The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-03-04


Mr. SEWARD. twas dated from the city of New
Mr. PEARCE | beg leave TO state one fact | have
been informed by company of gentlemen, that very
after the passage OF this act they order
Mr. Francis for -four OF these e-boals, and they have
received but one Of them 10 this day, after interval OF
nearly II not quite. three months from the time they
Mn BRIGHT. The letter read by the honorable sena-
tor from New York Mr. SEWARD supports the position
that | assumed In this matter. | am right. and the
honorable senator from Maine, Mr. HAMLIK, who I'M
deroOk 10 correct me- Is wrong One OF the chief obJec.
tons 10 the bill when il originally presented 10 us
for our consideration that OF giving entire mo
nopoy OF one OF the most important pieces OF furniture
10 be attached TO steam vessel 10 person EV
cry lfebOa believe, costs from fifty TO three hundred
dolars-none less than fifty dollars. My estimate may
be too low, but will repeat that each e-boal COSTS
not less than fifty dollars, and generally costs nearly
three hundred dollars There is not mandatory west
OF the Allegheny mountains, as have before remarked
that can make anything OF the kind Every boat upon
the Ohio, Mississippi and their tributaries has TO be
furnished with two Of these metallic life boats
carried across the mountains and will continue to be-
unless per possibility Mr. Francis proper esab
lish mandatory in CINCINNATI Louisville, or at some
other point; and the of the boats wait his
convenience in manufacturing and delivering these boats
and il be does not manufacture or deliver them to
enable these 10 comply with the provisions OF
this law, they are liable TO be placed under all the pains
and penalties therein prescribed Now, submit that
there two sides to this question; and ask if it is
right thus 10 put in jeopardy the rights of gentlemen
who invested their all in steamboat property before they
put into operation.
These were my reasons for saying that the time asked
for by the honorable senator from Maryland TOO
long These were in part my reasons for saying that
lfeboats upon many OF the steamboats, entirely
necessary for in the navigation of the majority OF
western rivers they are mol At all necessary for the rea
that in many of the rivers navgaed by steam, the
boat can never be fifty yards from the shore.
MI. HAMLLN. think am correct in the position
which took few moments since in regard to patented
articles being required by the provisions OF this law And
to make myself perfectly understood, will state what
understand to be precisely the fact Mr. Francis filed his
specification in the Patent Office describing certain life
boat made in certain manner of corrugated iron, which
was denomnated " Francis's le-boat upon which spe'
cifcaton patent was granted to him. This law, as
originally draughed by the Committee Commerce, did
provide Francss lte-boat then in practical use,
that every steam vessel should be provided with that
boat But when other gentlemen whose names do not
recollect but whose residences in the western
country, and who think personally acquainted with
the honorable senator from Indiana mr. BRIGHr,l came
before the committee and described other life boas made
of other material than that described by Francis in his
specification, and upon which letters patent had been
granted TO him, the COMMITTEES Immediately, and very
willingly, erased that provision. The bill, as il was
then left only required that the of steam vessels
should provide themselves with "metallic life boats" and
that is the way the law now stands Now, what is the
metallic distance Of which these life boats shall be
posed Of corrugated iron only' No, sir the law
quires such thing. They may be composed Of iron,
"copper" zinc or any other metallic substance that shall be
deemed best. If they are composed OF metal, whether
patented not, if they the purposes required,
that is all that is necessary 1t is true that Franciss life
boat is the boat in common use is the best boat the
superior boat al present But IS not the boat TO which
these inspectors to be limited is it the only boat
which may be used unless other be found that
fulfil the requirements of the law believe these are the
facts they appeared before the Committee on Com
merce, and think am correct in the position ! have
taken.
Mr.. CHARLTON. As il seems 10 be necessary for
all the States OF the Union TO enter into this debate,
through their here, beg leave say that
Ishal 90 for The furhest extension OF time named.
notice in the Savannah papers, which received this
morning. that all the 6eambOat q n
navigating that river and carrying have adver
hsed that, in consequence OF their inability TO comply
with the requirements OF this law they will hencetorth
not carry any passengers at all They have made no
remonsance, have presented pettIon asked their
representatives 10 obtain for them extension OF time
But knowing as do the energy, industry, and capital OF
that class OF our citizens think the least do
der the circumstances TO give them the reasonable
tension Of time asked for by the honorable senator from
Maryland, Mr. PEARcE
Mr., DAVIS The honorable senator from Indiana
seems TO proceed apon the supposon that this law Is 10
tended and designed to require the purchase of Fancss
life boat The law, even as originally draughed not
open 10 that objection, there provsio In that
should be obliged to purchase patented article.
That was put in by the honorable senator from Pennsyl
vania with my acquescence as wished TO get clear OF
all such objections TO the law. now find, upon inquiry,
that there is some difficulty in obtaining metallic lite.
boas-thai they not to be obtained easily as sup
posed they would be at the time this law went into ope
ration. One of the resolutions which have brought
forward is intended TO relieve from that very difficulty.
provides in terms. that # metallic eboat cannot be
obtained all, or be obtained upon reasonable
terms, the inspectors are then authorized 10 receive
substitute for it, That places the whole matter free from
the objection suggested by the honorable senator from
Indiana. There is ample provision made IN that resolu
ton for relieving steamboat and commanders from
anything and everything that looks like monopoly.
The question then recurrednpo the amendment OF Mr..
PEARcE TO the resolution granting further time before the
law IN regard 10 steam vessels is TO 20 into effect, BY
striking out the word June" and inserting the word
October as to extend The time TO the first OF Octo-
Der, instead OF the FIRST OF June.
On tina, amendment, Mi. BoRLAND called for the yeas
and nays and they were ordered accordingly.
The question being then taken by yeas and nays the
amendment was retec,edyeas "a, nays 35-as follows
YEAs-Messs. Bsyard, Bright, Brodhesd Cas-, Charl-
ton, Chase Dawson, Hunter James Mallory, Peace, Pratt,
Souie, and Touccy-H
NAYS-Messn. Adams, Archison, Badger, Bell Botand
Bradbury, Brooke, Clarke, Cooper, Davis DeSsu,sure
Dodge OF Wisconsin Dodge OF Iowa. Douglas Downs Fifz
patrick Foot. Gwin, Hale Hsmln, Houston Jones ofIowa
Jones OF Tennessee Mangum, Miller, Morton, Rusk,
ard Smith. Sprusnce Sumner, Underwood, Wade, Walk
or, and Weler-0
Mr. BORLAND moved 10 amend The Joint resolution
BY slrking out the last section but which read
follows:
lad b it further ENACTED, That said inspectors may II
they deem " sale, permit boats
cursons exceeding in distance thirty miles with
number Of life than s required by said .ct II
they deem II prudent and do and they
dispense with 'he registering Of the passengers in such
oascs"
The question being then taken upon striking out the
above section upon division IL agreed to- fol-
lows-ayes2 AZ noes not counted
Mr. JAMES moved 10 strike out all after the enacting
clause OF the third section OF the joint resolution which
provides that upon receiving satisfactory proof that the
owners OF STEAMBOATS, unable TO procure upon
sonabIe terms, metallic Iile-boas required by the
law that saeha lfeboat il unsuied TO the naviga-
ton in which vessels employed the inspectors
iycd IN ami in L..