The Nevada journal., 1858-03-12
~ The committee on commerce. and

o"' AAoH w L. cIS uSoH CHdlr-
man, makes the following rational sug-
gestions relative steamer communica-
tion between California and the Allan
tic side. We toftmend them to our
readers
To insure a greater degree of safety,
the committee would suggtst that the
taws be SO amended lis to require all
sea going steamers, navigating the At
lantic or Pacific Oceans, on any route
over five hundred miles in length
1. To be furnished with double en-
gines, whose capacity shall be regulated
according 10 certain grades of tonnage.
2. To be divided into sections, SO as
to make in each vessel at least four wa
ter-tight compartments, from deck to
keelson.
3. To have an Independent engine
and boile. on the main deck. with a
wreckers' pump thereto attached, pa
BILE of discharging at least sixty barrels
of water per minute; this to be in addi-
tion to the ordinary bilge and injection
pumps, worked by the main engines
when in good order. 80 = - -
4. To carry, in addition to ordinary
hoats, life-boats of the number, 'charac-
ter, and capacity. sufficient to float all
the passengers and crew which auy YES
sci may by law be allowed to have on
board.
5. To be provided with two life-pre-
servers for each person, made only of
cork. after the most approved models,
kept IN accessible places, and ready for
use.
And to insure greater comfort as well
as safety, the committee would suggest
that the laws be amende so to as
l. To increase the space devoted to
each passenger, and thereby decrease
the aggregate number which now often
crowd sea-going steamers, to the injury
of health, and sometimes the loss of life.
2. To regulate by law the quantity
and quality of food to be be carried for
both passengers and crew.
3. To subject the food, both as to
quantity and quality on the occasion of
each trip, to rigid inspection, by an in
spector or board of inspectors, to be ap-
pointed and paid in the manner most
likely to secure the faithful discharge of
the duties of the position.
4. To compel all passenger ships to a
greater degree of cleanliness, by regu-
lations in detail embracing every part
Of the vessel and all its equipments and
furniture; and to secure conformity to
such regulations by the severest penal
ties, to be recovered in the name of the
United States, but one-half to be paid
to the informer
And to insure greater degree of
speed in The voyage between California
and the Atlantic side, and thereby d.
minish the distance between New York
and San Francisco, the committee would
suggest
l. That the mail service between the
Atlantic side and California, should be
divided and given to two distinct routes
and two distinct companies.
2. That twenty-one days should be
the maximum time allowed for the trans
portation of mails between New York
and San Francisco, by either the Pana-
ma or Nicaragua route.
3 That the pay for the mail service
should be so much for each trip, and no
pay should be earned for any trip which
is not in all seasons, and in spite of all
contingencies, made within twenty-one
days from the wharf at New York to the
wharf in San Francisco, and rice yersa
Or, if this mode of mail contract is not
deemed advisable, that the pay, to an
equal amount, be given to the two
routes, and that bonus of one hundred
thousand dollars be given to the route
which, for the year, shall, in the aggre-
gate of trips, make the best time.
Further, the committee suggest that
the laws should provide that
1. That there shall be at least two
inspectors for the Pacific
coast, appointed by the President, by
and with the advice Of the Senate, one
of whom is to have his office at San
Francisco.
g That every sea-going steamer shall
be inspected on the occasion of each
trip, 10y the Inspector of hulls, the in
speetor of boilers, and the. inspector of
food,-the inspections being not more
than week, nor less than two days be-
fore each departure of the steamer; and
the certificate Of inspection of each of
laid officers, showing the vessel to have
complied With all the requirements of
the la ", and 10 be then ready for sea,
to be exposed for orty-eight hours, in
conspicuous place on board Of the YES
sci. previous to her departure, and cop
les to be lodged in the custom-house for
forty-eight hours before she shall be en-
titled to a clearance
3. Tat any vessel attempting to go
to sea without faithfully submitting to
such inspections. and complying in all
particulars, shall be seized summarily
by the T. S. Marshal, hbefed, and for
feited to tie government; and shall in
no event be released on bondss cr have
her forfeiture remitted; and that adver-
tisinp to sail, selling tickets. and other