, 1903 (32 Stat. L., 825). By the express provisions of the act, all the duties, power, authority and jurisdiction, whether supervisory, appellate, or otherwise, previously im- posed or conferred upon the Secretary of the Treasury by acts of Congress, anxist for the approval of hull construction and for requiring :ertain detailed tests in regard to the same. Consequently, in lis annual report for 1914, the Supervising Inspector-General jrged that a corps of experts be stationed in the central office )f the service to approve blue prints of proposed hull con- struction. Approval by such a body, in place of the local nspectors, was thought advisable " ( i ) because it would enable he Department to employ experts who are more familiar with 2 The act of 1871, as amended by act of July 9, 1886 (24 Stat. -., 129), makes certain requirements as to the number, position, and instruction of bulkheads on every seagoing steamer, and every ;teamer navigating the great northern or northwestern lakes, carry- ng passengers. 34 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE hull construction than the local inspectors, and (2) it wou result in that uniform administration of the law with whic the Supervising Inspector-General is charged." It w; recognized, however, that to adopt such a system "would 1 a distinct departure from the principles that have heretofo governed the Steamboat-Inspection Service in the matter ( the approval of certain things by local inspectors, as it wou place that approving power in the central office, thereby r lieving the local inspectors of much responsibility, as well ; obtaining more expert advice and a more uniform administr tion of the law." This recommendation received the approval of the Se retary of Commerce, but no action was taken by Congres In the following year (1915) occurred the Eastland disaste and added impetus was given to the demands for approval < hull construction. The board of inquiry appointed to i vestigate the sinking of this vessel recommended that a boai of competent naval architects be created in the Departme of Commerce "to pass (prior to their construction) upon tl plans and specifications of all steam merchant vessels ov 100 tons burden." Despite this recommendation and r peated urging in the reports of the Supervising Inspecto General, Congress has not as yet seen fit to act on this su ject. In his annual reports for 1919 and 1920, the Supe vising Inspector-General again called attention to the adva tages to be derived from such action, both in assuring th ships would, in the future, have the proper stability of stru ture, and in the uniformity of administration made possit by a centralization of authority. Section 9 of the Gener Rules and Regulations prescribed by the Board of Supervi ing Inspectors for the inspection of vessels now provides th "in the inspection of hulls, boilers, and machinery of v sels, the rules promulgated by the American Bureau of Shi ping respecting material and construction of hulls, boilers, ai machinery, and the certificate of classification referrii thereto, except where otherwise provided for by these rul ACTIVITIES 35 and regulations, shall be accepted as standard by inspectors of this service." 3 Inspection of Boilers. The inspection of the boilers of steam-vessels was also authorized for the first time in 1838, but, at the present time, the laws and regulations are much more exacting and detailed than those concerned with hull inspection. The local inspectors shall also inspect the boilers and their appurtenances in all steam- vessels before the same shall be used, and once at least in every year thereafter, and shall subject all boilers to the hydrostatic pressure. All such vessels shall comply with the following requirements, namely: That the boilers are well made, of good and suitable material; that the openings for the passage of water and steam, respectively, and all pipes and tubes exposed to heat, are of proper dimen- sions and free from obstructions; that the spaces between and around the flues are sufficient; that flues, boilers, fur- naces, safety valves, fusible plugs, low-water indicators, feed- water apparatus, gauge cocks, steam gauges, water and steam pipes connecting boilers, means of prevention of sparks and flames from fire doors, low-water gauges, means of removing mud and sediment from boilers, and all other such machinery and appurtenances thereof, are of such construction, shape, condition, arrangement, and material that the same may be safely employed in the service proposed without peril to life; and the local inspectors shall satisfy themselves by thorough examination that said requirements of law and regulations in regard thereto have been fully complied with. All boilers used on steam vessels and constructed of iron or steel plates, inspected under the provisions of section forty-four hundred ind thirty, shall be subjected to a hydrostatic test, in the ratio )f one hundred and fifty pounds to the square inch to one lundred pounds to the square inch of the working steam power illowed. No boiler or flue pipe, nor any of the connections :herewith, shall be approved, which is made, in whole or n part, of bad material, or is unsafe in its form or dang- 3 A summary of previous recommendations in regard to hull con- truction and inspection is given in the annual report of the Super- vising Inspector-General for 1915, pp. 23 et seq. 36 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE erous from defective workmanship, age, use, or oth cause. 4 As in the case of hull inspection, the above legislation h been extended to include ferry-boats, canal-boats, yachts, other small craft of like character propelled by steam, ; vessels of above fifteen gross tons carrying freight or pc sengers for hire propelled by gas, fluid, naphtha or electi motors, and all tug-boats, towing-boats, and freight-boa Further, by act approved June 9, 1910 (36 Stat. L., 462 the engines, boilers, and other operating machinery on mote boats more than forty feet in length which are propell by machinery driven by steam, are made subject to the la^ and rules for inspection. Rule VII, Section 10, of the ge eral rules and regulations prescribed by the board of sup vising inspectors makes it "the duty of both the hull ai boiler inspectors to be present when the boiler is being test by hydrostatic pressure" and both "shall observe and nc the indication on the gauge." Section i, Rule II, of the rules provides as follows: "The manufacturer of any boiler to be used for marine pi- poses shall furnish the inspectors of the district where su boiler or boilers are to be inspected duplicate blue prints tracings fully descriptive of same in detail for their approv* one of which shall be kept on file in the office of the local i spectors and the other returned to the manufacturer." Sc tion 24, Rule II provides that "duplicate blue prints or dra> ings of water- tube and coil boilers, with their specificatior shall be submitted for approval to the Board of Supervisii Inspectors and the design approved by said board, before t boilers will be allowed to be used an any vessel coming und the jurisdiction of the Board of Supervising Inspectors TKus Section i is limited to the approval of Scotch and simil boilers. It will be observed that the board has thus provid 4 The provisions of R. S. Section 4430 here referred to will noted later in this chapter. ACTIVITIES 37 for the approval of boiler construction which, in the case of hull construction, it decided it did not have the legal author- ity to do. A rule authorizing the approval of blue prints of boilers was deemed lawful because of the detailed structural tests already provided in the law for boiler construction. The recommendations noted above for a centralization of approval of hull construction in the office of the Supervising Inspector- General also included that of boiler construction. Inspection of Equipment. In addition to the annual in- spection of the hulls and boilers of vessels, the local inspec- tors are required by law to examine every part of the equip- ment of such vessels, including life-boats, floats, rafts, life- preservers, and other life-saving apparatus, fire-extinguish- ers, hose, fire-buckets, and other appliances for fighting fires, and steering apparatus. In many cases the law prescribes in detail the number and the character of construction of such equipment, but in others the board of supervising inspectors is charged with prescribing standards and rules for the guid- ance of the local inspectors. The provisions of the present laws, and regulations made in pursuance thereof, relative to life-saving appliances and fire-fighting equipment, are in many cases concerned with technical details, and are too numerous to be quoted here. In summary form, they provide as follows : Life-Saving Equipment, (i) Steamers navigating the ocean, or any lake, bay, or sound of the United States, are required to be provided with such numbers of life-boats, floats, rafts, life-preservers, line-carrying projectiles, and the means of propelling them, and drags, as will best secure the safety of all persons on board such vessel in case of disaster. The Board of Supervising Inspectors is empowered to fix and de- termine, by their rules and regulations, the character of such apparatus and equipment, as well as the character and capacity of pumps necessary to free the vessel of water in case of heavy leakage. The rules and regulations thus made, however, are 38 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE subject to the detailed provisions, limitations, and minimur requirements specified in the Seamen's Act of 1915 (38 Sta L., 1164). (2) Every vessel subject to the laws for th regulation of steam -vessels is required, while in operatioi to carry one life-preserver for each and every person allowe to be carried on said vessel by the certificate of inspectioi including each member of the crew. (3) By the act of 187 ferry-boats, canal-boats, yachts, and other small craft of lik character propelled by steam were required to comply wit such provisions of law for the better security of life as migl be made applicable to them, by the regulations of the boai of supervising inspectors. This act was amended by an a 1 approved January 18, 1897 (29 Stat. L., 489), which e: tended the above requirements to include motor vessels ( above fifteen tons carrying freight or passengers for hir An act approved May 16, 1906 (34 Stat. L., 193) also r quired motor-driven vessels of fifteen gross tons or less carr ing passengers for hire to carry one life-preserver, of tl sort prescribed by the regulations of the board of supervisir inspectors, for every passenger carried. The latter act was in partial response to the recommend tions made in the annual reports of the Supervising Inspecto General for 1904 and 1905 for an extension of the laws f< the inspection of vessels to include all motor-boats of whs ever size or tonnage. Even after the passage of the act < 1906, motor-boats used for pleasure purposes only, no matt what their size or the waters they navigated, were entire exempted from all inspection. The Supervising Inspectc General continued to urge legislation requiring all mote driven vessels, regardless of their size or of the purpose f which they might be used, to submit to a sufficient examin tion or inspection "to ascertain whether they are equipp with the proper lights and life-saving apparatus, and tl the fuel tanks and engine are propery installed." The repeated recommendations of this officer of the Steai boat-Inspection Service, combined with the rapidly incre; ACTIVITIES 39 ing use of motor-boats and numerous accidents resulting therefrom, led to the passage of the act of June 9, 1910 (36 Stat. L., 462), known as The Motor-Boat Act, the content of which was summarized in the preceding chapter. But the operators of such boats have experienced considerable diffi- culty in interpreting the exact application of this law, and the Supervising Inspector-General has urged its repeal, and the substitution of a statute "worded in terse, simple language that can be easily understood, not only by the officials of the department but by the public as well." Section 5 of the Motor-Boat Act requires that every vessel propelled by machinery and not more than sixty-five feet in length, except tug-boats and tow-boats propelled by steam, "shall carry either life-preservers or life-belts, or buoyant cushions, or ring-buoys or other device, to be prescribed by the Secretary of Com- merce, sufficient to sustain afloat every person on board and so placed as to be readily accessible." All motor-boats carry- ing passengers for hire are required to carry one life-pre- server, of the sort prescribed by the regulations oi the board of supervising inspectors, for every passenger car- ried. (4) Steam-vessels, navigating rivers only, except ferry- boats, freight-boats, canal-boats and towing-boats, of less than fifty tons, are subject to detailed regulations as to the char- acter, number and construction of life-boats. Such vessels carrying passengers are required to provide a .good life- preserver for every cabin passenger and also a good life pre- server or float for each deck and other class passenger which the inspector's certificate shall allow her to carry including the officers and crews, such life-preservers or floats to be kept in convenient and accessible places on such vessel in readiness for immediate use in case of accident. (5) Every barge carrying passengers, while in tow of any steamer must also be provided with such life-preservers as shall be prescribed by the board of supervising inspectors. By an act approved May 28, 1908 (35 Stat. L., 424), sea- 40 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE going barges of one hundred gross tons or over are require" to be equipped with at least one life-boat, and at least on life-preserver for each person on board, such to be approve* by the board of supervising inspectors. The sinking of the passenger steamer Titanic, and the los of life involved, led to the calling of the "International Cor ference on Safety of Life at Sea." This conference, whic was held in London from November 12, 1913, to Januar 20, 1914, was participated in by representatives of the prir cipal maritime nations of the world. The purpose of th conference was to formulate rules regarding safety of life z sea which would be of universal application. The conventio concluded on January 20, 1914, was signed by the repn sentatives of all the nations parties thereto, and the resuli of the conference were submitted to the President and Coi gress by the American delegates, one of whom was the Supei vising Inspector-General of the Steamboat-Inspection Servio with favorable recommendations. 5 The Senate failed to ratify the convention, but practical! all of the recommendations as to life-saving equipment mac by the International Conference, however, which constitute a large and important part of the convention, were embodk in the Seamen's Act approved March 4, 1915 (38 Stat. I 5 The Commissioner of Navigation, also a delegate to the coi ference, in his annual report for 1914 said in this connection : "Tl international convention is the most important step ever tak< by maritime nations to promote the safety of life at sea, and it to be trusted that the Senate will consent to its ratification befo December 31, 1914, when ratifications, by the terms of the conventio were to be deposited at London. The convention was ratified by tl German Reichstag in May, and the British Parliament passed ( August 10 the bill to give effect to the convention. Before tl outbreak of the European war in August the preliminary steps f< ratification had been taken in France, Spain, the Netherlands, Bel ium, Italy, Austria, and Hungary, and at that time ratification w expected in the early autumn. The Parliaments of Denmark ai Sweden do not assemble until early in 1915, so those powers c; not ratify until that date. The war will undoubtedly delay un beyond July I, 1915, the time when the convention shall go in effect, but legislation by Congress will be necessary after the co vention shall have been ratified". ACTIVITIES 41 1164), the contents of which were noted in the preceding chapter. Steering Apparatus. The present law provides that every steamer carrying passengers shall be provided with such tiller ropes, tiller rods, or chains for the purpose of steering and navigating the vessel, and such bell-pulls for signalizing the engineer from the pilot house, and such tubes or other ar- rangement to repeat back the signal to the pilot house, as may be prescribed by the board of supervising inspectors, with the approval of the Secretary of Commerce. Fire-fighting Equipment, (i) Every steamer carrying passengers or freight must be provided with suitable pipes and valves attached to the boiler to convey steam into the hold and to the different compartments thereof to extinguish fire, or such other suitable apparatus as may be prescribed by the regulations of the board of supervising inspectors, with the approval of the Secretary of Commerce, for extinguish- ing fire in the hold and compartments thereof by the intro- duction through pipes into such hold and compartments of carbonic acid gas or other fire-extinguishing gas or vapor. Precautions to be taken to prevent fires from stoves, chim- neys, and boilers are prescribed, and the local inspectors are authorized to require all other necessary provisions to be made throughout such vessel to guard against loss or danger from fire, before granting a certificate of inspection. (2) Passenger steamers are required to have on board ready for use steam and hand fire-pumps of a certain number and capacity, varying according to the number of passengers carried and the character of the freight on board. (3) All such other provisions must be made on every steamer carrying passengers or freight, to guard against and extinguish fire, as may be prescribed by the board of super- vising inspectors and approved by the Secretary of Commerce. (4) The board of supervising inspectors may require steamers carrying either passengers or freight to be provided with such number and kind of portable fire-extinguishers as, 42 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE in their judgment, may be necessary to protect such vessel from fire when moored or lying at a wharf without stear to work the pumps. (5) Steam-vessels navigating rivers only, and barge carrying passengers while in tow of any steamer are require to have such fire buckets, axes, and water barrels, kept in cor venient places and ready for use, as may be prescribed b the board of supervising inspectors. (6) Section 6 of the Motor-Boat Act of 1910 provide that every motor-boat and also every vessel propelled b machinery other than by steam, more than sixty-five feet i length, shall carry ready for immediate use the means c promptly and effectually extinguishing burning gasoline. With the exception of Section 5 of this act, which, as We noted above, provides that the Secretary of Commerce alor shall determine what life-saving appliances shall be carrie by motor-boats, both the board of supervising inspectors an the Secretary of Commerce must approve all instrument machines, and equipment for the better security of life to 1 used on any steam-vessel. To this end, the board of supe vising inspectors frequently conducts tests to determine tl value of such new appliances as may be invented from tin to time, and prescribes standards, with the approval of tl Secretary of Commerce, to guide the local inspectors in the inspection of such equipment. Whenever any inspector ( assistant inspector, in the performance of his duty, finds c board any vessel subject to regulation, as part of the r quired equipment thereof, any equipment, machinery, appar; tus, or appliances not conforming to the requirements c law, he is authorized to require the same to be placed : proper condition by the owner or master of the vess* if possible; and if the inspector or assistant inspector fine on board any such vessel any life-preserver or fire hose < defective as to be incapable of repair, he is given power 1 order it to be destroyed in his presence by such owner ( master. The local inspectors have power to enforce these r ACTIVITIES 43 quirements by revoking the vessel's certificate of inspection, and refusing to issue a new certificate until the requirements have been fully complied with, or until such action of the local inspectors shall have been reversed, modified, or set aside by the supervising inspector of the district. 6 Certificates of Inspection. The issuance of a license or cer- tificate of inspection by the local inspectors, as evidence that all the provisions of law relative to the inspection of the hulls, boilers, and equipment of vessels have been complied with, also had its beginning as an activity of the Steamboat- Inspection Service in the early act of 1838. The present law on this subject provides in part as follows: When the inspection of a steam-vessel is completed and the inspectors approve the vessel and her equipment throughout, they shall make and subscribe a certificate, which certificate shall be verified by the oaths of the inspectors signing it, before the chief officer of the customs of the district or any other person competent by law to administer oaths. Such cer- tificate shall be delivered to the master or owner of the vessel to which it relates, and one copy thereof shall be kept on file in the inspector's office and one copy shall be delivered to the collector or other chief officer of the customs of the dis- trict in which such inspection has been made, who shall keep the same on file in his office. If the inspectors refuse to grant a certificate of approval, they shall make a statement in writing and sign the same, giving the reasons for their disapproval. The law further provides that a temporary certificate be issued to the master or owner of the vessel to take the place of and be a substitute for the regular certificate of inspection until the latter is delivered. No vessel required to be in- spected under the provision of the law shall be navigated 6 Such other provisions of law requiring, in the equipment of vessels, suitable accommodations for the comfort and convenience of passengers and crew, and those requiring signal lights, foghorns, and whistles to prevent collisions will be reviewed later in this chapter under their proper headings. 