Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-09-11

machinery Is SUCH that the requirements Aforesaid can
not without serious inconvenience sacrifice be COM
piled with, inspectors may vary therefrom if in their
judgment 1t can be done with safety.
Sec, g. And be further enacted, That every vessel so
propelled by steam and carrying passengers shall have not
less than three double acting forcing pumps with chamber
at least four inches in diameter two be worked by
hand and by steam, If steam be employed, other
wise by hand whereof shall be placed near the stern
one near the stem, and one amidshipi each having
suitable wefted hose of at least twohirds the length
of the vessel kept all times in perfect order and ready
for immediate use each Of which pumps shall also be
supplied with water by pipe connected Herewith and
passing through the side of the vessel low to be at
all times in the water when she is ahoat Proded That
exceeding two hundred tons measurement
of said pumps may be dispensed WITH and in steam
of two hundred TONS and not exceeding five hun
bred tons measurement, Of said pumps may be dis
pensed with.
Sec A. And be further enacted That every such yes
sci carrying passengers shall have at least two good and
suitable boats supplied with oars in good condition ut all
times for service, one OF which boats shall be lfeboat
made of metal frepr0of and in all respects good SUBJ
stanta safe boat capable of sustaining, inside and
outside fifty persons, with attached to the gun
VALE at suitable distances Aud every such vessel Of
than FIVE hundred tons, and not exceeding eight
hundred tons measurement, shall have three fe-boats
and every such vessel Of more than eight hundred tons
and not exceeding fifteen hundred tons measurement
shall have four feboas and every such vessel of
than fifteen hundred tons measurement shall have six
life-boats all Of which boats shall be well furnished
with and other necessary apparatus Provided how
ocer The inspectors hereby authorized to exempt
steamers navigating rivers only from the obligation
ny the feboat herein provided for more than one the
same being of suitable dimensions made of metal and
furnished with all necessary apparatus for and safety
such having other suitable provisions for the
preservation Of life in Of fire other disaster
Sec Is. And be IL further enacted That every such
sci carrying passengers shall also be provided with
good lfepreserver made of suitable material, and float
well adapted to the purpose for each and every passenger
which fepreservers and floats shall always be kept in
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readiness for the of the passengers and every such
vessel shall also keep twenty fire buckets and five axes
and there shall be kept on board every such vessel
ceedng five hundred tons measurement buckets and ax
after the rate of their tonnage, follows every yes
sci of six hundred tons measurement five buckets and
for each hundred measurement decreas
ing this proportion the tonnage of the vessel increases
that any such vessel of thrtyve hundred TONS and
all such exceeding the same shall not be required
keep but three buckets for each hundred tons Of
measurement, and but for every five buckets.
Sec. g. And be IL further enacted, That every such
vessel carrying passengers the main or lower deck
shall be provided with sufficient convenient to such
for their escape to the upper deck in Of
fire or other accident endangering life.
Sec. Z. And be it further enacted That loose hemp
shall be carried board any such vessel shall baed
hemp be carried the deck guards thereof unless
the bales compacty pressed and well covered with
baggng similar fabric nor shall gunpowder, oil OF
turpentne oil of vtrio camphine other explosive
burning fluids materials which ignite by friction, be
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of special license for that purpose hereinafter
provided and all such articles kept board stores
shall be secured in metallic vessels and every person
who shall knowingly violate any of the provisions of this
section shall pay penalty of hundred dollars for
each offence to be recovered by action of debt in any
court of competent jurisdiction.
Sec. g. And be further enacted, That hereafter all
gunpowder, oil of turpenne oil of ytrio camphine or
other explosive burning fluids, and materials which ig
mite by friction when packed or put up for shipment
board of any such vessel shall be securely packed put
up separately from each other and from all other articles
and the package box, cask, or vessel containing the
shall be distinctly marked the outside with the
description of the articles contained therein and
every person who shall pack put up, cause to be
packed put up for shipment board Of any such
sci any gunpowder oil of turpentine, oil of vitrol cam
phine, other explosive burning fluids, materials
which ignite by friction otherwise than aforesaid
shall ship the same, unless packed and marked as afore
said, board of any steam vessel carrying passengers
shall be deemed guilty Of msdemeanor, and punished
by fine exceeding thousand dollars, impris-
onment not exceeding eighteen months both.
Sec. g. And be further enacted, That instead Of the
existing provisions Of law for the inspection OF steamers
and their equipment and instead Of the present system
of potage of such vessels and the present mode of
plsying engineers board the the following regu
lations shall be observed to wit The collector or other
chief officer Of the customs together with the supervising
inspector for the district and the judge OF the district court
Of the United States for the district each Of the following
collection districts namely New Orleans and st Louis,
the Mississippi ryer Louisville, Cincinnati, Wheel
ing and Pittsburgh the Ohio river Buffalo and Ceye-
land on Lake Erie; Detroit upon Detroit river Nash
vile, upon the Cumberland river Chicago, Lake Mi
chigan; Oswego Lake Ontario Burlington, in YER
mont Galveston, in Texas; and Mobile, in Alabama
Savannah in Georgia; Charleston, in South Carolina
Norfolk in Virginia. Baltimore, in Maryland Philadel
pha, in Pennsylvania; New York, in New York; New
London, in Connecticut; Providence, in Rhode Island
Boston, in Massachusetts, Portland, in Maine; and San
Francisco in California shall designate two inspectors Of
good character and suitable qualifications to perform the
services required Of them by this act within the repec
tive districts for which they shall be appointed one Of
whom from his practical knowledge Of ship building and
the of steam in navigation shall be fully competent
to make a reliable estimate Of the strength, seaworthi
ness and other qualities Of the hus Of steamers and their
equipment deemed essential to safety Of e when such
vessels employed in the carriage Of passengers to be
called the Inspector Of Hus the other of whom from
his knowledge and experience Of the duties of eng
employed in navigating vessels by seam and also In
the construction and of boilers and the machinery
and appurenances Herewith connected shall be able to
form reliable opinion Of the quality Of the material the
strength FORM workmanship, and sutableness Of such
boilers and machinery to be employed in the carriage OF
passengers without hazard TO life from impfections in
the material workmanship, arrangement Of any part
Of such apparatus for teamng TO be called the Inspector
Of Boilers and these two persons, thus designated ap-
proved by the Secretary of the Treasury, shall be from
the time Of such designation inspectors empowered and
required perform the duties herein specified, to wit
First Upon application in writing by the master or
they SHALL in every year at least carefully
inspect the hull Of each steamer belonging to their repec
tive districts and employed in the carriage Of passengers
and shall satisfy themselves that every such vessel so Sub
mtted their inspection is Of structure suitable for
the service in which she Is to be employed has suitable
accommodations for her and passengers and is in
condition the belief that she may be used in
navigation with safety to life, and that all
the requirements Of law in regard to fires boats pumps
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