The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-10-13
BY AUTHORITY.
LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES
Passed during hc First Session of the Thirty
first Congress-.


AN ACT to amend an act entitled, "An
act to provide for the better security
of the lives Of passengers on board of
vessels propelled in whole or in part
by steam :" and for other purposes
BE it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States
of America in Congress assembled, That
no license. register or enrolment urTdicsf
the provisions of this or the act to which
this is an amendment shall be granted or
other papers issued by any collector to
any vessel propelled in whole or in part
by steam. and carving passengers, until
he shall have satisfactory evidence that
all the provisions of this act have been
fully complied with and if any such YES
sci shall be navigated. with passengers on
board, without complying with the terms
of this act. the owners thereof and the
vessel itself shall be subject to the pen
! atcs contained in the second section of
the act to which this is an amendment
SEC. Q And be it further enacted.
That it shall be the duty of the inspec-
tors of the hulls Of steamers, and the in
spectors of boilers and engines, appoint
ed under the provisions Of this act, to
examine and see that suitable and safe
provisions are made throughout such
vessels to guard against loss or danger
from fire; and no license or other pa
pcrs on any application shall be granted
if the provisions ofthis act for preventing
fires arc not complied with, or if any
combustidle material liable to take fire
from heated iron, or any other heat gen
Grated on board of such vessels in and
about the boilers, pipes, or machinery
shall be placed at less than eighteen
inches distant from such heated, metal
or other substance likely to cause igni-
tion, unless a column of air or water in
tcrvenes between such heated surface
and any wood or other combustible ma
terial so exposed, sufficient at all times
and under all circumstances to prevent
! Ignition and further, when wood is SO
exposed to ignition, as an additional
preventive, it shall be shielded by some
incombustible material in such manner
as to leave the air to circulate freely be-
tween such material and the wood Pro
vided. however, That when the structure
of such steamers is such, or the arrange
ment of the boilers or machinery is such
that the requirements aforesaid cannot
without serious Inconvenience or sacri
flee be complied with. inspectors may
vary therefrom if in their Judgment il
can be done with safety
SEC 3. And be it further enacted
That every vessel 50 propelled by steam
and carrying passengers, shall have no.
less than three double acting forcing
pumps. with chamber at least four inch
es in diameter, two to be worked by hanC
and one by steam, if steam can be en-
ploycd, otherwise by hand one whereo
shall be placed near the stern--one neal
/, the stem and one amidship; each hay
ing suitable well-ftted hose, of at leas
two-thirds the length of the vessel, KEEP
at all times in perfect order, and ready
for Immediate use each of which pump
shall also be supplied with water by t
. pipe connected Herewith, and passin.
through the side of the vessel so low aS
TO be at all times in the water when sh,
, is aaoat: Provided, That in steam
, ers not exceeding two hundred
: tons measurement, two of sale
pumps may be dispensed with and il
{ steamers of over two hundred tons, an,
f not exceeding five hundred tons meas
urement, one of said pumps may be dis
pensed with.
SEC A. And be it further enacted
That every such vessel carrying passen
, gers shall have at least two good an'
| suitable boats supplied with oars, in goo'
condition at all times for service, one o
which boats shall be life-boat made o
metal, fire proof, and in all respects
good. substantial, safe sea-boat, capabl
= of sustaining, inside and outside, fift
persons, with life-lines attached to I'll
, gunwale, at suitable distances And eN
, cry such vessel of more than five hund
= red tons, and not exceeding eight hun
dred tons measurement, shall have tire
life-boats and every such vessel of NOR
than eight hundred tons and not exceed
O ing fifteen hundred tons measurement
O shall have four life boats and ever
o such vessel of more than fifteen hundre
a tons measurement, shall have six lif,
9 boats all of which life-boats shall b
: we'll furnished with oars and other u,
cessary apparatus Provided, hOweve
: The inspectors are hereby authorized I
$ exempt steamers navigating rivers onl
(, from the obligation to carry the life boi
herein provided for, more than one, ii