44 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE without having on board an unexpired regular certificate c inspection or such temporary certificate, and one or the oth< of these certificates shall be placed by the master or ownc in a conspicuous place in the vessel where it will be mo: likely to be observed by passengers and others, and thei kept at all times, framed under glass, as evidence of tt authority thereby conferred. Specific exceptions are pei mitted by statute in administration of these latter provision The local inspectors are required to keep a record of certif cates of inspection of vessels, their boilers, engines, an machinery, and of all their acts in their examination and it spection of steamers, whether of approval or disapproval. , register, enrollment, or license shall not be granted, or othe papers issued by any collector or other chief officer of cuj toms to any vessel subject by law to inspection until all tl" provisions applicable to such vessel have been fully complie with and until the copy of the certificate of inspection fc such vessel has been filed with the collector or other chie officer of customs. By the act of 1838, the local inspectors received compens; tion from the owners of vessels inspected at the rate of $ for each hull and $5 for each boiler so examined. The ac of 1852, reorganizing the service, provided fixed salaries fc the local inspectors, the fees for inspection to be turned ovc to the collector of customs, who would remit to the Treasur of the United States. By act of Congress approved Jun 19, 1886 (24 Stat. L., 79), the collection of all fees for th inspection, examining, and licensing of steam- vessels, incluc ing inspection-certificates and copies thereof, was discor tinued. It can readily be seen that the authority given to the board of local inspectors to grant or withhold a certificate of ir spection is very important, and vitally affects the owners c vessels subject to regulation. By the act of 1852, whic created the office of supervising inspector, appeals wer authorized from the decisions of the local inspectors to th ACTIVITIES 45 supervising inspector of the district. Again in the act of 1871, creating the office of the Supervising Inspector-General, more definite provision was made to permit appeals to be taken from the decisions of the local boards, regarding the construction or equipment of vessels and the issue or revoca- tion of certificates of inspection and licenses of officers, to the supervising inspectors, who were given the same powers to summon witnesses and compel their attendance and to ad- minister oaths as were conferred upon the local inspectors. All previous acts authorizing appeals from the decisions of the boards of local inspectors were repealed by the act ap- proved June 10, 1918 (40 Stat. L., 602), which provides as follows : That whenever any person directly interested in or affected by any decision or action of any board of local inspectors of vessels shall feel aggrieved by such decision or action, he may appeal therefrom to the supervising inspector of the dis- trict ; and a like appeal shall be allowed from any decision or action of a supervising inspector to the Supervising Inspector- General, whose decision, when approved by the Secretary of Commerce, shall be final : Provided, however, That application for such reexamination of the case by a supervising inspector or by the Supervising Inspector-General shall be made within thirty days after the decision or action appealed from shall have been rendered or taken : And provided further, That in all cases reviewed under the provisions of this Act where the issue is the suspension or revocation of the license of a licensed officer such officer shall be allowed to be represented by counsel and to testify in his own behalf. The reviewing officer is given the same powers to admin- ister oaths and to summon and compel the attendance of wit- nesses as are given to the local boards, and he may revoke, change, or modify the decision under review. The Secre- tary of Commerce is authorized to make such regulations as may be necessary to secure a proper enforcement of the pro- visions of this act. 7 7 For violations of the provisions of law regarding the inspection 46 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE Reinspection of Vessels. ^Provision for the inspection vessels, at other times than at the annual inspection, was ma in the act of 1871. This particular section of that act, amended by the act approved March 3, 1905 (33 Stat. ] 1023), is in force at the present time, and provides as follo\\ In addition to the annual inspection, the local inspectc shall examine, at proper times, steamers arriving and depa ing to and from their respective ports, so often as to enal them to detect any neglect to comply with the requiremet of law, and also any defects or imperfections becoming appc ent after the inspection aforesaid, and tending to render t navigation of the vessels unsafe; and if they shall disco\ of vessels and the rules and regulations prescribed by the board supervising inspectors made in pursuance of the same various pen ties are prescribed. Owners of steam-vessels not having an t expired certificate of approval or an unexpired temporary certifies of approval placed and kept in the vessel as required are liable a penalty of $100 for every passenger received on board. Licens officers 'of vessels are required to assist inspectors in their examir tion of any vessels to which such licensed officers belong and point out all defects and imperfections known to them in the hi equipments, boilers, or machinery of such vessel ; also to make kno 1 to the inspectors at the earliest opportunity all accidents or occt rences producing serious injury to the vessel, her equipmen boilers, or machinery; and in default thereof the license of any su officer so neglecting or refusing shall be suspended or revoked. 1 specters, on the other hand, are forbidden to impart the name of a such licensed officers giving this information or the source of th' information, to any person other than their superiors in the Stea boat-Inspection Service, under penalty of dismissal from the s vice. Every inspector who willfully certifies falsely on any mati concerning the inspection of a vessel is subject to a fine of r more than five hundred dollars, or imprisonment for not more th six months, or both. A similar penalty in addition to forfeiture office is imposed upon inspectors who receive any fee or rewa for their services, except that allowed to them by law. A fine of one thousand dollars is imposed upon all persons cc structing marine boilers of iron or steel plates not duly stamp and inspected according to law or who knowingly deliver for i a defective boiler. Furthermore, any person directly or indirec concerned in altering the appurtenances of a marine boiler in su a manner as to defeat the regulations prescribed by law after t issuance of a certificate by the inspectors is guilty of a misdemear and subject to a fine of two hundred dollars, and may also be i prisoned not exceeding five years. ACTIVITIES 47 any omission to comply with the law, or that repairs have become necessary to make the vessel safe, the inspectors shall at once notify the master, in writing-, stating in the notice what is required; and if the master deems the requirements unreasonable or unnecessary, he may apply for a reexamina- tion of the case to the supervising inspector as provided in the preceding section. 8 All inspections and orders for repairs shall be promptly made by the inspectors, and, when it can be safely done in their judgment, they shall permit repairs to be made where those interested can most conveniently do them. The law further provides that whenever any local or super- vising inspector ascertains to his satisfaction that any vessel subject to inspection is being navigated without complying with the terms of the vessel's certificate regarding equipment he shall order the owner or master of the vessel to correct such unlawful conditions, and may require that the vessel at once cease navigating and be submitted to reinspection. If his orders are not at once complied with, he shall revoke the vessel's certificate of inspection and no new certificate shall be again issued until all requirements have been complied with. Any vessel operating or navigating after the revocation of her certificate of inspection and before the issuance of a new certificate, shall, upon application by the inspector to any district court of the United States having jurisdiction, and by proper order or action of the court, be seized summarily by way of libel and held without privilege of release by bail or bond until a proper certificate of inspection shall have been issued. The master or owner of any vessel whose certificate has been thus revoked has the privilege, within thirty days, of an appeal to the Secretary of Commerce for a reexamination of the case, and upon such appeal the Secretary has power to revise, modify, or set aside the action of the local or supervis- ing inspector and direct the issuance to the vessel of her 8 The section here referred to is R. S. Section 4452 which permits the master or owner of a vessel to appeal from the decision of a local board to the supervising inspector of the district who has authority to revoke, change or modify the decision of such local board. 48 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE original certificate or a new certificate of inspectic Under the present regulations established by the board supervising inspectors, every excursion and ferry steam is required to be reinspected at least three times during t year for which the certificate of inspection was issued, or di ing the season of navigation. With respect to the subject reinspections, the Supervising Inspector-General in his port for 1915 expressed the opinion that such reinspectic were not less important than the annual inspections, "sir the purpose of reinspection is to see that the equipment oi vessel is kept up, and judging from reports received at tl office from local inspectors it would appear that many vess would not be in good condition after the annual inspecti were it not for the repeated reinspections. In the annt inspection application is made to the inspectors to have tl work done, but when a reinspection is made the inspectc take the initiative and visit the vessel without prior notice." Inspection and Approval of Boiler Plates. Reference t already been made to the statutory requirement that 1 boilers of steam vessels subject to inspection must be cc structed with steel plates which have been inspected a stamped by an officer of the Steamboat-Inspection Servi Section 4430 of the Revised Statutes, dating back to the ; of 1871, provides as follows : Every iron or steel plate used in the construction of stea boat-boilers, and which shall be subject to a tensile stra shall be inspected in such manner as shall be prescribed the board of supervising inspectors and approved by the S< retary of Commerce, so as to enable the inspectors to ascert; its tensile strength, homogeneousness, toughness, and abil to withstand the effect of repeated heating and cooling; a no iron or steel plate shall be used in the construction of si- boilers which has not been inspected and approved under th( rules. To meet the rapid growth of the work of the service a ACTIVITIES 49 to facilitate the inspection of boiler plates, this section was amended, by act of Congress approved January 22, 1894 (28 Stat. L., 28), which authorizes the Supervising Inspector-Gen- eral, under the direction of the Secretary of Commerce, to detail assistant inspectors from any local inspection district where they may be employed, to inspect iron or steel boiler plates at the mills where they are manufactured; and if the plates are found in accordance with the rules of the super- vising inspectors, the assistant inspectors are authorized to stamp them with their initials followed by the letters and words "U. S. Assistant Inspector." Material so stamped shall be accepted by the local inspectors in the district where such material is to be manufactured into marine boilers as being in full compliance with the requirements. Manufacturers of iron or steel plates, made for use in the construction of steamboat-boilers, are also required to stamp the same distinctly and permanently with the name of the manufacturer, the place where manufactured, and the number of pounds of tensile strength it will bear to the sectional square inch. 9 Inspection and Approval of Equipment. It has also been found a great aid in facilitating the work of the inspection of the equipment of vessels, to inspect and approve such equipment at the place where manufactured. The construc- tion of life-boats, life-rafts, and life-preservers is made sub- ject to the approval of the proper officers of the Steamboat- Inspection Service under the Seamen's Act of 1915 and the regulations of the board of supervising inspectors adopted in pursuance thereof. For example, supervising inspectors of 9 Any person who affixes a forged or counterfeit stamp such as authorized to be put on by an assistant inspector, shall be deemed guilty of a felony and shall be fined not less than one thousand dol- lars, and imprisoned not less than two years nor more than five years. The minimum penalty above provided for is also imposed upon any person who counterfeits any of the marks or stamps pre- scribed for boiler-iron or steel plates, or who causes to be stamped ialsely any such plates. 50 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE districts where life-boats are built are authorized "to det; an assistant or local inspector to any place where life-boa are being built, whose duty it shall be to carefully inspect ai examine the construction of such life-boats; and he sh; satisfy himself that such life-boats are constructed in accor ance with the drawings, or blue prints, and specifications fn nished by the builders." Such drawings, or blue prints, ai specifications showing and explaining the construction of lif boats must be furnished by the builders to the suprvisii inspector of the district. When the assistant or local i spector approves the construction of the boat, he is direct to stamp his initials, together with the letters "U. S. I." on plate required to be affixed to the boat by the builder, whi< also contains the builder's name, number of the boat, date construction, cubical contents, and number of persons the bo will carry. The initials of the assistant or local inspect are satisfactory evidence to all parties interested that the bo has been constructed in accordance with the drawings, or bli prints, and specifications on file. Similar regulations ha been established by the board of supervising inspectors r garding the construction of life-rafts. The complete install tion of all mechanical boat davits is required to be tested ai demonstrated for strength and efficiency at the place of man facture, in the presence of an inspector, and if the inspect is satisfied that the device is efficient in strength and operatic he is authorized to stamp it, as in the cas.e of life-boats ar rafts. Samples of every type of life-preserver, ring life-buoy, lin carrying gun, and fire-extinguisher are tested to determii whether they meet the requirements of the board of supervi ing inspectors. In the case of life-preservers, samples mu be accompanied by specifications, blue prints, or drawings, triplicate, and they are approved only after a satisfactory se vice test has been witnessed by the board of supervising i spector s, an executive committee thereof, or by the Committ on Life-Saving Appliances. Samples of buoys and lin ACTIVITIES 51 carrying guns are also tested and approved by the board or a committee thereof, but tests of fire-extinguishers are now made by the Bureau of Standards and a report made by that bureau to the board, which then determines whether the ex- tinguishers shall be approved for use on vessels subject to inspection. The supervising inspector of the district is authorized to detail a local or assistant inspector to any place where life-preservers or ring-buoys are manufactured to examine and stamp them if in accordance with the require- ments of the board. Life-preservers and buoys bearing such stamp are accepted as meeting all requirements of law and regulations as to original construction by inspectors of the service. Inspection for Other Departments. In addition to the in- spection of vessels of the merchant marine, the local in- spectors also examine, on request by the proper department, the boilers of Government vessels, and the boilers in public buildings, and they also test steel plate used in the construc- tion of boilers for Government vessels when requested. The present Supervising Inspector-General of the service, testify- ing before the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries of the House of Representatives in January, 1920, in answer to a question with regard to the extent of the work performed by the service for other departments, said : Naval vessels are not subject to inspection by our office and we do very little work for them. Once in a while they may ask us probably to inspect a piece of steel for them for one of their boilers. Two of the vessels of the Army Trans- port Service are inspected by our service and, under the reg- ulations of the Army Transport Service, have to meet our rules and regulations and to meet the law. They are inspected just the same as any other vessel. All of the vessels of the Engineer Department and the Mississippi River Commission are inspected by us. ... Public vessels of the United States, that means those vessels whose title is vested in the United States, are not subject, under the law, to inspection; but under 52 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE the rules and regulations of the War Department and of tr different departments and bureaus who own those vessels, the subject those vessels to inspection. We pass upon their boilei their boiler construction; we inspect the boiler at ever army post in this country and all public buildings. They ca upon us to inspect those boilers and we are always ready an have always done it. The total number of Government vessels inspected by tl: service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1920, was eighty two, and the total number of boilers 2096. The rapid increase of the American merchant marine du: ing the war period, largely under the operation and contn of the United States Shipping Board, greatly enlarged tl: duties thus imposed upon officers of the Steamboat-Inspectio Service. The bureau was called upon by the Shipping Boar to examine the interned German vessels after seizure and tl: damage that was found to have been done to those vesse greatly increased the magnitude of the task. The inspectoi were also busily engaged in cooperating with the recruitin service of the Shipping Board in furnishing information wit reference to the officers who were available to man the ship and also in approving the applications of persons who d< sired to enter the nautical schools then being conducted by tt recruiting service of the board. By an act approved Oc 25, 1919 (41 Stat. L., 305), all vessels owned and operate by the United States Shipping Board or by any corporatio under its supervision and control were expressly made sul ject to inspection by the officers of the Steamboat-Inspectio Service. It is quite evident that the work of inspection for othc departments performed by this service, for which it receive no compensation except traveling expenses incurred thereii constitutes a considerable added burden upon the limited pei sonnel. It is interesting to note that the Secretary of Con merce and Labor, in his annual report for 1908, suggeste an extension of the work of the service to an inspection c ACTIVITIES 53 locomotive boilers and equipment, as the best means of pre- venting the appalling loss of life due to locomotive boiler ac- cidents. Such an extension, of course, would have neces- sitated a large extension to the force of inspectors. The recommendation, however, failed to meet the approval of Con- gress. 1 Examination and Licensing of Marine ^Officers. The issuance of licenses by the boards of local inspectors to engi- neers and pilots of steamers carrying passengers was first authorized, as an activity of the service, in 1852. The act of 1871 provided for the licensing of masters, chief mates, engineers and pilots of all steam-vessels, and made it unlaw- ful to employ any person in any of these capacities who was not licensed. This statute was amended by the act of Decem- ber 21, 1898 (30 Stat. L., 764), to include the masters and chief mates of sail vessels of over 700 tons and all other vessels or barges of over 100 tons burden carrying passengers for hire. The law now in force provides : The boards of local inspectors shall license and classify the masters, chief mates, and second and third mates, if in charge of a watch, engineers, and pilots of all steam-vessels, and the masters of sail vessels of over seven hundred gross tons, and all other vessels of over one hundred gross tons carrying passengers for hire. It shall be unlawful to employ any person or for any person to serve as a master, chief mate, engineer or pilot of any steamer or as master of any sail vessel of over seven hundred gross tons, or of any other vessel of over one hundred gross tons carrying passengers for hire who is not licensed by the inspectors; and anyone violating this section shall be liable to a penalty of one hundred dollars for each offense. Under the provisions of the act of 1871, still in force, offi- :ers navigating tug-boats, towing-boats, and freight-boats 1 The act of February 17, 1911 (36 Stat. L., 913) provides for the nspection of locomotive boilers by inspectors reporting- to the In- erstate Commerce Commission. 54 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE are also required to be licensed and are subject to the same provisions of law as officers navigating passenger steamers. The present law further requires that no ferry-boat, canal- boat, yacht, of other small craft of like character propelled by steam shall be navigated without a licensed engineer and a li- censed pilot. By an act approved January 18, 1897 (29 Stat. L.> 489), this provision was made applicable to "all vessels of above fifteen gross tons carrying freight or passengers for hire, but not engaged in fishing as a regular business, pro- pelled by gas fluid, naphtha, or electric motors." An act approved May 16, 1906 (34 Stat. L., 193), provides that nc vessel "of fifteen gross tons or less propelled in whole or in part by gas, gasoline, petroleum, naphtha, fluid, or electricity," while carrying passengers for hire, shall be operated or navi- gated except in charge of a person duly licensed for such service by the local board of inspectors. Section 5 of the Motor-Boat Act of 1910 modifies the above acts by providing that no motor-boat, defined in the act as a vessel "pro- pelled by machinery and not more than sixty-five feet in length except tug-boats and tow-boats propelled by steam," shall be operated or navigated, while carrying passengers foi hire, except in charge of a person duly licensed for such service by the local board of inspectors. No other licensed officers are required to be carried. Examinations conducted by the boards of local inspectors to determine the qualifications of applicants requesting license certificates to serve as masters, mates, engineers anc pilots, are required by law before such certificates can be granted. Exception is made, however, in the case of the operators of motor-boats, who are not obliged to submit tc such examination to procure a license. 