Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1864-12-30
A New Admeasurement of
Vessels,

The Act of Congress Passed May G. 1861. pro-
viding for n ddrneasurement Of all tho vessels
built or ewned in the United States Tor the pur-
pose Of adjusting their nominal tonnage, gees into
| effect on tic frs: Of January 1865. This law will
involve considerable expense to pur merchants and
shipowucIs. and a corresponding addition to the
custom receipts. The fees hitherto have been Two
dollars each vessel now, in cases Of vessels Of good
size the :ees will probably average invent re to
hity dollars, while for schooner cf hundred
tons the rate may no. exceed ten dollars. Fee FIR
register tonnage is to include no. only tho bulls
of vessels las usuaD bat the cabins and all avail
atls space under tie spar deck. The aemessnre
ment Of vessels in this city is to b d"pe under The
direction .t the sutscyor.-[N i, 7nt1n,
By the new Act registered vessels must be
measured I'D receive nov register, under tho
lew, upon their first arrival at por, Of entry, af.
ter Jan. LIST, 1865.
Vessels having in force, on the first Of January
ls65, license to pursue the coastin. tiudo or tho
fisheries, will not be required To surrender the
same uHtil it, expiration; hut no new licences viii,
be granted after Jan, |, 1865, except acsordin z
10 the new Act.
Moasureesat under the ncw law will be express
el in feet rs.i decimaIs If foot aud in tens ard
hundFcdths of ton. The register tonnage of u
vessel, under tho act, shall be her entire cub,cal
capaeity in tons CT enc hundred cubic fee. each
and be ascsrtained by quite a leosthy process
The length Of the vessel is ascertained by Inea.-
uTeius the length in straight line along the up
| per side Of the tonnage deck, from the inside
OF the inner plank, at the side of the stem to the
inside of the plank on the stern timbers deduct
ing from the length what is due TO the Ia Ike of the
bow in the thickness Of the deck, and what is due
to the rake Of the stern timbers ia tho thickness
Of the deck and also what is due TO the rake OF
beam Th. length is divided into the number 0!
equal parts which the following classification re.
quires:
| Vessels Of which the tonnage length is fifty
feet, or ander into elk equal parts. Vessels above
fifty feet, and not exceeding loo feet, ght equal
parts. Vessels of 100 feet, and not exceedin. 80
feet, into ten parts; and vessels of $50 feet, and
not exceeding 200 feet, twelve parts; vessels Of
200 feet, and not exceeding $50 feet, fourteen
parts and above $50 feet into sixteen parts
These parts divided into sections running
lcngthwise Of tho vessel the number to correspond
as near as may be to the number of tho parts
The cubic feet Of each of these, almost number.
lees, divisions aud sub divisions are to be worke
out by rule laid down 10 the law. The process
will be tedious and difficult until it becomes ia.
milar.
The admeasurement, as thus obtained, will cor.
respond with the new law of England, and also
| that Of France. We are not certain bat il will
correspond with the law of all the maratine ma.
tions of Europe.
| The charge for the measurement of the ton.
mage, and certifying the same. the law says
shall not exceed the Of 81 so for each trans
verse section under the tonnage deck. and 81, 90
for each between deck above the tonnage deck
and $3.50 far each poop, or closed in space avail
able for cargo, or ores, or for the berthing, OF
Accommodation of passengers, or officers, OF
crew, absve the upper or spar deck.