Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-11-20
STEAMBOAT REGULATIONS.

The Board OF Supervising inspectors OF Steam
boats &c. authorized by recent law of Congress,
have lately convened in this city for the purpose of
organization, and to frame certain regulations for
carrying the law into effect A Washington cor
respondent of the Buffalo Advertiser furnishes the
following outline of the Boards proceedings
The districts in which each of the supervising inspec
tors to perform their duties divided as follows
First district embraces all the waters of the Atlantic
coast from the northern of Maine to the south
point of Connecticut Samuel Hall, of Boston, the
inspector
Second district embraces all the coast from the first
district the extreme of Delaware bay and tributaries,
including also the Hudson river far Troy Chas.
w. Copeland, of New York, inspector.
Third district embraces the coast from Delaware to
Cape Sable, in Florida. James Murray, of Baltimore,
Inspector
Fourth district embraces all the Gulf from Cape
Sable to the Rio Grande in Texas the Mississippi river
high up Baton Rouge including also California and
Oregon. P. H. skipwith, of New Orleans, inspector.
Fifth district embraces all the Of the Missssip
p and its tributaries except the Ohio from Baton Rouge
and including the Missouri river. Davis Embra of St.
Louis inspector.
Sixth district embraces all the waters ofhe Ohio to Ken
lucky river John Shallcross, Of Louisville Kentucky
inspector
/
above Kentucky river Benjamin Crawford of Pttsburg
| inspector.
Eighth district embraces all the north and
Of Lake Erie including the Illinois and the Mississippi
above the Missouri river. Alfred Guthrie of Chicago
inspector.
Ninth district embraces all the waters Of Lake Erie
Ontario, ST. Lawrence to Champlain. William A. Bird
of Buffalo, inspector.
The rules and regulations adopted by the Board to be
observed by pilots of steamers upon the lakes and Allan
tic coast in passing dangerous channels are
follows:
All pilots Of steamers navigating seas, CULTS, lakes
bays rivers Except rivers empying into the Gulf Of
Mexico their tributaries, when meeting passing
each other SHALL they approach each other observe
the following regulations:
RULE l. The pilot of descending vessel, If in narrow
river channel, shall check her engine using only
much steam shall be necessary keep her steerage
and il signal be given each shall pass to the right
the larboard side Of the other but IL this mode Of
passing shall be deemed unsafe by the pilot Of either
sell the pet objectng TO shall give reasonable notice
by distinct and strong stroke Of the bell repeating the
same if necessary short but distinct intervals while
the other shall answer heard by similar stroke
of the bell and they shah each pass the left instead Of
the right But if passage by each other is unsafe
impraccabe, by reason Of the Of the chan
mel from other cause the pilot Of the vessel FIRST in
such channel shall ring her bell rapidly and the other if
already in the channel shall give way and let her
III both the channel the ascending vessel
shall give way to the descending vessel; and vessel
shall be justified in coming into collision with another If
il be possible TO avoid il.
RULE . Should the pilot Of either vessel fail TO make
the signals prescribed should signal be
answered enormously, both vessels shall be Immediately
stepped When vessel is running in fog, il shall be
the duty Of the pilot to bell be struck the
whistle TO be sounded every minutes This
rule shall be observed by all pilots in all seas g lakes,
bays, and rivers.
understand that the pilots rules for boats
the waters emptyng into the Gulf Of Mexico are
what different owing to the popularity Of those rivers
and was thought mprsctcabe change or alter them
4 There prevailed, / am told the greatest unanimty
among the members Of the Board; and the most conf
dent assurances are expressed that the law will prove
amply sufficient prevent almost IL not entirely, the
currence Of the dreadful disasters by steamboats, with
which we have heretofore been shocked.
There is thing Of which, at all events, conf
dent the public may rest assured that the law will be
faithfully and fairly carried out and although it will b,
the constant aim Of the Board not to impose any
cessary burdens upon the officers Of steamyes
se yet every promising additional security 4
life within the limits Of law will be strictly required
There are many provisions Of the law which it is i'm
porant that steamboat should understand early sucl
as ie-boats life preservers, &C.. for, if | not mucl
mistaken, no boat will be allowed to run after the Law
into force, without having these provided and it
apprehended that there win be difficulty in getting sup
ply from the manufacturer, particularly metallic life
boats.
learn, 100, that the Board adjourned 10 meet in tn
city OF New York the 9Th Of December next for tn
purpose Of determining the number Of deck passengers
boat viii be allowed to carry.
Hon. Rufus Choate has declined the invitation N del,
yer . eulogy on Mr.. Webster at Louisville Ky