19 Only the broad out- 10 This exemption in the law in the case of operators of motor- boats has been frequently and severely criticised by the Supervising Inspector-General. That officer, in his annual report for 1911, said in this connection: "At present no examination is required as the condition of obtaining such license, and it must be apparent to any- one who gives the matter thought that many persons have received ACTIVITIES 55 lines of the scope of these examinations are laid down in the statutes, such as the character, nationality, habits of life, age, knowledge, and experience of the applicant. More detailed rules for the conduct of such examinations are prescribed by the board of supervising inspectors, which vary, of course, according to the trade of the vessel and the grade of license desired. Licenses are issued for a term of five years and may be re- newed at the end of that time, provided (act approved Octo- ber 22, 1914; 38 Stat. L., 765) "that no license as master, mate, or pilot of any class of vessel shall be renewed without furnishing a satisfactory certificate of examination as to color blindness." ll The collection of fees for the issuance of such licenses was abolished by act of Congress approved June 19, 1886 (24 Stat. L., 79), which also abolished the collection of fees for the inspection of vessels. Local inspectors are required to keep a record of all licenses granted to masters, mates, pilots, and engineers, and of all rejections of applica- tions. In the case of the latter, reports must be made in writ- ing to the supervising inspectors of their respective districts containing all testimony received in connection with examina- tions. As was noted in the case of rejection of certificates of inspection any applicant for an officer's license meeting with an adverse decision from a board of local inspectors may appeal the same to the supervising inspector, and if the latter upholds the action of the local board, he may appeal further license to operate motor-boats, who are in fact not competent to hold such license and who jeopardize not only their own life and the lives of persons traveling with them, but also the lives of persons traveling on inspected steamers commanded by duly licensed men, and it does seem that as a matter of public policy, for the purpose of protecting life and property, the operators of motor-boats should be required to pass a suitable examination before receiving license." 11 This proviso was adopted to silence objections that had arisen against the earlier rule adopted by the board of supervising inspec- tors established in 1880. The objectors questioned the authority of the board to require visual tests of applicants for officer's licenses to be conducted by surgeons of the Public Health and Marine Hospital Service. 56 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE to the Supervising Inspector-General, whose decision in all cases is final. States and municipal governments are forbid- den to impose upon pilots of steam-vessels any obligation to procure a license in addition to that issued by the United States, or to levy any pilot charges upon any steamer piloted by an officer licensed by the United States. By an act approved May 28, 1896 (29 Stat. L., 188), all officers of vessels of the United States having charge of a watch, including pilots, must in all cases be citizens of the United States. The word "officers" as used in this act in- cludes the chief engineer and each assistant engineer in charge of a watch on vessels propelled in whole or in part by steam, This statute was amended by an act approved March 4, 1907 (34 Stat. L., 1411), permitting Metlakahtla Indians of Alaska to receive and obtain such licenses; and further by Sec. 2 of the act approved August 18, 1914 (38 Stat. L., 698), which authorized the President, ''whenever in his dis- cretion the needs of foreign commerce may require, to sus- pend by order, so far, and for such length of time as he may deem desirable, the provisions of law prescribing that all the watch officers of vessels of the United States registered for foreign trade shall be citizens of the United States." For the enforcement of the statutory provisions with re- gard to the licensing of the officers of vessels the present law provides as follows : Every master, chief mate, engineer, and pilot, who receives a license, shall, before entering upon his duties, make oath before one of the inspectors herein provided for, to be recorded with the certificate, that he will faithfully and honestly, accord- ing to his best skill and judgment, without concealment or reservation, perform all the duties required of him by law. Every applicant for license as either master, mate, pilot, or engineer, under the provisions of this title [Regulation of Steam- Vessels] shall make and subscribe to an oath or affirma- tion, before one of the inspectors referred to in this title, to the truth of all statements set forth in his application for such license. ACTIVITIES 57 Any person who shall make or subscribe to any oath or affirmation authorized in this title and knowing the same to be false shall be deemed guilty of perjury. Every licensed master, mate, pilot, or engineer who shall change, by addition, interpolation, or erasure of any kind, any certificate or license issued by any inspector or inspector referred to in this title, shall, for every such offense, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment at hard labor for a term not ex- ceeding three years. Every master, mate, engineer, and pilot who shall receive a license shall, when employed on any vessel, within forty-eight hours after going on duty, place his certificate of license, which shall be framed under glass, in some conspicuous place in such vessel, where it can be seen by passengers and others at all times : Provided, that in case of emergency such officer may be transferred to another vessel of the same owners for a period not exceeding forty-eight hours without the transfer of his license to such other vessel; and for every neglect to comply with this provision by any such master, mate, engineer or pilot, he shall be subject to a fine of one hundred dollars, or to the revocation of his license. Examination and Certification of Seamen and Life Boat Men. By the provisions of the important act passed by Congress approved March 4, 1915 (38 Stat. L., 1164), known as the Seamen's Act, a new activity was imposed upon the Steamboat-Inspection Service involving a large amount of work and necessitating a material increase in the number of employees in the service. The new activity thus authorized is the examination and certification of seamen and life-boat men. The express terms in which this additional duty is im- posed upon the service are as follows : Any person may make application to any board of local inspectors for a certificate of service as able seaman, and upon proof being made to said board by affidavit and examination, under rules approved by the Secretary of Commerce showing the nationality and age of the applicant and the vessel or vessels on which he has had service and that he is entitled to such certificate under the provisions of this section, the board 58 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE of local inspectors shall issue to said applicant a certificate of service, which shall be retained by him and be accepted as prima facie evidence of his rating as an able seaman. In the regulations contained in the above act regarding life-saving appliances, a specified number of certificated life- boat men are required for each life-boat or raft, according to the number of passengers such boats may carry. By "cer- tificated life-boat man" is meant any member of the crew whc nolds a certificate of efficiency issued under the authority oi the Secretary of Commerce who is directed by the act to pro- vide for the issue of such certificates. In order to obtain the special life-boat man's certificate the applicant must prove to the satisfaction of an officer desig- nated by the Secretary of Commerce that he has been trained in all the operations connected with launching of life-boats and the use of oars; that he is acquainted with the practical handling of the boats themselves; and, further, that he is cap- able of understanding and answering the orders relative tc life-boat service. In the work of certification of life-boat men the Steam- boat-Inspection Service is assisted by officers of the differem marine services, viz., the Coast and Geodetic Survey, th( Bureau of Lighthouses, the Coast Guard, the Bureau of Fish- eries, and the Navy Department. Prior to the passage of this act, there were no statutory 01 regulatory requirements as to ability or experience of the cre\\ other than the requirement that a vessel should be properl) manned. There was no age requirement, and none as to phys ical condition, ability, and experience of seamen in any par of the crew. Thus the provision was an important for wan step in the direction of improved safety conditions on boarc ship. Determination of Ship's Complement and Accommoda tions Therefor. Another important provision in the ac of 1871, establishing a central office for the service and ex tending the scope of its activities, was that requiring all steam ACTIVITIES 59 vessels carrying passengers to have in their service a full com- plement of licensed officers and full crew, sufficient at all times to manage the vessel. This law was amended by the act of March 3, 1913 (37 Stat. L., 732), which authorized the local inspectors to determine the necessary complement of offi- cers and crew for the navigation of all vessels of the United States subject to the inspection laws and to enter the same in the certificates of inspection of such vessels; such entry being subject to appeal to the supervising inspector of the dis- trict and from him to the Supervising Inspector-General. The law was further amended by the "Seamen's Act 1 ' of 1915, which, in addition to requiring the examination and certifica- tion of seamen, and life-boat men, prescribes the percentage of the crew who must be of a rating not less than able seamen. Section 4463 of the Revised Statues, as thus amended, pro- vides as follows: Any vessel of the United States subject to the provisions of this title [Regulation of Steam- Vessels] or to the inspection laws of the United States shall not be navigated unless she shall have in her service and on board such complement of licensed officers and crew including certificated life-boat men, separately stated, as may, in the judgment of the local in- spectors who inspect the vessel, be necessary for her safe navigation. The local inspectors shall make in the certificate of inspection of the vessel an entry of such complement of officers and crew including certificated life-boat men, separately stated, which may be changed from time to time by endorse- ment on such certificate by local inspectors by reason of change of conditions of employment. Such entry or indorsement shall be subject to a right of appeal, under regulations to be made by the Secretary of Commerce, to the supervising inspector, and from him to the Supervising Inspector-General, who shall have the power to revise, set aside, or affirm the said determina- tion of the local inspectors. Further statutory provisions require that the board of local inspectors shall make an entry in the certificate of inspection of every o^ean, and coastwise seagoing merchant vessel pf the. 60 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE United States propelled by machinery, and of every oceango- ing vessel carrying passengers, regarding the minimum num- ber of licensed deck officers required for safe navigation, ac- cording to a scale prescribed by law. 12 The inspection laws of the United States and the statutor) provisions regulating the transportation of passengers, as ha< been noted in the preceding chapter, were first directed towarc the safety and comfort of passengers only, but the presen* laws also require suitable accommodations for the officers anc crews of vessels. In general it is the duty of local inspectors to satisfy themselves that every vessel submitted to their in- spection "has suitable accommodations for passengers and tht crew," before granting a certificate of inspection. By an acl approved March 3, 1897 (29 Stat, L., 697), seagoing vessels except fishing vessels, yachts, pilot boats, and all vessels undei 200 tons registry, were required to provide suitable quarten for their crews. The Seamen's Act of 1915 amends the acl of 1897 by prescribing accommodations such as sleeping quar- ters, toilets, washing places, and hospital facilities to be fur- nished for the crews on all merchant vessels of the United States. Steamboats plying upon the Mississippi River or its tributaries are required to furnish an appropriate place for the crew, which must conform as far as practicable to the general requirements for all vessels, by providing sleeping room in the engine room properly protected from the elements, under the direction and approval of the Supervising Inspector- General. Investigations of Marine Casualties and Violations of In- spection Laws. The legal responsibility of officers licensed by the Steamboat-Inspection Service for loss of life occasioned by their misconduct, negligence, or inattention to duty was first recognized in the act of 1838. This responsibility is thus expressed in the existing law : 12 This section does not apply, according to the terms of the act of 1913, to fishing or whaling vessels, yachts or motor-boats, as de- fined in the motor-boat act of 1910. ACTIVITIES 61 Every captain, engineer, pilot, or other person employed on any steamboat or vessel, by whose misconduct, negligence or inattention to his duties on such vessel the life of any person is destroyed, and every owner, charterer, inspector or other public officer, through whose fraud, neglect, connivance, mis- conduct, or violation of law the life of any person is destroyed, shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars, or im- prisoned not more than ten years, or both. The task of placing responsibility for marine accidents through the investigation of alleged acts of incompetency or misconduct committed by officers while acting under the authority of licenses issued by the Steamboat-Inspection Ser- vice, is imposed by law upon the local boards of inspectors, who are empowered to summon before them any witnesses within their respective districts and to compel their attend- ance by a process similar to that used in the United States dis- trict courts. If, after conducting such an investigation, the board shall be satisfied that such licensed officer is incom- petent, or has been guilty of misbehavior, negligence, or un- skillfulness, or has endangered life or wilfully violated any provision of the steamboat-inspection laws, they must im- mediately suspend or revoke his license. The disbursing clerk of the Department of Commerce is authorized to pay the fees of witnesses summoned for such investigation. The law fur- ther provides: That if any licensed officer shall, to the hindrance of com- merce, wrongfully or unreasonably refuse to perform his official duties after having signed articles or while employed on any vessel as authorized by the terms of his certificate of license, or if any pilot or engineer shall refuse to admit into the pilot house or engine room any person whom the master or owner of the vessel may desire to place there for the pur- pose of learning the profession, his license shall be revoked or suspended upon the same proceedings as are provided in other cases of revocation or suspension of such license. Under the provisions of the act of June 10, 1918 (40 Stat. L., 602), already quoted in detail, the decisions of the local 62 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE inspectors are subject to review by the supervising inspect' and the Supervising Inspector-General. This power granted to the local boards of inspectors to i vestigate acts of misconduct and incompetency committ* by licensed officers constitutes the sole legal basis or authori for an important activity of the Steamboat-Inspection Se vice, namely, the investigation of marine casualties. Sectk 15, Rule V of the General Rules and Regulations prescrib by the board of supervising inspectors provides as follows : The licensed officer in command of any vessel subject the inspection of the Steamboat-Inspection Service shall repc in writing and in person to the board of local inspectors nean the port of first arrival any accident to said vessel involvii loss of life, or damage to property to an approximate amou exceeding $100, and shall also report in the same mann any casualty or loss of life from whatever cause of any pers< on board such vessel. If the accident happens upon the hi| seas or without the jurisdiction of inland waters the board whom the report is first made shall make the investigatio but if the accident occurs within the jurisdiction of inlai waters, the report shall be transmitted to the board with whose jurisdiction the accident occurred, which board sh; make the investigation, except in cases where, in the judgme of the Supervising Inspector-General, better results may obtained by another board conducting the investigation, which case the Supervising Inspector-General is authorized direct such investigation by another board: Provided, Th when from distance it may be inconvenient to report in pers< it may be done in writing only, and the report sworn to befo any person authorized to administer oaths. The language of this rule presupposes some statuto authority in the local inspectors to investigate accidents, whi in fact does not exist. Notwithstanding the absence of su< express authority, however, under the practice of the servi< one of the most important duties that devolves upon the loc inspectors is the investigation of accidents on or about vesst subject to the service, including disasters involving great lo of life. This exercise of authority in excess of that grant' ACTIVITIES 63 by law is no doubt due to the fact that the greater number of marine casualties relate to the misconduct or negligence of some officer, and that the investigation of the acts of officers also involves the consideration of many attending circum- stances. Thus the Secretary of Commerce, in his annual re- port for 1916, pointed out that, since there is at present no general authority of law for investigating marine disasters, if there were an accident in which all the licensed officers were killed, the Department would have no lawful authority to in- vestigate the cause of the disaster. He therefore recommended that authority be given to the Steamboat-Inspection Service to investigate marine disasters occurring on any vessels under its supervision. Special committees or boards have been appointed at various times to investigate serious accidents to vessels involving large loss of life, but again such bodies have had no legal standing, no lawful power to subpoena and examine witnesses, nor to perform other essential acts necessary to conduct a thorough examination. In the report of the Commissioner of Naviga- tion and the Supervising Inspector-General to the Secretary of Commerce on October 16, 1915, after these officers had inves- tigated the circumstances of the collision between the steam- ships Monroe and Nantucket on January 30, 1914, it was recommended that a tribunal should be lawfully established for investigations into marine casualties involving serious loss of life similar to the courts of inquiry provided for in the Brit- ish Merchant Shipping Act and the Canadian Merchant Ship- ping Act. The report pointed to the need for such a tribunal, as shown after the burning of the steamer General Slocum in 1904 and the capsizing of the steamer Eastland in 1915. Nothing has come from this recommendation, however, and the boards of local inspectors still constitute the only legal authority to investigate marine casualties, and their work, as has been already pointed out, is limited to placing the respon- sibility upon the officers of the vessel if such responsibility exists. 