The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-07-15

y
the subject they are exempt from all further COM
pliance until after the first day Of June. We have
in all cases warned them agan this construction Of
the law.
There have been eight boats and as many pilots
who have violated the tenth article Of the ninth sec
ton of the law, which makes it "nnawfu for any
person TO employ, or any person to engineer
or pilot on any such vessel who b not licensed by
the Inspectors"
REPORT OF THE INSPECTORS FOR THE PORT OF
WHEELING.
This board was organized, and commenced upon
the duties of the Office the l4th February, 1853
Having examined nineteen boats, the greater number
of which have complied with all the requirement of
the law, and the others are preparing as rapidly as
poesible.
We have licensed forty eight engineers and thirty
pilots from all of whom it has been great to
obtain good vouchers, particularly from those with
whom we were not acquainted
There has been but one accident IN our district,
and that arose from contact between the steamers
Virginia and Orian, and we are happy to state that
no person received bodily injury. The officers of the
above boats Virginia and Orian. were duly sum-
moned ard appeared before ne, and after the exa-
mnation of witnesses and full hearing Of the case,
j. F. Ogle. pilot of the Orian, suspended for the
period Of thirty days.
No damage has been done to any passenger, in his
person or baggage, in this district.
JOSEPH WooD,
A. NJ. PHILLIPS,
Inspectors of Steamboats,.
WHEELING, Va, May l, 1868.
REPORT OF STEAMBOAT INSPECTORS FOR THE PORT
OF PITTsBURG.
This Board has been busily engaged since its or
ganZati0n in examing steamboats,, and urging them
to comply with the late steamboat law. They all
making laudahle efforts 10 meet the requirements OF
the law as fast a. practicable; all in forward
condition, ard we think will be ready to comply in
null by the frs. cf June next which is the latest Pc
Rod to which Indulgence can be shown them.
Thirteen boats have received certificates in full
with the exception Of the hydrostatc test and the
fnsing point of the alloys. which is not known to
us on account of the government alloys and the
testing apparatus not having been received in sea-
son.
The maximum pressure allowed as a working pow.
has been 10 some extreme cases l6O pounds to the
square inch but in such Cases only where the pro-
portion between the cylinders and boilers would
render it unjust restrict them to less pressure.
This Board has granted license to l39 pilots; re-
fused license to pilot granted license to lGO engi-
neers; refused license to engineers Several engi-
neers are under examination at this time, some OF
whom may get licenses.
Received for licenses Of pilots and engi-
Paid over to the Chief Officer of Customs as
per receipt Of April l, 1863. .......... APO 90
Balance in hands of Inspectors. ........ $50 90
No accident by which life has been endangered
has occurred in this district nor has it been neces-
sary to suspend revoke the license of any pilot or
engineer by this Board.
We are not aware that any insurance company has
sustained the loss of dollar by any boat that has
ctme under the provision Of the new law. One boat
was lost in this district the Milton, which was burn
ed-but she was freight boat and carried no passen
gers, and was not under the provision of the law in
any respect whatever
JAMES ATKINSON,
ANDREW WATSON,
PITTsBURG, May !, 1853. Inspectors.
It will be seen by the foregoing reports that the
new steamboat law went into effect on the western
rivers in January last according TO the provision OF
,laryh ooh aov, orr u anfOr
regards licensed officers, engineers and pilots, and
also in many other things, such as enforcing the
pilot rules in regard to boats meeting and passing
each ether, also in guarding against dangers from
fire. and in many instances the limiting the pressure
Of steam. But by the resolutions of Congress- passed
in January and March hist inspectors were empow-
cred to grant permits to boats when the appurte-
nanees required could not be obtained in season, pro.
vided that no such permit should extend to longer
period than the first day Of June, 1853 Hence it s
that many boats are not yet complete in all the re-
quirements Of the law. But after the first OF June
no further indulgence can be extended. for the
simple reason that no one has the power to do so.
Much opposition has been manifested tn the law
in certain quarters; by some, no doubt, through An
honest conviction that the law is bad one, but in
too many instances bya reckless disposition, i'm
patient OF restraint. This opposition will in great
measure cease when the law becomes better under
stood and the benefits arising from it are found to
be real.
The law has now been in operation about four
months, Ito the first of June and during that time
not single passenger has met with any accident in
this Supervising District, (upper Ohio overland
believe the same thing may be said OF all the Western
rivers. Can any four consecutive months be found
previously to this time by which the same can be
said, notwithstanding the large increase In the mum
Der of steamers.
During the same months Of last year there vert
thiry.seven accidents. they called occurring
on the same Western rivers by which nearly four hun
| drcd lives were lost and many hundred thousand
dclsrs Of property were destroyed Eleven OF these
| accidents were from explosions and collapsing Of
fues and four by fire. the other by collisions and
snags. There lie certainly great change for the bet
ter from some cause; and the new law has right te
claim IT, unless some other reason can be assigned
On the other hand there have been few boats that
have avaied Themselves OF the privilege OF being
| exempt from the requirements of the law by con
filming them elves to the carrying OF freight only, and
refusing TO carry passengers. or these the Milton
was burnt near Marietta; the Bee exploded neal
Evausvile Olivia, snagged near Portsmouth; ant
the Summit sunk at this wharf On other waters
too on the lakes and in California where the law
has not been put in force there has been the usua
ut Of loss of life and property by steamboat &C
cidents.
Much of the opposition to the law has arisen
through an apprehension that by limiting the pres
sure If steam in the boilers the speed OF boats would
be seriously cited. But in reality such is not tie
fact. The law, the limit OF pressure, has not re-
duced the speed Of any boat, nor will it do 80 unless
there be msnifest danger in allowing such pressure
The inspectors authorized by the act N grant the
pTetent OGACs, OF W phSSt5Re
of,he law, whatever pressure Of steam they may re
qure providing they can do so with reasonable de
gree of safety But engineers will not be permitted
to raise steam excessively high alta wharf or landing
for the purpose Of making little sport of run e
show their speed to set Of idle spectators, and ge
the name Of crack loaf, when, in point of fact
their speed throughout their voyage is but ordinary
Nor are engineers allowed To throttle their steam OF
choke it o from the cylinder, in order TO carry il
high in the boilers, no they may get them hot and
hear them Kissing" like refining steed to make
him GRANGE and show his mettle but carefully pre-
venting him from showing his real worth. This has
heretofore been a practice with many otherwise
good engineers, but they the folly of doing
so, and have abandoned the practice which was al
ways a dangerous one as well az wasteful.
The power Of an engine is always in the exact
proportion to the amount of steam the boilers can
make or the amount Of water they can convert into
steam. The pressure IL determined by the size Of
the cylinder. II the cylinder be small in proportion
to the boiler the pressure must be great in order to
work of all the steam the boiler can make, ami to
get all the power out Of the steam made by the
boiler But il the cylinder be double the size then