64 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE It should be kept in mind throughout the entire discussi of the activities of the Steamboat-Inspection Service, that o] in a partial degree does the service perform the duties oi police character in the enforcement of the navigation la^ including those relating to the inspection of vessels. Its act ities are almost purely those of working out in detail i conditions that must be met by vessels as regards their cc struction and equipment, of inspecting vessels for the purp( of seeing that those conditions are met, and certifying conditions found, and of examining persons desiring to sei as pilots, officers, and seamen of vessels and issuing licen to those found qualified to discharge the duties of such pc tions. When it has performed these duties, and has certif to the results, its responsibility may be said to be practica at an end. Responsibility for enforcing the law, that is, seeing that vessels are not navigated without complying w all requirements regarding matters covered by the steambo inspection laws and other laws pertaining to navigation, re largely upon officers of the Customs Service and the Co; Guard. In large part the navigation laws fail to specify the p; ticular service that shall be charged with the enforcement their provisions. The older laws in general imposed t! obligation upon the Secretary of the Treasury, to be exercis through the collectors of customs and other officers of 1 government. This duty was transferred to the Secretary Commerce and Labor and later to the Secretary of Commer Later acts, such, for example, as the wireless-telegraph a the Motor-Boat acts of 1910 (36 Stat. L., 629; 36 Stat. " 462) follow the same practice. Thus both of these two a< provide that: The Secretary of Commerce and Labor shall make su regulations as may be necessary to secure the proper executi of this act by collectors of customs and other officers of t government, ACTIVITIES 65 The Secretary of Commerce and Labor delegated the work of enforcing these two acts to the Commissioner of Naviga- tion. General responsibility for the administration and en- forcement of the navigation and shipping laws is placed upon the Commissioner of Navigation. The law thus provides : The Commissioner of Navigation, under the direction of the Secretary of Commerce, shall have general superintendence of the commercial marine and merchant seamen of the United States, so far as vessels and seamen are not, under existing laws, subject to the supervision of any other officer of the government. The activities of the Bureau of Navigation in performing this function of administration and enforcement are discussed more fully in the monograph on that particular service. The work of the Coast Guard in the enforcement of these laws, is purely that of a police character. Its vessels have the authority and are charged with the duty of stopping and board- ing vessels for the purpose of determining whether the pro- visions of law and the rules and regulations laid 'down by other services of the government are complied with, and of taking such steps as may be necessary to secure such compli- ance. The work of this service was supplemented by a pro- vision in the legislative, executive, and judicial appropriation ict for 1912, approved March 4, 1911 (36 Stat. L., 1170), is follows: Enforcement of Navigation Laws: To enable the Sec- *etary of Commerce and Labor to provide and operate such notor-boats and employ thereon such persons as may be nec- ssary for the enforcement, under his direction by customs )fficers of the laws relating to the navigation and inspection of /essels, boarding of vessels, and counting of passengers on excursion boats, fifteen thousand dollars. As a matter of final analysis, it may be said that customs )fficers constitute the basic service for the administration and enforcement of the navigation laws, and that the field services 56 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE of the Bureau of Navigation, the Steamboat-Inspection S< vice and the Coast Guard, and the motor-boats employed unc the direction of the Secretary of Commerce, are merely sv plemental services for performing certain special duties work of a particular character at particular points. Notwil standing the fact that these officers are officers of anotr department they nevertheless constitute the most importa field service made use of by the Department of Commerce performing its function of administering the navigation a: shipping laws. With respect to the particular portion of the laws dealing with the inspection and regulation of steal vessels, the present law provides that all collectors, or oth chief officers of the customs, as well as all the inspectors with the several districts, shall enforce the provisions of the abo laws against all steamers arriving and departing. The la further provides that : Every collector or other chief officer of the customs, inspector, who negligently or intentionally omits any du under the preceding section [as summarized above] shall 1 liable to removal from office, and to a penalty of one hundr dollars for each offense, to be sued for in any action of del A register, enrollment, or license shall not be granted, < other papers be issued by any collector or other chief ofric of customs to any vessel subject by law to inspection und< this title [Regulation of Steam- Vessels] until all the prov sions of this title applicable to such vessel have been ful complied with and until the copy of the certificate of inspe tion required by this title for such vessel has been filed wii said collector or other chief officer of customs. Enforcement by inspectors of the Steamboat-Inspectic Service seldom goes beyond the act of suspension or revoc; tion of the certificates of inspection of vessels subject to the jurisdiction, or the licenses of marine officers. Supervisir inspectors are authorized by law, after having ascertained 1 their satisfaction that any licensed officer or owner of ar steam-vessel has failed to perform his duties, to report tl ACTIVITIES 67 same to the local inspectors, and, if need be, "cause the neg- ligent or offending party to be prosecuted." The indefiniteness of this grant of authority, however, leads one to question for what, and by whom, the offending party is to be prosecuted. Further, local inspectors are charged by law with the duty, in case of the operation of a vessel after the suspension or revocation of its certificate of inspection, to apply to the Federal District Court for an order to cause such vessel to be seized summarily and held without release under bond. In the case of the violation of a statute which provides a penalty of fine or imprisonment, in addition to the suspension or re- vocation of the certificate of inspection or license, the inspec- tors generally turn the guilty parties over to the customs officers for criminal prosecution. The apparent division of responsibility in the enforcement of the navigation and inspection laws, has been the subject of severe criticism, and urgent recommendations have been made looking toward the concentration of this work under one bu- reau or service. It is sufficient for the purposes of this de- scriptive study, however, merely to call attention to such division. Establishment of Regulations to Prevent Collisions* One of the important duties assigned to the board of supervising inspectors by the act of 1871 was the establishment of such rules and regulations from time to time, as they might deem necessary, to be observed by vessels navigating the waters of the United States in passing each other. Such regulations are issued by the board under the title "Pilot Rules," two :opies of which, duly signed by the members of the board, are furnished to each vessel, and one copy must at all times be kept posted up in a conspicuous place on such vessels. For the purpose of administering the pilot rules, the waters of the United Staes are divided into three parts, and separate rules are made for each. These three divisions are : ( i ) Atlan- :ic and Pacific coast inland waters, (2) the Great Lakes and 68 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE their connecting and tributary waters as far east as Montre (3) rivers whose waters flow into the Gulf of Mexico, a: their tributaries, and the Red River of the North. Preceding the provision made in the act of 1871, as sui marized above, an act approved April 29, i864 (13 Stat. 1 58), prescribed rules "for preventing collisions on the watt to be followed in the navigation of vessels of the Navy ai of the mercantile marine of the United States." This was modified by a statute, approved March 3, 1885 (23 Sfc L., 438), which adopted the "Revised International Rules ai Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea," to be observ< in the navigation of all public and private vessels of t' United States upon the high seas and in the coast waters < the United States. The act of 1885 was repealed and the a of 1864 limited in its application by an act approved Augu 19, 1890 (26 Stat. L., 320), which prescribed regulations f< preventing collisions at sea to be followed "by all public ar private vessels of the United States upon the high seas ar in all waters connected therewith, navigable by seagoir vessels." The enforcement of this latter statute was postpone by act of February 23, 1895 (28 Stat. L., 680), and did not go into effect until July i, 1897, in accordance wit a proclamation issued by the President on December 31, 189 (29 Stat. L., 885). The rules established by the act of 186 are now limited in their application to "rivers whose watei flow into the Gulf of Mexico and their tributaries and t the Red River of the North," except in the case of vesse propelled by gas, fluid, naptha, or electric motors, which, b the act of January 18, 1897 (29 Stat. L., 489), are subjet to so much of the provisions contained in the above act "rela - ing to lights, fog signals, steering and sailing rules, as tli board of supervising inspectors shall, by their regulation: deem applicable and practicable for their safe navigation." Special provisions as to lights and signals on fishing vessel and steam pilot vessels, serving to modify the act of 1890, ar contained in the acts approved May 28, 1894 (28 Stat. L., 82) ACTIVITIES 69 June 10, 1896 (29 Stat. L., 381), February 19, 1900 (31 Stat. L., 30), and January 19, 1907 (34 Stat. L., 850). The Motor-Boat Act of 1910 also prescribes certain specific rules as to lights, whistles, fog horns, and bells to be observed in the operation of motor-boats to prevent collisions. The most recent legislation on this subject is the act approved May 25, 1914 (38 Stat. L., 381), which authorizes the supervising inspectors and the Supervising Inspector-General to establish rules concerning the lights to be carried by ferry-boats, and by barges and canal-boats when in tow of steam-vessels, and also concerning warning signals on vessels working on wrecks, or engaged in dredging or other submarine work. The authority given to the board of supervising inspectors by the act of 1871 to establish regulations to be observed by vessels in passing each other has been limited by subsequent enactments, so that the full and complete authority of the board now extends only to vessels navigating the "rivers whose waters flow into the Gulf of Mexico and their tribu- taries, and the Red River of the North." Regulations applic- able to vessels navigating the "Great Lakes, and their connect- ing and tributary waters as far east as Montreal" are specifically prescribed in an act of Congress approved Febru- ary 8, 1895 ( 2 & Stat. L., 645), but the board of supervising inspectors is authorized to establish additional regulations which they deem necessary. An act approved June 7, 1897 (30 Stat. L., 96), also prescribes specific rules to be observed by vessels navigating the "inland waters of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts," although the board of supervising inspectors is empowered to establish additional rules not inconsistent with the provisions of the act. 13 13 The act of August 19, 1890, noted above, provides that the rules laid down in that act for vessels upon the high seas shall not ''in- terfere with the operation of a special rule made by local authority relative to the navigation of any harbor, river or inland water." The act of 1897, therefore, declares its provisions to be special rules duly made by local authority. Its general purpose is to as- similate, as far as practicable, the local with the international rules. The division between the high seas and "any harbor, river, or in- 70 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE Determination of Passenger Allowance. The first legisl; tion enacted by Congress looking toward a restriction of tl number of passengers vessels should be permitted to carry w; the act approved February 22, 1847 (9 Stat. L., 127), whi( established a maximum number of passengers, based on tl tonnage of vessels. This act was superseded by an act a proved March 3, 1855 (10 Stat. L., 715), as amended 1 act of July 4, 1864 (13 Stat. L., 390). The basic section < the present law giving the Steamboat-Inspection Service supe vision over the transportation of passengers dates back to t act of 1871, and provides as follows: The inspectors shall state in every certificate of inspecti< granted to steamers carrying passengers, other than ferr boats, the number of passengers of each class that any su steamer has accommodations for, and can carry with pruden and safety. It shall not be lawful to take on board of any steamer greater number of passengers than is stated in the certifies of inspection; and for every violation of this provision t master or owner shall be liable, to any person suing for t same, to forfeit the amount of passage-money and ten dolla for each passenger beyond the number allowed. 14 Under authority of this provision, local inspectors have e elusive jurisdiction in the matter of fixing the number passengers that may be carried on board steamers. Such system, designed to meet varying local conditions and differs types of vessels, however, does not lend itself to a unifoi administration of law. The judgment of all inspectors is r the same; one inspector may err in permitting a steamer land water" is fixed by the Secretary of Commerce under author of an act approved February 19, 1895 ( 2 & Stat. L., 672). 14 By an act of July 9, 1886 (24 Stat. L., 129), as amended by act of February 23, 1901 (31 Stat. L., 800), supervising inspectc are authorized to issue licenses to tow-boats, oyster steamers, a fishing steamers on the Great Lakes and inland waters, to car such persons on board without hire, in addition to their crews, as < necessary to carry on their legitimate business. ACTIVITIES 71 carry more passengers than its capacity justifies, whereas an- other may err in not permitting a steamer to carry as many passengers as might be safely and prudently allowed. If it were practicable to have a uniform and general rule by which passenger allowance could be estimated, it would be most desirable, but under the varying conditions it seems practically impossible to put such a rule into effect. The bureau has repeatedly warned local inspectors in the past that the sole responsibility is theirs, and that they would be held responsible in the event of disaster. There is one factor, however, which tends to control the allowance of passengers, and that is the present requirement in regard to life-boat equipment; for where steamers are boated according to the number of passen- gers carried, they are restricted in their passenger allowance by the extent of their equipment, and consequently cannot carry a larger number of passengers than is justified by their life-boat capacity. The board of inquiry appointed by the Secretary of Com- merce to investigate the sinking of the steamer Eastland in 1915, recommended more strict supervision over the work of local inspectors in determining the passenger allowance of steam-vessels. Congress acted upon this recommendation by passing an act, approved February 14, 1917 (39 Stat. L., 918), which amends the section of the act of 1871, above quoted, by adding the following : They [the local inspectors] shall report their action to the supervising inspector of the district, who may at any time order the number of such passengers decreased, giving his reasons therefor in writing, and thereupon the board of local inspectors shall change the certificate of inspection of such vessel to conform with the decision of the supervising inspec- tor. Whenever the allowance of passengers shall be increased by any board of local inspectors, such increase shall be re- ported to the supervising inspector of the district, together with the reasons therefor, and such increase shall not become effective until the same has been approved in writing by the supervising inspector. 72 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE The act of 1871, as amended by an act approved Ma 28, 1908 (35 Stat. L., 424), charges the master of ever passenger steamer with the duty of keeping a correct com of all the passengers received and delivered from day to da; which count must be open at all times to the inspection of tf local inpectors and officers of the customs; and the aggregai number of passengers must be furnished to inspectors as ofte as called for. A correct list of passengers received and d< livered from day to day, instead of a direct count, is require of the masters of seagoing steamers in the coastwise trade an by the masters of passenger steamers navigating the Gre; Lakes on routes exceeding three hundred miles. Failure c the part of the master of any passenger steamer, through ne^ ligence or design, to keep such a count or list of passenger makes him liable to a fine of one hundred dollars. In additic to this requirement, inspectors and officers of customs withi the several districts, under authority of the act of 1871, whic charges those officers with the duty of enforcing the provisior of the inspection laws against all steamers arriving and d< parting, have for many years counted the passengers boardin vessels under their jurisdiction, especially excursion steamer Because of this division of responsibility, however, made ne< essary by the inadequate personnel of the Steamboat-Inspectic Service, it is possible for steamers upon which passengei ought to be counted to escape observation. The Secretar of Commerce and the Supervising Inspector-General ha^ often emphasized the advantages in the way of efficient open tion and supervision to be gained by increasing the personn of the service sufficiently to justify imposing all of this wor upon the local inspectors, but this has not been done. Tl: bureau instituted a system in 1913 whereby the counts c passengers made by inspectors and customs officers are r< ported to the central office. Such reports are carefullly exan ined, and whenever it appears that there is any overloading an immediate investigation is made. In the case of excursion steamers, the act of 1871 authorize ACTIVITIES 73 the local inspectors to issue special permits in writing, for each occasion, in which should be stated the additional number of passengers that could be carried with safety. The local inspectors were also empowered to limit, in their discretion, the route and distance for such excursions. The only amend- ment or modification made in regard to the issue of such permits by local inspectors since 1871 is that contained in the act of February 14, 1917 (39 Stat. L., 918), which provides that the issuance of such special permits shall be reported by the board of local inspectors to the supervising inspector of the district, and shall not be effective until approved by the supervising inspector. Attention is called to the fact that under the existing laws, vessels other than steamers are not subject to restriction in the number of passengers. Recommendations looking toward an amendment to the present laws extending the authority of inspectors in determining passenger allowance to include all private vessels of the United States have been made from time to time by the Supervising Inspector-General, but no action has been taken to remedy this condition, which has be- come dangerous due to the rapid increase in the use of motor- boats. Inspection of Passenger Accomodations. As previously noted, the local inspectors must satisfy themselves, before granting to the owner or master of a vessel a certificate of inspection, that such vessel has "suitable accommodations for passengers and the crew." The first legislation looking toward the comfort and convenience of passengers on steam-vessels, as well as their safety, was the act of March 3, 1855 (10 Stat. L., 715) which charged the owners of vessels with the duty of providing suitable sleeping quarters, ventilation, food and water, and other essentials for the comfort of pas- sengers. "The Passenger Act, 1882" (22 Stat. L., 186), as amended by the acts of February 9, 1905 (33 Stat. L., 711) and 74 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE December 19, 1908 (35 Stat. L., 583), regulates in detail the conditions that must be met by vessels entering port with steer age passengers (defined in the act as "all passengers excep cabin passengers") from a foreign country. These condi tions cover such matters as sleeping accommodations, ventila tion, toilet facilities, food, hospital accommodations, discipline and cleanliness. In respect to the enforcement of these pro visions the law provides : That the collector of customs of the collection district withii which, or the surveyor of the port at which, any such steam ship or other vessel arrives, shall direct an inspector or othe officer of the customs to make an examination of the vessel and to admeasure the compartments or spaces occupied fr the emigrant passengers, or passengers other than cabin pas sengers, during the voyage; and such measurement shall b made in the manner provided by law for admeasuring vessel for tonnage; and to compare the number of such passenger found on board with the list of such passengers furnished b; the master to the customs officer; and the said inspector o other officer shall make a report to the aforesaid collector o surveyor, stating the port of departure, the time of sailing the length of the voyage, the ventilation, the number of sue! passengers on board the vessel and their native country, res pectively; the cubic quantity of each compartment or space and the number of berths and passengers in each space, th kind and quality of the food furnished to such passenger on the voyage; the number of deaths, and the age and se: of those who died during the voyage, and of what disease and in case there was any unusual sickness or mortality durin: the voyage, to report whether the same was caused by an neglect or violation of the provisions of this act, or by th want of proper care against disease by the masters or owner of the vessel; and the said reports shall be forwarded to th Secretary of Commerce at such times and in such manner a he shall direct. While the duty of enforcing this act is expressly impose upon the customs officers, yet the inspectors of the Steamboai Inspection Service may quite properly enforce its provisior through their general authority to see that all vessels subjec ACTIVITIES 75 to their inspection have suitable accommodations for their pas- sengers. Regulation of the Transportation of Dangerous Articles. One of the most important activities of the Steamboat-Inspec- tion Service is the issuance of licenses permitting passenger vessels, after meeting certain requirements, to carry dangerous and easily combustible or inflammable articles an activity first authorized by the act of 1852. The inspection and navigation laws at present in force contain a large number of provisions having for their purpose the regulation of the transportation of such articles on board steam-vessels carrying passengers. Following the act of 1852, the next important legislation concerning the transportation of explosives was an act ap- proved July 3, 1866 (14 Stat. L., 81), which is in force at the present time. By the terms of this act, it is made unlawful to transport, carry or convey, ship, deliver on board, or cause to be delivered on board, nitro-glycerine upon or in any vessel or vehicle used or employed in transporting passengers by land or water between a place in any foreign country, and a place within the limits of any State, territory, or district of the United States, and a place in any other State, territory, or district thereof. Rules to be observed in packing and mark- ing nitro-glycerine for shipment on vessels not carrying pas- sengers are also prescribed by this act. The delivery of ship- ments of inflammable materials on vessels, other than those used in rivers or inland navigation, must be accompanied by a note in writing, expressing the nature and character of such merchandise, to the master, mate, officer, or person in charge of the loading of the vessel. Any person violating the pro- visions of this act is made liable to a penalty of one thou- sand dollars. The act of 1871 also contained important provisions reg- ulating the transportation of dangerous articles on passenger vessels which are now in force. The rules prescribed for the transportation of gunpowder are as follows: 76 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE Upon the application of any master or owner of any stean vessel employed in the carriage of passengers, for a license t< carry gunpowder, the local inspectors shall examine such vessel and if they find that she is provided with a chest or saf< composed of metal, or entirely lined and sheathed therewith or if the vessel has one or more compartments thorough!} lined and sheathed with metal, at a secure distance from am fire, they may grant a certificate to that effect, authorizing such vessel to carry as freight within such chest, safes, o compartments the articles of gunpowder, which certificate shal be kept conspicuously posted on board such vessel. The local inspectors are required to keep a record of sucl certificates or permits. Whenever any passenger steam-vesse receives or carries any gunpowder on board, not having ; certificate authorizing the same, placed and kept as required or shall carry any gunpowder at a place or in a manner no authorized by such certificate, such steam-vessel is liable to ; penalty of $100 for each offense. Shipments of gunpowde: as well as other explosive or easily combustible articles, mus be securely packed and plainly marked, and failure to mee these requirements is punishable by a fine not exceeding twc thousand dollars, or imprisonment not exceeding eighteei months, or both. Additional provisions were included in the act of 1871 en- larging the scope of this activity of the Steamboat-Inspectior Service, such as the following: No loose hay, loose cotton, or loose hemp, camphene, nitro- glycerine, naphtha, benzine, benzole, coal oil, crude or refinec petroleum, or other like explosive burning fluids, or like dangerous articles, shall be carried as freight or used as stores on any steamer carrying passengers; nor shall baled cotton or hemp be carried on such steamers unless the bales are com- pactly pressed and thoroughly covered and secured in such manner as shall be prescribed by the regulations established by the board of supervising inspectors with the approval of the Secretary of the Treasury [now the Secretary of Commerce] ; nor shall gunpowder be carried on any such vessel except under special license; nor shall oil of vitriol, nitric or other ACTIVITIES 77 chemical acids be carried on such steamers except on the decks or guards thereof or in such other safe part of the vessel as shall be prescribed by the inspectors. The manner in which such dangerous or easily combustible materials should be packed for shipment was prescribed and failure to pack articles in the mode thus prescribed or delivery of thereof to any steam-vessel, unless so packed and marked, was made punishable by a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars, or imprisonment not exceeding eighteen months, or both, and the said articles were made subject to seizure and forefeiture. Regulations were also imposed in the act of 1871, as amended by the act of February 27, 1877 (19 Stat. L., 252), concerning the carriage of refined petroleum, oil or spirits of turpentine, and friction matches, on passenger steamers. The act of 1871 gave authority to the Secretary of the Treasury (later transferred to the Secretary of Commerce) to grant permission to the owner of any steam-vessel, "to use any invention or process for the utilization of petroleum or other mineral oils or substances in the production of motive power," and the Secretary was empowered to make and en- force regulations concerning the application and use thereof for such purpose. No such permit was to be granted, however, except upon the certificate of the supervising inspector for the district where such vessel was registered, and other satisfac- tory proof that the use of the same was safe and efficient. Upon such proof, and the approval of such certificate by the said Secretary, a special license for the use of such process or invention should issue under the seal of the Treasury De- partment (now under the seal of the Department of Com- merce). The above provision was modified by act of October 18, 1888 (25 Stat. L., 564), which authorized the Secretary to permit the use of petroleum on steamers not carrying pas- sengers, without the certificate of the supervising inspector, subject to such conditions and safeguards as the Secretary in his judgment should provide. Violation of such conditions 78 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE imposed by the Secretary was made punishable by a fine of five hundred dollars. Still another modification was mad* in the regulations by the act of July 17, 1914 (38 Stat. L. 511), which provided for the transportation of excess crude petroleum, of a flashpoint not less than 150 degrees Fahrenheit in the fuel tanks of steamers and its discharge at termina ports when no passengers were on board. Modifications in the regulations dealing with the transporta tion of crude petroleum and the products thereof were foum to be necessary because of the ever increasing use of gasolin< motors and engines. By the act of February 20, 1901 (3 Stat. L., 799), the transportation by steam-vessels of gasolin or any of the products of petroleum, when carried by moto vehicles (automobiles) using the same as a source of motiv power, was permitted under certain restrictions. Furthe modifications have been made by the acts of May 28, 1906 (3, Stat. L., 204), January 24, 1913 (37 Stat. L., 650), an< October 22, 1914 (38 Stat. L., 765), to permit the transporta tion, under rules prescribed by the board of supervising inspec tors, of gasoline and other products of petroleum on steam vessels for use as a source of motive power for the motor boats, launches, and motor-driven life-boats of such vessels or for the operation of engines to supply an auxiliary lightin; and wireless system independent of the vessel's main powe plant. The most recent legislation on this subject is the ac approved March 29, 1918 (40 Stat. L., 499), which provide that kerosene and lubricating oils made from refined product or petroleum which will stand a fire test of not less than thre hundred degrees Fahrenheit may be used as stores on boar steamers carrying passengers, under such regulations as sha be prescribed by the board of supervising inspectors with th approval of the Secretary of Commerce. In a very limited way do the foregoing provisions apply t the transportation of dangerous articles by freight vessel: An act approved May 30, 1908 (35 Stat. L., 554) made : unlawful to transport, carry, or convey liquid nitro-glycerin ACTIVITIES 79 fulminate in bulk in a dry condition, or other like explosive on any vessel engaged in interstate or foreign commerce, and also provided that the contents of packages containing explo- sives or other dangerous articles when presented to such vessels for shipment must be plainly marked on the outside thereof. Recommendations have been made looking toward an exten- sion of the control and jurisdiction of the Steamboat-Inspec- tion Service over the transportation of dangerous articles on steamers that do not carry passengers, of which the following, contained in the annual report of the Supervising Inspector- General for 1914, is typical: While from the commercial standpoint it may be said that there are no passengers on these freight vessels it is neverthe- less a fact that the Government owes a duty of protection to the crews on these vessels. It is also none the less a fact that by the carrying of dangerous articles in a dangerous manner on steamers that are not carrying passengers, the lives of those on passenger-carrying steamers may be jeopar- dized. The authority of the Steamboat-Inspection Service should, therefore, be so extended as to give jurisdiction over the transportation of dangerous articles on non-passenger steamers. This and subsequent recommendations however, have failed to elicit the desired action on the part of Congress. This service is called upon to discharge duties falling in all three of the great branches or divisions of government. In the exercise of its large powers to draft rules and regulations having the force of law, it is acting in a legislative, or quasi- legislative, capacity. In the discharge of its duties, to inquire into the conduct of pilots and officers of vessels and to impose penalties in the way of the suspension or revocation of li- censes, it is acting in much the same way as a judicial body. In the performance of its duties of inspecting vessels and boiler plates it is acting as an administrative body. The effect which this combination of governmental powers, has had upon the organization of the service will be noted in the following chapter. CHAPTER III ORGANIZATION The Steamboat-Inspection Service is organized in three main divisions: (i) General administration, (2) Boiler plate inspection, (3) Inspection service. General Administration. The central office of the Steam- boat-Inspection Service was not organized until the act of 1871, which created the office of Supervising Inspector-Gen- eral. The force employed in the work of general administra- tion is relatively small, owing partly to the fact that all of its work in connection with appointments, accounting and dis- bursing, printing and distribution of publications, purchase of supplies, and provision and care of quarters is taken care of by divisions of the Department of Commerce having in charge these matters for all the bureaus of the department, and partly to the fact that supervision over operations in the field is to a large extent exercised by the supervising inspectors, who constitute a part of the field inspection service. The Supervising Inspector-General is at the head of this division, and of the service as a whole. His powers and duties, as authorized by law, are as follows : There shall be a supervising inspector-general, who shall be appointed from time to time by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall be selected with reference to his fitness and ability to systematize and carry into effect all the provisions of law relating to the steamboat-inspection service, and who shall be entitled to a salary of five thousand dollars a year, and his actual necessary traveling expenses while traveling on official business assigned to him by competent authority, together with his actual and 80 ORGANIZATION 81 reasonable expenses for transportation of instruments, which shall be certified and sworn to under such instructions as shall be given by the Secretary of Commerce. The supervising inspector-general shall, under the direction of the Secretary of Commerce, superintend the administration of the steamboat-inspection laws, preside at the meetings of the board of supervising inspectors, receive all reports of inspectors, receive and examine all accounts of inspectors, re- port fully at stated periods to the Secretary of Commerce upon all matters pertaining to his official duties, and produce a correct and uniform administration of the inspection laws, rules and regulations. 1 In addition to his general powers and duties as thus pre- scribed, the Supervising Inspector-General is authorized to hear appeals from the decisions of the supervising inspectors, and his judgment, when approved by the Secretary of Com-'' merce, is final. The regulations in the "Seamen's Act" of 1915 concerning life-saving appliances authorize the Super- vising Inspector-General to designate an officer before whom tests may be made as to the time necessary for efficiently launching lifeboats. He is also authorized by an act approved May 28, 1908 (35 Stat. L., 424), to convene with the Com- missioner of Lighthouses and the Commissioner of Naviga- tion, acting as a board, at such times as the Secretary of Commerce shall prescribe, "to prepare regulations limiting the length of hawsers between towing vessels and seagoing barges in tow and the length of such tows within any of the inland waters of the United States. . . ." In short, the Supervising Inspector-General is responsible for the general effectiveness, usefulness, and capacity of the service, and for the intelligent direction and management of its affairs. By an act approved July 2, 1918 (40 Stat. L., 739), the Secretary of Commerce was given authority to appoint a 1 Act of February 28, 1871 (16 Stat. L., 440), as amended by act of April 9, 1906 (34 Stat. L., 106), by act of October 22, 1913 (38 Stat. L., 208), and by annual appropriation acts. 82 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE Deputy Supervising Inspector-General "who shall be the chie clerk of the bureau and in the absence of the Supervising In spector-General have power to act in his stead, and who shal be entitled to a salary of $3000 per year. Prior to the pas sage of this act, the appropriations for the central office o the service, beginning with the act of July 7, 1884 (23 Stat L., 159), had provided for a chief clerk in the office of th Supervising Inspector-General, who was given charge of th clerical work of the central office, and general supervision o the clerical work in the service at large. In the absence o the Supervising Inspector-General he became the acting Super vising Inspector-General in charge of the admini strati v direction of the service. Aside from the direction of the cleri cal work, he was also assigned correspondence of the centra office, and legal work incident to the administration of th steamboat inspection laws. The Deputy Supervising In spector-General, as chief clerk of the bureau, continues t perform these duties. Clerical and messenger service for the central office is prc vided for in the annual appropriation acts. The clerks i the central office are engaged, chiefly, in handling the dail correspondence of the service, in mailing publications of th service, and in the examination and filing of the card record forwarded by the local inspectors. With reference to th latter, it should be noted that a card index system was in stalled throughout the service in 1910, whereby inspectors ar frow required, when filing a certificate of inspection or offi cer's license, to forward to the central office immediately, card showing in detail the results of the inspection or examina tion. Thus information relative to the inspection of vessel and the licensing of officers is readily accessible. In the sam year the mailing system of the service was entirely reorgan ized. It had been customary to mail in bulk most of th literature for which the service was responsible to the locc inspectors, who were required to distribute it to all person concerned. In an effort to distribute these important doci: ORGANIZATION 83 ments more expeditiously, and to release the local inspectors from this additional burden, the responsibility for mailing such publications as the General Rules and Regulations, the Annual Report, the List of Licensed Officers, and the Pilot's Rules, was taken over by the central office. Lists containing the names of all persons or corporations needing such docu- ments are now maintained, and the literature is mailed direct. Marine Boiler Plate Inspection. It has been pointed out, in the description of the activities of the Steamboat-Inspection Service that the law requires that no plates shall be used in the construction of marine boilers that have not been inspected and certified to as suitable for such use by inspectors or assis- tant inspectors of the service. By an act approved January 22, 1894 (28 Stat. L., 28), provision was made whereby this work of inspection and certification of boiler plates might be performed at the mills in which these plates are manufactured. No special force was authorized to perform this work, but use could be made of assistant inspectors detailed for that pur- pose. The act expressly provides as follows : And the Supervising Inspector-General may, under the direc- tion of the Secretary of Commerce, detail assistant inspectors from any local inspection district where assistant inspectors are employed, to inspect iron or steel boiler plates at the mills where the same are manufactured; and if the plates are found in accordance with the rules of the supervising inspectors, the assistant inspector shall stamp the same with the initials of his name, followed by the letters and words "U. S. Assis- tant Inspector" ; and material so stamped shall be accepted by the local inspectors in the districts where such material is to be manufactured into marine boilers as being in full com- pliance with the requirements of this section regarding the inspection of boiler plates. . . . In puruance of this authorization, assistant inspectors are detailed to serve as inspectors of boiler plates at cities where such plates are manufactured. The number and location of these assistant inspectors is altered from time to time to meet the needs of the service. At present, assistant inspectors are 84 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE detailed to perform this work at Coatesville (Pa.), Pittsburgh Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Philadelphia. Inspection Service. The inspection service includes a field operations with the exception of steel plate inspectio which, on account of its special character, is treated as separate division. The field service is divided, first, int general districts, each in charge of a supervising inspectoi and secondly, into local districts, each in charge of an ir pector of hulls and an inspector of boilers. As will appea later, the supervising inspectors assemble as a board for cei tain purposes, and the local inspectors of hulls and boilers fo each local district as a local board. Supervising Inspectors. For the immediate supervision o the work of inspection and the performance of other dutie by the local and assistant inspectors, the territory of the Unite States is divided into eleven districts with a supervising in spector in charge of each. These officers, as has already bee: pointed out in describing the history of the service, were firs provided for by the act of August 30, 1852. The method o appointment, compensation, powers and duties of these offi cers are set forth in detail in the act of February 28, 1971 as amended by the acts of February 27, 1877 (19 Stat. L 251), April 9, 1906 (34 Stat. L., 106), May 22, 1912 (3; Stat. L., 116), October 22, 1913 (38 Stat. L., 208), and Jul; 2, 1918 (40 Stat. L., 739) : There shall be eleven supervising inspectors, who shall b appointed by the President, by and with the advise and consen of the Senate. Each of them shall be selected for his knowl edge, skill and practical experience in the uses of steam fo navigation, and shall be a competent judge of the characte and qualities of steam-vessels, and of all parts of the ma chinery employed in steaming. Each supervising inspecto shall be entitled to a salary of three thousand, four hundre< and fifty dollars a year, and his actual necessary traveling expenses while traveling on official business assigned him b; competent authority, together with his actual and reasonabi ORGANIZATION 85 expenses for transportation of instruments, which shall be certified and sworn to under such instructions as shall be given by the Secretary of Commerce. Each supervising inspector shall watch over all parts of the territory assigned to him, shall visit, confer with, and examine into the doings of the local boards of inspectors within his district, and shall instruct them in the proper performance of their duties; and shall, whenever he thinks it expedient, visit any vessels licensed, and examine into their condition for the purpose of ascertaining whether the provisions of this Title [Regulation of Steam-vessels] have been observed and com- plied with, both by the board of inspectors and the masters and owners. All masters, engineers, mates and pilots of such vessels shall answer all reasonable inquiries, and shall give all the information in their power in regard to any such vessel so visited, and her machinery for steaming, and the manner of managing both. Whenever a supervising inspector ascertains to his satis- faction that any master, mate, engineer, pilot, or owner of any steam-vessel fails to perform his duties according to the provisions of this Title, he shall report the facts in writing to the board of local inspectors in the district where the vessel was inspected or belongs; and if need be, he shall cause the negligent or offending party to be prosecuted; and if the supervising inspector has good reason to believe there has been, through negligence or any other cause, a failure of the board which inspected the vessel to do its duty, he shall report the facts in writing to the Secretary of Commerce; who shall cause immediate, investigation into the truth of the complaint, and, if he deems the cause sufficient, shall remove any officer found delinquent. The supervising inspectors shall see that the several boards of local inspectors within their respective districts execute their duties faithfully, promptly, and, as far as possible, uni- formly in all places, by following out the provisions of this Title according to the true intent and meaning thereof; and they shall, as far as practicable, harmonize differences of opinion existing in different local boards. The supervising inspector shall visit any collection district in which there is at any time no board of inspectors, and within which steam-vessels are owned or employed. Each supervis- ing inspector shall have full power in any such district, or in any district where, from distance or other cause, it is incon- 86 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE venient to resort to the local board, to inspect any steam vessel and the boilers of such steamer, and to grant certificate; of approval, and to do and perform all the duties imposec upon local boards. Each supervising inspector shall report, in writing, at th end of each fiscal year to the Supervising Inspector-General the general business transacted in his district during the year embracing all violations of the laws regulating vessels, am the action taken in relation to the same; all investigation and decisions by local inspectors; and all cases of appeal an( the result thereof. , . . Under the act of June 10, 1918 (40 Stat. L., 602), super vising inspectors are authorized to hear appeals from the de cisions of local inspectors within their respective districts, an< also to decide cases in which there is disagreement betweei the members of the local boards. In all cases an appeal lie to the Supervising Inspector-General. It will be observed from the foregoing that the duties o the supervising inspectors are, to a large extent, those of a] administrative or supervisory character, although where oc casion requires they are authorized to perform the actua work of the inspection of vessels. They serve to decentral ize supervision and control over the work of the local in spectors, and largely obviate the necessity for a general in spection service or other means for exercising central super vision over the work of the field service. Criticism has been directed, from time to time, against th method of appointment of supervising inspectors. It has bee argued that these officers should be kept free from politics influence by placing them under the classified civil service Such action was urgently recommended by the Supervisin Inspector-General in his annual report for 1919, where h pointed out that, quite generally, the supervising inspector are men who have been promoted from the position of locc inspector, which office is under the civil service rules, and cor sequently should be given the same protection which the had before their promotion. ORGANIZATION 87 The following is the division, made by the board of super- vising inspectors, of territory embraced in the eleven super- vising-inspection districts : Ftirst District embraces all the waters of the United States west of the Rocky Mountains and south of a line drawn east from Cape Disappointment to the intersection of the forty- seventh parallel of north latitude and longitude 112 30' west, and the Hawaiian Islands. Second District embraces all the waters of Long Island Sound west of the Connecticut River and the tributaries thereto, that portion of Long Island lying west of Riverhead, and the waters of the Atlantic Coast, rivers, and tributaries from Long Island to Cape Charles. Third District embraces the waters of the Atlantic coast, rivers and tributaries between Cape Charles and Cape Sable. Fourth District embraces the Mississippi River and tribu- taries from above Greenfield Mo., to the head of navigation on the Missouri River, and to the head of navigation on the Illinois River. Fifth District embraces the waters of the Atlantic coast, rivers and tributaries from the eastern boundary of the United States to and including the Connecticut River, and that portion of Long Island east of and including Riverhead. Sixth District embraces the Ohio River and tributaries up to and including Carrollton, Ky., and the Mississippi River and tributaries from Greenville, Miss., up to and including Green- field, Mo. Seventh District embraces the Ohio River and tributaries above Carrollton, Ky. Eighth District embraces all the waters of the Great Lakes north and west of Lake Erie with their tributaries. Ninth District embraces all the waters of the River St. Lawrence, Lakes Erie, Ontario, and Champlain, and their tributaries. Tenth District embraces the coast and tributary waters of the Gulf of Mexico, between Cape Sable and the mouth of the Rio Grande, and the Mississippi River and tributaries to Greenfield, Miss., and Porto Rico. Eleventh District embraces all the waters in the States of Washington, Idaho, and Montana north of a line drawn east from Cape Disappointment to the intersection of the forty- 88 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE seventh parallel of north latitude and longitude 112 30' west, and also all United States waters in the territory of Alaska. Board of Supervising Inspectors. Provision was made in the act of 1871 for a joint meeting of the supervising in- spectors at least once in every year, to act as an administra- tive board in the formulation of general rules and regulations to govern the officers of the service in the performance of their duties and to prescribe in detail the conditions that must be observed by vessels and their owners and operators sub- ject to the steamboat inspection laws. The powers and duties of this board are too numerous to be noted here, and they have already received sufficient detailed attention in the descrip- tion of the activities of the service. The provisions of law authorizing the organization of the board and outlining in general its powers and duties are as follows : The supervising inspectors and the Supervising Inspector- General shall assemble as a board once in each year at the city of Washington, District of Columbia, on the third Wednes- day in January, and at such other times as the Scretary of Commerce shall prescribe, for joint consultation, and shall assign to each of the supervising inspectors the limits of ter- ritory in which he shall perform his duties. The board shall establish all necessary regulations to carry out in the most effective manner the provisions of this title and also regula- tions, prohibiting useless and unnecessary whistling, and such regulations, when approved by the Secretary of Commerce, shall have the force of law. . . . The board shall examine into all the acts of each super- vising inspector and local board, and all complaints made against same, in relation to the performance of their duties under the law, and the judgment of the board in each case shall be entered upon their journal; and the board shall, as far as possible, correct mistakes where they exist. By an act approved March 3, 1905 (33 Stat. L., 1902), the work of the board of supervising inspectors was sup- plemented by the following provision: ORGANIZATION 89 That the Secretary of Commerce may at any time call in session, after reasonable public notice, a meeting of an exec- utive committee, to be composed of the Supervising Inspector- General and any two supervising inspectors, which committee, with the approval of the said Secretary, shall have power to alter, amend, add to, or repeal any of the rules and regula- tions made, with the approval of the Secretary of Commerce, by the board of supervising inspectors, either by virtue of this section or under any power granted by this title, or any amend- ments thereof, such alteration, amendment, addition or repeal, when approved by the said Secretary, to have the force of law, and to continue in effect until thirty days after the ad- journment of the next meeting of the board of supervising inspectors. . . . Discussing the work of the board of supervising inspectors and the executive committee in his annual report for 1912, the Supervising Inspector-General said: The usefulness of the Board of Supervising Inspectors be- comes more apparent each year. The supervising inspector not only works for uniform administration of law, but by reason of the existence of the Board of Supervising Inspectors, prompt and effective action can be obtained to relieve condi- tions that are oppressive to licensed officers and to ..th^ gen- eral interests of the merchant marine. The provision 'of law that permits the calling of an excutive committee has proved most beneficial and valuable, for by this instrument immediate results can be obtained without waiting for the annual meet- ing of the Board of Supervising Inspectors. Inspectors of Hulls and Boilers. The actual work of in- specting hulls, equipment and boilers of steam-vessels is per- formed by officers known as inspectors of hulls and inspec- tors of boilers. The law provides that there shall be one inspector of hulls and one inspector of boilers in each of the collection (customs) districts and ports enumerated below, and shall receive the compensation indicated (Act of July 2, 1918; 40 Stat. L., 740) : 90 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE Collection Districts Salary Philadelphia, Pa. $2,700 San Francisco, Cal. 2,700 New London, Conn. 2,100 Baltimore, Md. 2,700 Detroit, Mich. 2,350 Chicago, 111. 2,500 Bangor, Maine 2,100 New Haven, Conn. 2,100 Michigan, Mich. 2,500 Milwaukee, Wis. 2,500 Puget Sound, Wash. 2,700 Savannah, Georgia. 2,100 Apalachicola, Fla. 2,100 Oswego, New York. 2,350 Charleston, S. C. 2,100 Duluth, Minn. 2,500 Superior, Mich. 2,100 Pittsburgh, Pa. 2,100 Galveston, Tex. 2,100 Mobile, Ala. 2,350 Providence, R. I. 2,500 Willamette, Ore. 2,350 Ports New York, N. Y. 2,950 Jacksonville, Fla. 2,100 Tampa, Fla. 2,100 Portland, Me. 2,500 Boston, Mass. 2,700 Buffalo, N. Y. 2,700 Cleveland, Ohio 2,500 Toledo, Ohio. 2,100 Norfolk, Va. 2,500 Evansville, Ind. 2,100 Dubuque, la. 2,100 Louisville, Ky. 2,100 Albany, N. Y. 2,500 Cincinnati, Ohio 2,100 Memphis, Tenn. 2,100 Nashville, Tenn. 2,100 St. Louis, Mo. 2,350 Port Huron, Mich. 2,350 New Orleans, La. 2,700 Los Angeles, Cal. 2,500 Juneau, Alaska. 2,500 St. Michael, Alaska. 2,500 Point Pleasant, West Va. 2,100 Burlington, Vermont. 2,100 Honolulu, Hawaii. 2,500 San Juan, Porto Rico. 2 '5 ORGANIZATION 91 The law makes careful provision that the persons appointed to these positions shall be technically and morally qualified to discharge the duties of their office. It thus provides : The inspector of hulls shall be a person of good character and suitable qualifications and attainments to perform the services required of an inspector of hulls, who from his prac- tical knowledge of shipbuilding and navigation and the uses of steam in navigation is fully competent to make a reliable estimate of the strength, seaworthiness, and other qualities of the hulls of vessels and their equipment deemed essential to safety of life in their navigation; and the inspector of boilerf shall be a person of good character and suitable qualifications and attainments to perform the services required of an inspec- tor of boilers, who from his knowledge and experience of the duties of an engineer employed in navigating vessels by steam, and also of the construction and use of boilers, and machinery and appurtenances therewith connected, is able to form a reliable opinion of the strength, form, workmanship, and suitableness of boilers and machinery to be employed, without hazard to life from imperfection in the material, work- manship, or arrangement of any part of such apparatus for steaming. . . . No person interested, either directly or indirectly in any patented article required to be used on any steamer by this Title [Regulation of Steam- vessels], or who is a member of any association of owners, masters, engineers, or pilots of steamboats, or who is, directly or indirectly, pecuniarily in- terested in any steam-vessel, or who has not the qualifications and acquirements prescribed by this Title, or who is intemperate in his habits, shall be eligible to hold the office of either super- vising, local, or assistant inspector, or to discharge the duties thereof; and if any such person shall attempt to exercise the functions of the office of either inspector he shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of five hundred dollars, and shall be dismissed from office. 2 The appointment of local inspectors has been subject to the civil service rules, since the issue of an Executive order 2 Act of February 28, 1871, as amended by the act of February 27, 1877 (19 Stat. L., 251), and Executive order issued March 2, 1896. 92 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE so directing, dated March 2, i896. 3 Prior to that date, they were appointed, from 1838 to 1852, by the United States dis- trict judges and, from 1852 to 1896, by a commission con- sisting of the collector of the district or other chief officer of customs, the supervising inspector in charge of the dis- trict, and the judge of the United States district court. Boards of Local Inspectors. In addition to the perform- ance of their duties as inspectors of hulls and boilers, the law provides that "the inspector of hulls and the inspector of boilers designated by the Secretary of Commerce shall, from the date of designation, constitute a board of local inspec- tors/' The duties imposed by law upon the local inspectors acting as a board relate to: (i) the licensing of officers and pilots; (2) the conduct of inquiries in respect to the mis- conduct or incompetency of such officers, and the revocation of their licenses if the facts justify such action; (3) the examination and certification of able seamen and lifeboat men; and (4) the issuance of certificates of inspection to the owners or masters of vessels and the revocation of same in case of violation of the inspection laws. The manner in which these duties are performed has been fully set forth in describing the activities of the service. Assistant Inspectors and Clerks. In addition to the inspec- tor of hulls and the inspector of boilers, the Secretary of Commerce may appoint, in districts or ports where the volume of work requires them, assistant inspectors and a clerk to 3 There seems to have been some doubt as to whether the section of the act of 1852 prescribing the method of filling vacancies in the Steamboat-Inspection Service was repealed by the passage of the Civil Service Act, approved January 16, 1883 (22 Stat. L., 403). An opinion rendered by the United States Attorney General in 1896 (21 Op. Atty.-Gen., 393) held that the appointing board provided for in the act of 1852 could not act as a board of examiners unless the members of such board were selected and appointed as such board of examiners under the civil service rule which authorizes the Civil Service Commissioners to "appoint from persons in the government service such boards of examiners as it may deem necessary." Hence the necessity for the issue of an executive order in 1896 expressly placing such offices under the classified civil service. ORGANIZATION 93 the board of local inspectors to receive compensation as follows: (Act of July 2, 1918; 40 Stat. L., 739) Assistant Inspector Port of New York, N. Y. $2,500 Port of New Orleans, La. 2,350 District of Philadelphia, Pa. 2,350 District of Baltimore, Md. 2,350 Port of Boston, Mass. 2,350 Port of Providence, R. I. 2,350 District of San Francisco, Cal. 2,350 All other districts and ports. 2,100 Clerk All districts and ports (not exceeding) 1,500 The assistant inspectors thus provided for are required to perform such duties of actual inspection as may be assigned to them under the direction, supervision, and control of the local inspectors. An important feature in respect to the duties of the assistant inspectors is that they may be detailed from one port to another as the needs of the service require. The provision of law in respect to this matter is as follows: The Secretary of Commerce may from time to time detail said assistant inspectors of one port or district for service in any other port or district as the needs of the Steamboat-In- spection Service may, in his discretion, require, and the actual necessary travelling expenses of assistant inspectors so detailed, while travelling on official business assigned them by competent authority shall, subject to such limitations as the said Secretary may in his discretion prescribe, be paid in the same manner as provided in this section for inspectors. Attention has already been called to the fact that the law authorizes the detail of such number of these assistant in- spectors, as may be required, for service at mills manufactur- ing plates for use in constructing marine boilers. At those ports where it is necessary to have assistant inspectors the time of the local inspectors is usually consumed in office work, such as conducting trials and investigations, examining appli- cants for license, and the like. The assistant inspectors, in 94 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE such ports or districts, do the actual work of inspection, bui do not have authority to perform such duties as those of the local inspectors in signing certificates of inspection, conduct- ing examinations, etc. Traveling Inspectors,. The statement was made earlier ir this chapter that the administrative and supervisory charactei of the duties imposed by law upon the eleven supervising in- spectors served to decentralize the work of the service anc to make unnecessary any agency or organization to exe r cis< general supervision over the work of the service in the field On the other hand, it will be recalled that one of the duties of the Supervising Inspector-General is to obtain uniforrr. administration of the inspection laws. This officer, however was not given any effective means with which to enforce such uniform administration throughout the service in the field until the appropriation act of July 16, 1914 (38 Stat. L. 454), which provided for a traveling inspector at a salary of $2500 per annum. 4 The duties of this officer were nol defined in the act, but following his appointment in Novem- ber, 1914, he was engaged in inspecting vessels and examin- ing licenses of officers in all parts of the country, reporting deficiencies found to the central office. It was soon recog- nized that such an officer could be of great service in check- ing up on the work of the local inspectors and ordering errors and deficiencies thus discovered to be rectified, and in his annual report for 1915, the Supervising Inspector-General characterized the efforts of the travelling inspector as con- 4 The establishment of this office was the direct result of the fol- lowing recommendation made by the Supervising Inspector-General in his annual report for 1913: "The supervising inspectors of steam-vessels do considerable traveling in their districts, with a view to obtaining uniform ad- ministration of law therein, but the office of the Supervising Inspec- tor-General should have two traveling inspectors, who, working under the direction of that office, could do excellent work in making rein- spections, and the Supervising Inspector-General would thereby be in closer and more intelligent touch with both the local inspectors and the supervising inspectors. This is the custom in other depart- ments and in private services, and is fully justified by the results." ORGANIZATION 95 stituting "a most important means of obtaining uniform ad- ministration and improving the work of the Service." The number of these traveling inspectors was increased to two by the appropriation act of May 10, 1916 (39 Stat. L., 66), and to three by the deficiency appropriation act of November 4, 1918 (40 Stat. L., 1020). The office of trav- eling inspector was given a permanent statutory basis by the act of July 2, 1918 (40 Stat. L., 739), which provides as follows : The Secretary of Commerce may appoint not exceeding four traveling inspectors, when in his judgment they are necessary for the improvement of the service, each of whom shall be entitled to a salary of $3,000 a year and his actual necessary traveling expenses while traveling on official busi- ness. Accordingly the number of traveling inspectors was in- creased to four by the appropriation act of May i, 1919 (40 Stat. L., 1213). Describing the work of these officers and the benefits to be derived therefrom, the Supervising Inspec- tor-General in his annual report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1919, commented as follows: It is more than necessary at this time with the expansion of the American merchant marine to see that absolutely uni- form results shall be obtained, and there is no arm of the service that the Supervising Inspector-General may use with more effectiveness than these four traveling inspectors, whose work it is to travel among the different districts, to board ships in all parts of the country, and to call at the offices of the local inspectors with a view to following up further the complaints made to the central office and which have been previously followed up by the local inspectors and by the supervising inspectors. I cannot speak too highly of the effi- ciency which must come to the service by the proper use of this valuable corps of traveling inspectors, and you may be assured that they are being used in the most effective manner, to the end that the high standard already reached by the 96 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE Steamboat-Inspection Service may not only be maintain but that that standard may be raised still higher. Conclusion. It should be noted that the organization this service presents certain features which deserve spec consideration. The service has, in effect, a dual form of ganization the officers of the service, from the Supervisi Inspector-General to the supervising inspectors and the lo inspectors, acting in two capacities as individuals, w specific duties of an administrative character, and as memb of boards with quasi-legislative and judicial functions, individuals the local inspectors perform the work of inspe ing the hulls, boilers, and equipment of vessels ; as local boai they examine and license pilots and officers of vessels, quire into alleged acts of incompetence and misconduct the part of such officers and suspend or revoke their licet when the facts warrant. As individuals the supervising : spectors exercise supervision and direction over the work the local inspectors, and, if occasion requires, they themseh discharge the duties of such officers; as a board they ex< cise delegated quasi-legislative powers through the formu tion or rules and regulations having the force of law. , an individual, the Supervising Inspector-General exercises general direction over the administration of the service, a performs a measure of quasi- judicial work in hearing appe; from decisions of local and supervising inspectors ; as a mei ber of the board of supervising inspectors he takes part the quasi-legislative work of that body. The administrative control of the service is entirely und the Supervising Inspector-General, but the regulations go erning the equipment of vessels are made by the Board Supervising Inspectors, which also divides the country in inspection districts, assigns the several supervising inspecto to the various districts, and makes the administrative rul for the government of the field force. The powers and fun tions of the Board of Supervising Inspectors cease, howeve ORGANIZATION 97 when the board has promulgated the rules. The interpreta- tion and enforcement of the regulations and the disciplinary control exercised over all employees are entirely under the direction of the Supervising Inspector-General. In the ad- ministration of the work of the Service the Supervising In- spectors are subordinate in all cases to the Supervising In- spector-General. An explanation of the reason for the adoption of this rather unusual scheme of organization and administration is to be found in the manner in which this service was built up. Originally, as pointed out in the history of the service, pro- vision was made merely for local inspectors of hulls and boil- ers in the field. These officers were appointed by the United States district judges, and no provision was made for any administrative supervision over the manner in which they performed their duties. The need for such supervision in time becoming apparent, Congress, by act of August 30, 1852, provided for the division of the country into nine (since in- creased to eleven) districts, and the appointment of a super- vising inspector in charge of each, to whom was assigned the duty of supervising and directing the work of the local inspectors in their respective districts. This act, though systematizing the work to a certain extent, still failed to pro- vide for a real centralized service. It was not until nearly twenty years later, 1871, that further advance in this direction was secured by the act of February 28, of that year, which provided for the appointment of a Super- vising Inspector-General with headquarters at Washing- ton. In making provision for this officer, Congress, however, failed to transfer to him any of the essential powers of the supervising inspectors. He was given no inspection force to aid in producing uniform administration, and the supervis- ing inspectors remained practically independent of his author- ity, being appointed directly by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and not even reporting 98 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE to him, but rather to themselves, sitting as a boar During recent years, however, as the result of several a of Congress and of administrative regulations promulga by the Supervising Inspector-General the. administrative c< trol of the force of the service has been centralized in Washington office. Routine matters are disposed of by various field offices, but the Washington office maintains close check on the work of the district and local offices, tal such disciplinary action as may be necessary in cases of negl of duty, and gives instructions regarding the action that sho be taken in any unusual situation that may arise. While files relating to individual transactions are generally kept the district and local offices the Washington office calls . the complete record whenever these papers are necessary : a review of the action of local officers. It is true that neitl the Supervising Inspector-General nor the Secretary of Co merce has summary power to remove or suspend the Sup vising Inspectors, but the situation in this respect does i differ from that in other services such as the Postal Servi the Customs Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and 1 Public Land Service where the principal field officers < appointed by the President. Among the factors that have resulted in greater centrali; tion in administration may be the following: An inspecti force has been placed at the disposal of the Supervising-Insp< tor-General, by the creation of the office of traveling insp< tors; supervising inspectors are now required (act approv May 22, 1912, 37 Stat. L., 116) to make annual reports the end of each fiscal year to the Supervising Inspector-Ge eral, although the board is still authorized to examine th< 5 It is interesting to note that the Supervising Inspector-Gener in his annual reports for 1881 and again in 1897 advocated the abc tion of the board of supervising inspectors, a reduction in the nu: her of supervising inspectors from ten to five, and the establis ment of a mixed commission composed of supervising, local a assistant inspectors to meet and advise the Secretary of the Treasui at his call, as to the needs of the service. ORGANIZATION 99 and correct mistakes where possible; a card index system has been installed throughout the service, thus affording the cen- tral office up-to-date records of the field work of the service; monthly bulletins showing the rulings of the bureau are issued by the central office and sent to all inspectors, customs offi- cers, and most of the steamboat companies and marine-boiler manufacturers in the United States; and the Supervising In- spector-General now has authority to entertain appeals from any decision made by the local or supervising inspectors, and his decision, when approved by the Secretary of Commerce, is final. 6 The Supervising Inspector-General and the Secretary of Commerce have recommended other measures in their recent reports involving direct supervision of the activities of the service by the central office, such as the centralization of ap- proval of hull and boiler construction, and the keeping of complete duplicate records of the work of the field inspection service in the office of the Supervising Inspector-General. The carrying out of such measures, is, of course, dependent upon favorable action by Congress authorizing the change and making appropriations to provide for the necessary additional employees. 6 In commenting upon the effect of some of these changes, the Supervising Inspector-General made the following statement in his annual report for 1911, concerning the card index system recently installed : "It gives me particular pleasure to speak of the effectiveness of the card-index system of licenses issued and vessels inspected by which system local inspectors are required to forward to the central office immediately day by day card reports of licenses issued and vessels inspected, which cards bear the file number of the local office sending them, so that this office is able, by a simple request for a file, indicating same by a number, to obtain all the papers in the case. There have been instances of improper inspection that have been discovered through this system, and if the system dis- covers but one instance for improper inspection during a whole year its existence would be justified, for by maintaining a high standard of inspection lives are saved and property is protected." APPENDIX I OUTLINE OF ORGANIZATION EXPLANATORY NOTE The Outlines of Organization have for their purpose t< make known in detail the organization and personnel pos sessed by the several services of the national government t< which they relate. They have been prepared in accordanc with the plan followed by the President's Commission 01 Economy and Efficiency in the preparation of its outline of the organization of the United States Government, 1 The; differ from those outlines, however, in that whereas the Com mission's report showed only organization units, the pre sentation herein has been carried far enough to show the per sonnel embraced in each organization unit. These outlines are of value not merely as an effective mean: of making known the organization of the several services If kept revised to date by the services, they constitute ex ceedingly important tools of administration. They permi the directing personnel to see at a glance the organization anc personnel at their disposition. They establish definitely th< line of administrative authority and enable each employee tc known his place in the system. They furnish the essentia basis for making plans for determining costs by organizatior division and subdivision. They afford the data for a con- sideration of the problem of classifying and standardizing personnel and compensation. Collectively, they make it pos- sible to determine the number and location of organizatior divisions of any particular kind, as, for example, laborator- 1 House Doc. 458, 62d. Congress, 2nd Session, 1912 2 vols. 100 OUTLINE OF ORGANIZATION ies, libraries, blue-print rooms, or any other kind of plant possessed by the national government, to what services they are attached and where they are located, or to determine what services are maintaining stations at any city or point in the United States. The Institute hopes that upon the comple- tion of the present series, it will be able to prepare a complete classified statement of the technical and other facilities at the disposal of the Government. The present monographs will then furnish the details regarding the organization, equip- ment, and work of the institutions so listed and classified. OUTLINE OF ORGANIZATION STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE June 30, 1921 Annual Organisation Units Number ' Salary Classes of Employees Rate i. General Administration 1. Office of Supervising Inspector-General Supervising Inspector-General i $5,oo( Deputy Supervising Inspector- General i 3,oo( i. Office Force Private Secretary to the Super- vising Inspector-General i Clerk (class 4) i Clerk (class 3) 2 ,6o( Clerk (class 2) i ,4O( Clerk (class i) 2 ,2O( Clerk 2 ,oo< 2 90( Messenger i 4( 2. Boiler Plate Inspection 2 i. Coatesville, Pa. Assistant Inspector of Boilers in Charge i a 2,501 Clerk i b i,oo< 1 Net, or without the temporary "bonus" or additional compensatioi of 60 per cent on classes below $400, of $240 on classes of $400 to $25oc and of an amount necessary to make the total compensation $2740 p: classes of $2500 to $2740. This is subject to minor exceptions in specia cases. 2 Except for the assistant inspectors detailed to Coatesville, Pa., fo steel plate inspection, the inspectors of boiler plates are assigned to tha duty from the office of the board of local inspectors where such inspectio is required. The number so assigned varies, from year to year, at th discretion of the Supervising Inspector-General and according to th needs of the service. a Detailed from the office of the Board of Local Inspectors at NCA York. b Detailed from the Office of the Board of Local Inspectors at Balti more. 102 OUTLINE OF ORGANIZATION 103 2. Pittsburgh, Pa. Assistant Inspector of Boilers in Charge i o 2 50O 3. Chicago, 111. Assistant Inspector of Boilers i d 2,100 4. Cleveland, Ohio. Assistant Inspector of Boilers 2 c 2 100 5. Buffalo, N. Y. Assistant Inspector of Boilers i f 2 100 6. Philadelphia, Pa. Assistant Inspector of Boilers i 2,350 3. Inspection Service 1. Traveling Inspectors 4 1. Washington, D. C. i 3,000 2. San Francisco, Calif. i 3,ooo 3. Cleveland, Ohio i 3,000 2. First Supervising Inspection District, San Francisco, Calif, i. Supervising Inspector i 3,45o 1. San Francisco, Calif. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,700 Assistant Inspector 16 2,350 Clerk i 1,500 i 1,020 4 1,000 2. Honolulu, Hawii Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,500 Clerk i 1,400 3. Los Angeles, Cal. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,500 Assistant Inspector 2 2,100 Clerk I 1,400 4. Portland, Ore. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,350 Assistant Inspector 6 2,100 Clerk i 1,400 i 1,000 3. Second Supervising Inspection District, New York, N. Y. i. Supervising Inspector I 3,45 i. New York, N. Y. c Detailed from the Office of the Board of Local Inspectors at New York. 1 Detailed from the Office of the Board of Local Inspectors at Chicago. ' Detailed from the Office of the Board of Local Inspectors at Cleve- land. f Detailed from the Office of the Board of Local Inspectors at Buffalo. ' Detailed from the Office of the Board of Local Inspectors at Phila- delphia. 4 The Traveling Inspectors maintain headquarters at the cities men- tioned below, but they are continually traveling among the various in- spection districts as directed by the central office of the service. 104 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,950 Assistant Inspectors 40* 2,500 Clerk 3 1,500 2 1,400 2 1,200 4 1,000 3 900 2. Albany, N. Y. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,500 Assistant Inspector 2 2,100 Clerk i 1,320 i i,ooc 3. New Haven, Conn. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,ioc Assistant Inspector 2 2,ioc Clerk i i,ooc 4. Philadelphia, Pa. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,700 Assistant Inspector i6 b 2,350 Clerk i 1,500 I I,20C " 2 I,OOC i 900 4. Third Supervising Inspection District, Norfolk, Va. i. Supervising Inspector I 3>45 C 1. Norfolk, Va. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,500 Assistant Inspector 10 2,ioc Clerk i I,SQC i 1,400 i 1,000 2. Baltimore, Md. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,700 Assistant Inspector 10 2,350 Clerk i 1,500 i 1,400 " II ,200 I a 1,000 3. Charleston, S. C. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,100 Clerk i 1,000 4. Jacksonville, Fla. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,100 Clerk i 1,000 5. Savannah, Ga. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,100 * Including Assistant Inspectors detailed for boiler plate inspection at Coatesville, Pa., and Pittsburgh, Pa. b Including Assistant Inspector detailed for boiler plate inspection. a Detailed to the office of the Assistant Inspector in Charge of boiler plate inspection at Coatesville, Pa. OUTLINE OF ORGANIZATION Assistant Inspectors 2 Clerk i 5. Fourth Supervising Inspection District, St. Louis, Mo. I. Supervising Inspector I 1. St. Louis, Mo. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Clerk i 2. Dubuque, Iowa Board of Local Inspectors 2 Clerk i 6. Fifth Supervising Inspection District, Boston, Mass. i. Supervising Inspector i 1. Boston, Mass. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Assistant Inspector 10 Clerk 2> i 2 2. Bangor, Me. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Clerk i 3. New London, Conn. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Assistant Inspector 2 Clerk i 4. Portland, Me. Board of Local Inspectors Assistant Inspector Clerk 5. Providence, R. I. Board of Local Inspectors Assistant Inspector Clerk Sixth Supervising Inspection District, Louisville, Ky. i. Supervising Inspector i 1. Louisville, Ky. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Clerk i 2. Evansville, Ind. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Clerk i 3. Memphis, Tenn. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Clerk i 4. Nashville, Tenn. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Clerk I 105 2,100 1,400 3450 2,350 1,200 2,100 1,400 3450 2,700 2,350 1,500 1,200 1,000 1,000 2,IOO 2,100 1,200 I,OOO 2,500 2,IOO 1,320 2,500 2,350 1,400 1,000 3450 2,IOO" 1,500 2, TOO 1,000 2,IOO 1,000 2,100 1,000 io6 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE 8. Seventh Supervising Inspection District, Pittsburgh, Pa. i. Supervising Inspector I 3,45C 1. Pittsburgh, Pa. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,ioc Clerk i i,5oc 2. Cincinnati, Ohio. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,ioc Clerk i i,2oc 3. Point Pleasant, W. Va. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,ioc Clerk i i,2oc 9. Eighth Supervising Inspection District, Detroit, Mich, i. Supervising Inspector i 3,45c 1. Detroit, Mich. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,350 Assistant Inspector 6 2,iO( Clerk i i,5oc 2 9 oc 2. Chicago, 111. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,500 Assistant Inspector 5 a 2,100 Clerk i i,26c i QOC 3. Duluth, Minn. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,500 Assistant Inspector 2 2,ioc Clerk i 1,400 4. Grand Haven, Mich. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,5oc Assistant Inspector 2 2,ioc Clerk i i,4oc 5. Marquette, Mich. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,ioc Clerk i 1,200 6. Milwaukee, Wis. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,500 Assistant Inspector 4 2,ioc Clerk i i,4oc i i,ooc 7. Port Huron, Mich. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,350 Clerk i 1,320 10. Ninth Supervising Inspection District, Cleveland, Ohio. i. Supervising Inspector I 3,450 i. Cleveland, Ohio. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,500 Assistant Inspector io b 2,100 a Including Assistant Inspector assigned to boiler plate inspection. b Including Assistant Inspector detailed for boiler plate inspection. II, OUTLINE OF ORGANIZATION Clerk 2. Buffalo, N. Y. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Assistant Inspector 8 a Clerk i 3. Burlington, Vt. Board of Local Inspectors 2 4. Oswego, N. Y. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Clerk i 5. Toledo, Ohio. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Assistant Inspector 2 Clerk i Tenth Supervising Inspection District, New Orleans, La. i. Supervising Inspector i i. New Orleans, La. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Assistant Inspector 6 Clerk i 2. Apalachicola, Fla. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Clerk i 3. Galveston, Tex. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Clerk i 4. Mobile, Ala. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Clerk i 5. San Juan, P. R. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Clerk i 6. Tampa, Fla. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Clerk i 12. Eleventh Supervising Inspection District, Seattle, Wash, i. Supervising Inspector i i. Seattle, Wash. Board of Local Inspectors 2 Assistant Inspector 16 Clerk 2 2 Including Assistant Inspector detailed for boiler plate inspection. 107 1,400 1,200 I,OOO 2,700 2,100 1,380 1,200 I,OOO 2,IOO 2,350 1,000 2,100 2,IOO I,40O 3450 2,700 2,350 1,500 I,20O 1,000 2,100 1,000 2,100 1,400 2,350 1,400 2,500 1,000 2,IOO 1,000 3,450 2,700 2,100 1,400 1,000 io8 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE i 90 2. Juneau, Alaska. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,50 Clerk i 1,50 3. St. Michael, Alaska. Board of Local Inspectors 2 2,50* Clerk i i,SO' APPENDIX 2 CLASSIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES EXPLANATORY NOTE The Classifications of Activities have for their purpose to list and classify in all practicable detail the specific activi- ties engaged in by the several services of the National Gov- ernment. Such statements are of value from a number of standpoints. They furnish, in the first place, the most effec- tive showing that can be made in brief compass of the char- acter of the work performed by the service to which they relate. Secondly, they lay the basis for a system of account- ing and reporting that will permit the showing of total ex- penditures classified according to activities. Finally, taken collectively, they make possible the preparation of a general or consolidated statement of the activities of the Government as a whole. Such a statement will reveal in detail, not only what the Government is doing, but the services in which the work is being performed. For example, one class of acti- vities that would probably appear in such a classification is that of "scientific research." A subhead under this class would be ' 'chemical research." Under this head would appear the specific lines of investigation under way and the services in which they were being prosecuted. It is hardly necessary to point out the value of such information in planning for future work and in considering the problem of the better dis- tribution and coordination of the work of the Government. The Institute contemplates attempting such a general listing and classification of the activities of the Government upon the completion of the present series. 109 no STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE CLASSIFICATION OF ACTIVITIES 1. Inspection 1. Inspection of vessels 1. Inspection of hulls 2. Inspection of boilers 3. Inspection of equipment 4. Issuance of certificates of inspection 5. Reinspection of vessels 2. Inspection and approval of boiler plates 3. Inspection and approval of equipment 4. Inspection for other departments 2. Examination, licensing, and classification of marin officers 3. Examination and certification of seamen and life-boc men 4. Determination of ships' complement and accomodc tions therefor 5. Conduct of investigations of marine casualties and vie lations of the inspection laws i. Suspension and revocation of certificates and license 6. Establishment of regulations to prevent collisions 7. Regulation of marine transportation 1. Passengers 1. Determination of ship's passenger allowance i. Issuance of special permits to excursio steamers 2. Inspection of passenger accommodations 2. Merchandise 1. Administration of laws concerning shipmer of dangerous articles 2. Issuance of special permits to vessels carryin explosives APPENDIX 3 PUBLICATIONS Annual Report. The annual report gives general informa- tion regarding the work of the service during the fiscal year to which it relates. In addition it contains a brief financial statement, recommendations for the improvement and effi- ciency of the service, and an appendix devoted to general statistical data relating to the work of the service. Laws Governing the Steamboat-Inspection Service. This publication is issued from time to time, as important amend- ments are made to the inspection laws, in accordance with R. S. Section 4494, which provides that "every master or commander of any steam- vessel carrying passengers shall keep on board of such vessel at least two copies of the pro- visions of this Title (Title LII Regulation of Steam Ves- sels) to be furnished to him by the Secretary of Commerce; and if the master or commander neglects or refuses to do so, or shall unreasonably refuse to exhibit a copy of the same to any passenger who asks for it he shall be liable to a penalty of twenty dollars." Steamboat-Inspection Service Bulletin. This bulletin, is- sued monthly, contains the rulings of the central office con- cerning the administration or the inspection laws and the rules and regulations made in pursuance thereof, and is dis- tributed to inspectors, customs officers, steamboat companies, and marine-boiler manufacturers. General Rules and Regulations of the Board of Supervis- ing Inspectors. The general Rules and Regulations pre- iii ii2 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE scribed by the Board of Supervising Inspectors are divide into four books, namely, (i) Ocean and coastwise, (2) Grec Lakes, (3) Bays, sounds, and lakes other than the Grec Lakes, and (4) Rivers. Revised editions of the rules an regulations are issued following the annual meeting of th board, and are furnished to all inspectors of the service a well as other concerned. Such rules and regulations, whe: approved by the Secretary of Commerce, have the force o law and must be observed accordingly. Amendments and Supplements to General Rules and Reg ulations. Important changes or additions made in the rule and regulations governing the service made by the board o supervising inspectors at special meetings called during th< year by the Secretary of Commerce, or by the executive com mittee of the said board, are distributed in the form of sup plements until incorporated in a revised edition of the Genera Rules and Regulations. Pilot Rules. Rules prescribed by the board of supervising inspectors to be observed by vessels in passing each othei are divided into three books, namely, ( i ) for the Great Lake; and Their Connecting and Tributary Waters as far East a< Montreal, (2) for Certain Inland Waters of the Atlantic anc Pacific Coasts and of the Coast of the Gulf of Mexico, anc (3) for the Rivers whose Waters Flow into the Gulf oi Mexico and Their Tributaries and for the Red River of the North. Revised editions are published from time to time as important amendments or additions are made to such rules. List of Officers of Merchant, Steam, Motor, and Sail Ves- sels Licensed During the Year. Each year, for the informa- tion of inspectors and others concerned, the central office of the service issues a list of all marine officers licensed by local boards of inspectors during the past fiscal year. APPENDIX 4 LAWS (A) INDEX TO LAWS Creation Present Service established 16 Stat. L., 440 Personnel Positions established Supervising Inspector-General 40 Stat. L., 739 Deputy Supervising Inspector-General 40 Stat. L., 740 Traveling Inspector 40 Stat. L., 741 Supervising Inspectors 40 Stat. L., 740 Board of 33 Stat. L., 1022 Inspector of Hulls 4 Stat. L., 740 Inspector of Boilers 40 Stat. L., 740 Assistant Inspector 4 Stat. L., 741 Clerk of Local Board 40 Stat. L., 741 Method of Appointment of Supervising Inspector-General 4 Stat. L., 739 Deputy Supervising Inspector-General 40 Stat. L., 740 Traveling Inspector 4 Stat. L., 74i a Supervising Inspector 4 Stat. L., 740 Inspector of Hulls 4 Stat. L., 74o a Inspector of Boilers 4 Stat. L., 740 a Assistant Inspector 4 Stat. L., 74i a Clerks of Local Boards 4 Stat. L., 74i a Qualifications of Supervising Inspector-General 4 Stat. L., 739 Supervising Inspector 40 Stat. L., 740 Inspector of Hulls 33 Stat. L., 1028 Inspector of Boilers 33 Stat. L., 1029 'Act of January 16, 1883, (Civil Service Act) was expressly made ap- plicable to the appointment of inspectors of hulls and boilers, assistant inspectors, and clerks by executive order issued March 2, 1806. Traveling inspectors are also under the classified civil service. "3 ii 4 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE Duties of Supervising Inspector-General Deputy Supervising Inspector-General Supervising Inspector Board of Inspector of Hulls Inspector of Boilers Salaries of Supervising Inspector-General Deputy Supervising Inspector-General Traveling Inspector Supervising Inspector Inspector of Hulls Inspector of Boilers Assistant Inspector Clerk of Local Board Activities Inspection of Vessels Vessels subject to inspection Inspection of hulls Inspection of boilers Inspection of equipment 16 Stat. L., 45 40 Stat. L., 74 16 Stat. L., 44* 37 Stat. L., ni 33 Stat. L. 1022 34 Stat. L., 88 33 Stat. L. 1023 33 Stat. L. 1027 40 Stat. L., 73 40 Stat. L., 741 40 Stat. L., 74: 40 Stat. L., 74< 40 Stat. L., 74< 40 Stat. L v 74( 40 Stat. L., 74] 40 Stat. L., 74] 16 Stat. L., 455 456 26 Stat. L., i8c 29 Stat. L., 6gc 33 Stat. L. 1023 34 Stat. L., 68 69 34 Stat. L., 194 35 Stat. L., 428 36 Stat. L., 462 41 Stat. L., 305 16 Stat. L., 456 33 Stat. L.. 1023 34 Stat. L., 194 35 Stat. L., 428 16 Stat. L., 431. 452 16 Stat. L., 456 22 Stat. L., 310 33 Stat. L., 1027 34 Stat. L., 194 35 Stat. L., 687 36 Stat. L., 462 16 Stat. L., 440- 458 24 Stat. L., 129 LAWS 115 25 Stat. L., 564 33 Stat. L., 1023 33 Stat. L., 1024, 1025 33 Stat. L., 1028 33 Stat. L., 1031 34 Stat L., 194 34 Stat. L., 797 36 Stat. L., 463 38 Stat. L., 1170, 1185 39 Stat. L., 224 Issuance of Certificate of Inspection 38 Stat. L., 1216, 1218 40 Stat. L., 602 Reinspection of vessels 33 Stat. L., 1023, 1024 Inspection and Approval of Boiler Plates 16 Stat. L., 451, 452 22 Stat. L., 310 28 Stat. L., 28 Examination, Licensing, and Classification of Marine Officers 16 Stat. L., 446, 447 16 Stat. L., 455 23 Stat. L., 53 29 Stat. L., 1 88 30 Stat. L., 764, 765 31 Stat. L., 50 34 Stat. L., 194 34 Stat. L., 897 34 Stat. L., 1411 35 Stat. L., 425 36 Stat. L., 463 38 Stat. L., 699 38 Stat. L., 765 38 Stat. L., 893, 894 40 Stat. L., 602 Examination and Certification of Seamen 38 Stat. L., 1170 Examination and Certification of Life-boat Men 38 Stat. L., 1182 Determination of Ship's Complement and Ac- commodations Therefor 33 Stat. L., 1023 38 Stat. L., 1165, 1166 38 Stat. L., 1169, 1181 ii6 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE 40 Stat. L., 54 550 Conduct of Investigations of Marine Casualties 16 Stat. L., 44; and Violations of the Inspection Laws 449 16 Stat. L., 45< 457 35 Stat. L., 114 37 Stat. L., 78 38 Stat. L., 76 Establishment of Regulations to Prevent Collisions 13 Stat. L., 58, 6 16 Stat. L., 45< 454 26 Stat. L., 320 328 a 26 Stat. L., 425 28 Stat. L., 82, 8 28 Stat. L., 64f 650 28 Stat. L., 68 29 Stat. L., 38 29 Stat. L., 48 29 Stat. L., 69 30 Stat. L., 96 103 31 Stat. L., 30 34 Stat. L., 85. 38 Stat. L., 38 Regulation of Marine Transportation Determination of Ship's Passenger Allowance and Accomodations Therefor 16 Stat. L., 44; 22 Stat. L., I&6- 191 24 Stat. L., i2( 31 Stat. L., 8o'( 33 Stat. L., 71: 35 Stat. L., 42 1 35 Stat. L., 583 584 39 Stat. L., 9i 41 Stat. L., 99* Issuance of Special Permits to Excursion Steamers 24 Stat. L., 125 39 Stat. L., 918 919 Issuance of Special Permits to Vessels carrying Gunpowder 38 Stat. L., 1217 " This act went into effect on July i, 1897, in accordance with a Presi- dential Proclamation issued on Dec. 31, 1896 (29 Stat. L., 885). b This act went into effect on Dec. 15, 1890, in accordance with a Presi- dential Proclamation issued on Nov. 18, 1890 (26 Stat. L., 1561). LAWS 117 Regulations for Carrying Dangerous Articles 14 Stat. L., 81, 82 16 Stat. L., 441, 33 Stat. L., 1031, 1032 34 Stat. L., 204 37 Stat. L., 650 38 Stat. L., 511 38 Stat. L., 766 40 Stat. L., 499 (B) COMPILATION OF LAWS AND REGULATIONS The laws governing the Steamboat-Inspection Service are compiled and published by the Department of Commerce under the title : Department of Commerce: Steamboat-Inspection Service. Laws Governing The Steamboat-Inspection Service. Revised Statutes of the United States as Modified by the Act of Congress Approved March 4, 1913, Establishing the Department of Commerce, and Other Acts of Congress. Washington, Government Printing Office. As the laws, regarding this service are thus readily avail- ible in printed form, and as their content has been summarized in describing the activities of the service, they are not repro- duced here. The regulations of the service are also compiled and pub- ished by the Department of Commerce, under the title : Department of Commerce: Steamboat-Inspection Service Ocean and Coastwise General Rules and Regulations Prescribed by the Board of Supervising Inspectors as Amended at Board Meeting of [anuary, 1920. Edition: May 14, 1920. Washington, Government Printing Office, 1920. Similar compilations are made of the rules and regulations pertaining to the Great Lakes, Rivers, and to Bays, Sounds, ind Lakes other than the Great Lakes. These regulations ii8 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE differ from ordinary administrative regulations in that they relate primarily to the relations of the service to the public and when approved by the Secretary of Commerce, have all the force of law. As these regulations are thus readily available in printed form they are not reproduced here. The provisions of current appropriation acts relating to the service are given below: 1921 Act of March 3, 1921 (41 Stat. L., 1253, 1298) An Act Making appropriations for the legislative, executive, and judicial expenses of the Government for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1922, and for other purposes. * * * * Steamboat-Inspection Service: Supervising Inspector General, $5,000; Deputy Supervising Inspector General, $3,000; private sec- retary, $1,500; clerks one of class four, two of class three, one of class two, two of class one, two at $1,000 each, two at $900 each; messenger; in all, $22,940. Steamboat inspectors: For eleven supervising inspectors, at $3,450 each, $37,950. Inspectors of hulls and inspectors of boilers, as authorized by law $225,900; Assistant inspectors, as authorized by law, for the following ports ; New York, forty at $2,500 each; New Orleans, six at $2,350 each; Baltimore, ten at $2,350 each; Providence, four at $2,350 each; Boston, ten at $2,350 each; Philadelphia, sixteen at $2,350 each; San Francisco, sixteen at $2,350 each; Buffalo, eight at $2,100 each; Cleveland, ten at $2,100 each; Milwaukee, four at $2,100 each; Chicago, five at $2,100 each; Grand Haven, two at $2,100 each; Detroit, six at $2,100 each; Norfolk, ten at $2,100 each; Seattle, sixteen at $2,100 each; Portland (Oregon), six at $2,100 each; Albany (New York), two at $2,100 each; Duluth, two at $2,100 each; Portland (Maine), two at $2,100 each; New London, two at $2,100 each; Los Angeles, two at $2,100 each; New Haven, two at $2,100 each; Savannah, two at $2>,ioo each; Toledo, two at $2,100 each; three traveling inspectors at $3,000 each; $429,000; In all, for inspectors, Steamboat-Inspection Service, $692,850. Clerk hire, service at large: For compensation, not exceeding $1,500 a year to each person, of clerks to boards of steamboat in- spectors, to be appointed by the Secretary of Commerce in accord- ance with the provisions of law, $115,000. Contingent expenses: For fees to witnesses; traveling and other expenses when on official business of the Supervising Inspector General, Deputy Supervising Inspector General, supervising inspec- LAWS 119 tors, traveling inspectors, local and assistant inspectors, and clerks; instruments, furniture, stationery, janitor service, and every other thing necessary to carry into effect the provisions of Title 52, Re- vised Statutes, $160,000. 1921 Act of June 16, 1921 (Public No. 18, 67th Cong.) An Act Making appropriations to supply deficiencies in appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1921, and prior fiscal years, and for other purposes. STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE Contingent expenses: For fees to witnesses; traveling and other expenses when on official business of the Supervising Inspector General, Deputy Supervising Inspector General, supervising inspec- tors, traveling inspectors, local and assistant inspectors, and clerks; instruments, furniture, stationery, janitor service, and every other thing necessary to carry into effect the provisions of Title 52, Re- vised Statutes, $5,000, to continue available during the fiscal year 1922. APPENDIX 5 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS EXPLANATORY NOTE Statements showing appropriations, receipts, expenditures and other financial data for a series of years constitute the most effective single means of exhibiting the growth and development of a service. Due to the fact that Congress has adopted no uniform plan of appropriation for the several ser- vices and that the latter employ no uniform plan in respect to the recording and reporting of their receipts and expenditures, it is impossible to present data of this character according to any standard scheme of presentation. In the case of some services the administrative reports contain tables showing financial conditions and operations of the service in consider- able detail; in others financial data are almost wholly lacking. Careful study has in all cases been made of such data as are available, and the effort has been made to present the results in such a form as will exhibit the financial operations of the services in the most effective way that circumstances permit. Prior to July i, 1887, the Steamboat-Inspection Service was supported by the receipts paid into the Treasury for certificates of inspection, issued by the service to owners of steam vessels, and licenses issued to marine officers. The early annual reports of the bureau indicate that these receipts were more than adequate to cover the expenditures. Since 1887 this work has been done free of charge, and until 1911 the service received a permanent indefinite appropriation based on the amount of work performed. Subsequent to 1912 120 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 121 the service has received regular annual appropriations from Congress. In addition it has benefited from the appropria- tions for "Contingent Expenses of the Department of Com- merce" for rent, light, etc. In the following statements appropriations include only those amounts made directly for the benefit of the service. No account is taken of appropriations for "certified claims" made as a result of the exhaustion or lapse of an appropria- tion. These are generally small. The expenditures for the fiscal years 1887 to 1912 and for the fiscal year 1920 are figured on a cash basis. Those for the fiscal years 1912 to 1919 are figured on the accrual basis, that is, the statement shows all expenditures on account of the appropriations for the year mentioned regardless of whether the disbursements were made during the current fiscal year or in the two succeed- ing fiscal years during which the money was available. The "expenditures" for 1919 show the amounts expended out of the 1919 appropriation during the fiscal years 1919 and 1920. 122 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE co o\ oo ( 2% o\ M 10 o to !- s CO rf VO > O CO 0\ o co PO 0\ ^ co" i 00 M 10 0\ IH CO o\oo N CO Tf 1 o VO 0< co O* co"oo vcT nco to H - 63- v VO O\ tO en 6^ 00 -B M W Q, U to o\ PO oo o 8 2* 10 0~ NOO ID i i ^ fO 'a co M 49* a p.* 0\ Sc W 3 03 2 10 fO H- > fc CO CO toco M O txCO co-o d to ll u OT 06 i.S-3 s ^VH c/) in Ix to o Ojj OAT-IN FISCAL 1 N * 10 N.O O\ lf > ^ Iji ||i pq 01 60- 4ft- W *v C/2 -fcfn w o o^ to to H ^ co *- X w * M- e Hi Tj- CO O O\ CO w o !ll d o o tx rt G tx OO CO * VO o o^ 10 ON T? w 1000 CO tx to co ' 0\ co CO txNO Tt CO fx O ONO to Tt O tO CO T? N O to tx to TJ- O tOOO 'i* w ilo C ^W S . t=*'? M ; "O tx ON NO ON O - 5 *^ tx O Tt ON co 1^ 0. 3 C4 to Tt n O\ w ON 6 ^- S Tt O O ON Q co O O ON O IN-, c co O O co o tx O O ON in x ON O ON O L ; u .S ONO ON -i K a c*00 -i to in H M (S Is N ONOO txoo ^J" ON 00 ft 0^ O Tt CO Tt N Tt 90 c SO 00 to ONNO 10 Tf CO &" , x o o o o tx o q tx 1 ? o o o Tt d "> Tt O O N O ^ y. S >-i co ON 11 N J cc CO 10 M o o Tt to y. c Expendi ture N oo N vo TtOO^Tj- 00 S|5 ? LO .2 do o d c o aa Tt 2 o 1 " Tt H o' g : : : : : **.... g. . . . o : '-> *O 4) *U O * -T *'E : l ^c S3 . S ^a *. H . I'l '! II 1-^ S _ O If o|| 5! ill S'S " " oS 1 P Appropria- tion $ 22,940.00 692,850.00 115,000.00 160,000.00 $ 990,790.00 "rU 0.3 a g s g d d d Tt d ac o 5 ot oJ o ao 1x N tx to tx to N ON OONO OO a M V ^ o c o N rx M tx ON 00 ** d d d oo' tx O O O ON to 2^ O O O co >i 10 o. ^ N to O ON O NO a ' NO - f v> , M O M .2 d d d oo d Tt to ON O ON O co O 00 N o. N tx to ON N N^^^ 10 lijiii U g _ "'? ! ^ :II 5 u u C * ^ O.g ' w I 13 ^7 c S c sS Uj ^l IS-8 O ! ii ' w c u u c * . .'hS J, W Q C/3 C/3 U ( U V} 1 * Data from Digest of Appropriations. ** Data from Treasury's Combined Statement. * Includes fees to witnesses, traveling expenses of inspectors, supplies, etc. b Includes $5.000.00 available in 1022, APPENDIX 6 BIBLIOGRAPHY * STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE EXPLANATORY NOTE The bibliographies appended to the several monographs ai to list only those works which deal directly with the servic to which they relate, their history, activities, organizatio methods of business, problems, etc. They are intended pi marily to meet the needs of these persons who desire to mal a further study of the services from an administrative stan point. They thus do not include the titles of publications < the services themselves, except in so far as they treat of tl services, their work and problems. Nor do they include boo! or articles dealing merely with technical features other the administrative of the work of the services. In a few cas explanatory notes have been appended where it was thougj they would aid in making known the character or value of tl publication to which they relate. After the completion of the series the bibliographies may I assembled and separately published as a bibliography of tl Administrative Branch of the National Government. My rick, N. S. Steamboat inspection service. Report to tf National chamber's committee . . . [Washington] Chan ber of commerce of the U. S., 1916. 166 p. Scott, Charles L. Speech ... on the steamboat passeng* bill . . . Feb. 10, 1858. Washington, Congressional glot office, 1858. 8 p. 1 Compiled by. M. Alice Matthews. 124 BIBLIOGRAPHY 125 Steamboat inspection service. Nation, Aug. 19, 1915, v. 101 : 221. Sweet, Edwin F. The work of the steamboat-inspection service. Nation's business, July 15, 1915: 12-13. U. S. Bureau of education. Guide to United States govern- ment publications . . . Washington, Govt. print, off., 1918. 206 p. "Steamboat-inspection service," p. 114-115. Congress. House. Committee on merchant marine and fisheries. Changing name of the Steamboat inspec- tion service to Marine inspection service. Jan. 28, 1916. Report to accompany H. R. 4784. [Washington, 1916] I p. Hearing ... on the bills H. R. 12351 and 18682, to provide for the better security of lives of passengers and crews on board vessels of the United States. Washington, Govt. print, off., 1910. 97 p. Hearings ... on House bills 19405, 19406, and 19407, to increase salaries ... in Steam- boat-inspection service. March 21, 1912. Washington, Govt. print, off., 1912. 17 p. Increase of salaries of Clerks in the Steam- boat-inspection service. Hearings . . . on H. R. 4286 and H. R. 5010 . . . Jan. 17, 18, 24 and 31, 1918. Washing- ton, Govt. print, off., 1918. 77 p. Inspection of steam vessels. [Hearings on H. R. 24025, May 2, 1912. Washington, Govt. print, off., 1912] 24 p. Dept. of commerce. Steamboat inspection service (In its Department of commerce, condensed history, duties, and practical operation . . . Washington, 1913. p. 163-211) Laws, statutes, etc. Laws governing the Steamboat- inspection service . . . Ed. July 21, 1920. Washington, Govt. print, off., 1921. 91 p. Steamboat-inspection service. Annual report of the supervising inspector-general, Washington, Govt. print, off., 1872- 126 STEAMBOAT-INSPECTION SERVICE Bays, sounds, and lakes other than the Grea Lakes. General rules and regulations ... as amended a board meeting of Jan., 1921 . . . Edition: May 9, 1921 Washington, Govt. print, off., 1921. 154 p. Great Lakes. General rules and regulations pre scribed by the Board of supervising inspectors as amende' . . . Ed: May 9, 1921. Washington, Govt. print, off 1921. 156 p. Lakes other than the Great Lakes, bays am sounds. General rules and regulations prescribed by th Board of supervising inspectors as amended . . . Ed Aug. i, 1918. Washington, Govt. print, off., 1918. 155 p Legislative history (In its Annual report . . for 1905. Washington, 1905. p. 14-15) Ocean and coastwise. General rules and regu lations prescribed by the Board of supervising inspectors a: amended . . . Ed: May 9, 1921. Washington, Govt print, off., 1921. 202 p. Pilot rules for certain inland waters of th( Atlantic and Pacific coasts and of the coast of the Gulf o1 Mexico. Washington, Govt. print, off., 1917. 32 p. Pilot rules for the Great Lakes and their con- necting and tributary waters. Edition: May i, 1912. Washington, Govt. print, off., 1913. 20 p. Pilot rules for the rivers whose waters flow intc the Gulf of Mexico and their tributaries and the Red River of the North. Edition: Aug. i, 1917. Washington, Govt. print, off., 1917. 22 p. Preliminary report, Committee of supervising inspectors, Steamboat-inspection service [on conditions in the Steamboat-inspection service on the Great Lakes, by Eugene E. O'Donnell, chairman of committee] [Wash- ington, Govt. print, off., 1916] 8 p. (64th Cong., ist sess. House Doc. 5o4) Serial 7098. Proceedings of the . . . annual meeting of the Board of supervising inspectors of steam vessels . . . BIBLIOGRAPHY 127 Washington, Govt. print, off., 1869- Proceedings of the Special meetings of the Board of supervising inspectors of steam vessels . . . Washington, Govt. print, off., 1866- Rivers. General rules and regulation prescribed by the Board of supervising inspectors as amended . . . Ed: May 13, 1921. Washington, Govt. print, off., 1921. 144 p. Steamboat-inspection service bulletin. No. i, ,Nov. i, 1915- [Washington, Govt. print off., 1915-] [Synopsis of rulings issued during the month] Treasury dept. Reports in regard to the transfer of the bureaus and divisions of the merchant marine in the Treasury department to the Navy department. Washing- ton, Govt. print, off., 1883. 69 p. "Steamboat-inspection service," p. 49-57. INDEX Vdministration, general, 80-83, 96-99. Vmerican Bureau of Shipping, rules of, for material and con- struction, accepted, 33-35. toiler plates, inspection of, man- ufacture of, 12, 30-31, 46n, 48, 83-84. toilers, inspection of, 2, 14, 15, 22, 35-37, 51-53- 'argo, hazardous, license require- ments, 4-23, 75-79. Certification, of life-boat men and seamen, 26, 30, 57-8. ^ivil Service, classified, employ- ees (except presidential) placed in, 13. 'ollectors of customs, powers and duties of, 4, 11, 12, 16, 43, 44, 64, 65-67, 72, 74. Collisions, adoption of interna- tional rules for prevention of, n, 68; establishment of regula- tions to prevent, 9, 30, 67-69. 'olor-blindness, examination re- quirements, 23. Commerce, Department of, juris- diction of, over Service, 23, 80- 81, 98. ,'ommerce, Secretary of, may de- tail assistant inspectors, 12, 19, 49> 83 ; may call committee to consider interim regulations, 19-20, 89 ; to pass upon rules to govern life-saving appliances, 25; may except foreign pri- vate steam passenger vessels from inspection laws, 30; may direct inspection of foreign ves- sels admitted to American reg- istry, 30-31 ; to prescribe life- saving equipment for motor- boats, 39, 42; may pass upon rules to govern steering appa- ratus and fire-extinguishing equipment, 41 ; to pass upon safety equipment for steam ves- sels, 42; may make regulations to govern license appeal pro- cedure, 45 ; may act on appeals, 47-48, 8 1 ; may pass upon meth- ods of inspection of boiler plate manufacture, 48-49; to provide for issuance of certificates to life-boatmen, 58-59; to deter- mine boundary between high seas and waters under local jurisdiction, 6gn-, reports to be made to, 74, 81, 85 ; to pass up- on regulations to govern haz- ardous cargo, 76; may make rules to govern use of fuel-oil and grant permits therefor, 77 ; to pass upon rules to govern oil stores, 78; may convene board to determine tow and hawser lengths, 81. Complements, ships', determina- tion of, 21, 58-60. Construction, inspection of, 12, 30- Deputy Supervising Inspector- General, office established, 24; appointment of, 81-82; powers and duties of, 24, 82. 129 130 INDEX Equipment, inspection of, i, 15, 22, 30, 37-43, 49-51. Equipment, minimum require- ments, 2, 3, 4, 14, 30, 37-43. Examination, of marine officers, I5> 30, 53-575 of seamen and life-boatmen, 30, 57-8. Fees, covered into Treasury, 4, 11-12. Field service, 84-96. Fire-prevention, 2, 4, 18-19, 23, 41-43. Hulls, inspection of, I, 2, 14, 15, 31-35. Inspectors, assistant, created, 12- 13; subordinate to local inspec- tors, 19, 92-93 ; may be assigned to boiler plate inspection, 12, 48-49, 83-84, 93. Inspectors, local, created, 2 ; qual- ifications of, 2, 9, 91 ; appoint- ment of, 2, 4; compensation of, 2, 4, 12, 19, 44; supervision of, 3-4; powers and duties of, 2, 9, 11, 21, 31-60, 67-73, 76, 82- 83, 89-9!. Inspectors, local boards of, cre- ated, 4, 9, n, 15; powers and duties of, 2, 11, 26, 43-45, 49> 53-55, 57, 60-63, 73, 85-86, 92. Inspectors of boilers, see Inspec- tors, local. Inspectors of hulls, see Inspec- tors, local. Inspectors of foreign steam ves- sels, created, n; abolished, 12. Inspectors, supervising, created, 3; qualifications of, 3, 84; ap- pointment of, 3, 84 ; removal of, 4; compensation of, 4, 84; powers and duties of, 3, 4, 19, 21, 23, 24, 44-45, 47, 48, 49-51, 55, 73, 77, 85-86; dis- tricts of, 87-88. Inspectors, supervising, board o created, 3; powers and duti< f, 3, 5, 8, 9, 18, 19-20, 23, 2 S 2 , 36-37, 39-48, 55, 59, 67-6 76, 78, 88-89. Inspectors, traveling, created, 2.L appointment of, 95; compens; tion of, 95 ; powers and dutic of, 94-96. Investigations, i, 30, 60-67. License, of marine officers, i, . 9, 10, 14, 15, 19, 22, 46n, 5; 57, 61, 66-67. License, of passenger vessels, : 6, 10, n, 22. License, of vessels in general, i 9, 10, 15, 30-31, 43. Life-boatmen, examination an< certification of, 26, 30. Life-saving equipment, inspectioi of manufacture of, 49-50. Motor-Boat Act, 22, 38-39, 42-43 54, 64-65, 69. Passengers, numbers limited, 3 6, n, 70-73; accommodation required for, 10-11, 60, 73-75 President, may suspend law re quiring watch officers to b( citizens, 56; to appoint Super- vising Inspector-General, 80 to appoint supervising inspec tors, 84, 98. Reinspections, 9-10, 46-48. Seamen, examination and certi- fication of, i, 15, 25-26, 30. Seamen's Act, 25, 38, 49, 59, 60. Ship Registry Act, 23. Supervising Inspector-General, office created, 8, 80; qualifica- tions of, 8, 80; appointment of, 8, 80; compensation of, 8, 80; powers and duties of, 8, 9, 12, 19-20, 21, 24, 45, 49, 56, 59, 60, 61-62, 69, 80, 81, 83, 86, 88 LIBRARY USE RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED LOAN DEPT. 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