The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-11-12
The American Merchant Marine.

QUALIFICATIONS OF MASTERS AND OTHER OFFICERS
~ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF THr AMERICAN
sHIrMAsrERs ASSOCIATION.
In the year 1854 the British Parliament passed an
sct entitled the Merchants Shipping act under which
the Lords OF the Council and Board OF Trade require all
aud officers commanding serving on board
merchant vessels sailing under the flag OF Great Brtsn
and sll aspiring to such positions to be exau
ined by competent boards in seamansp and navigation
their general fitness for such trust before they
ind employment II they pass this examination ,n
satisfactory manner they put in possession Of
tiica,e issued according to form prescribed by the
act aud without this certificate master clear
vessel from any British port. This mercantile reform
effected In Great Britain after many attempts made
previous 20 1854 had failed OF such importance has IL
been found that examining boards established In the
outpors Of England the head ONCE from which the
tincses finally issue after the local reports have been
considered being in LONDON in close connection with the
Board Of Trade modification OF this system Is In
In the Eas, Indies but no examinations are authorized
IN the smaller colonies OF England
In Great Britain candidate for masters certificate
pays fee Of two pounds, and inferior officers less in
France, spain, Germany, Eussa, Sweden, Norway
Italy and Mexico have all sorne formula Of examination
for persons seeking 70 manage and control merchant
sells; but although the want OF such system long
and very Significantly felt IN the United States, IL
vas NOT until the year 1900 that the American Ship
der charter granted By ct Of ne Iesa1s o. ehe
State Of New York The Underwriters had lsbored In
very praieeworthy manner TO supply It's want by pm
vate eors Since the passage of tho act empowering
the shipmasters' Association fbr the purpose or Tex
aminng and certifying 70 the qualification OF masters
and officers Of vessels the plan has worked sxoeently
and the association Is now permanently established.
Il is useless 70 set forth tn importance 10 each and
every interest connected with seafaring matters aud
commerce. The association has already its
gser about four thousand Ave hundred names many OF
them OF men who have taken the highest rank ship
masters. It's workings produced very fine results for
the government service during the late war and its
titled members wore very fully represented in the ranks
OF our naval volunteers
The certificate OF tho American shipmssters Associa-
ton In issued only to who have been carefully
ahmed by competent persons In seamanshp and
ton and after the reports are submitted 10 a committee
Of well tried experienced shipmasters Every commits
sion issued 10 master bears n fixed number which
number is printed and published In register book
with the corresponding 10 and the or the
vessel which the examined ofcer holding II IL at
tached At this number is used n signal after q
system almost similar 10 that adopted in the commercial
CODE by simply exhibiting blue flag with red border
which the number in white figures Of the masters
commission In shown Thus the showing OF this flag at
conveys Ineligible and reliable signal az far
s visible by which the vessel as well as the MASTER
may he known.
Considering the enormous value Of the cargoes daily
carried in American vessels and the number OF lives
trusted 70 the absolute control OF one man. the necessity
OF faithful execution Of the duties OF the American
Shpmasters Association will be made apparent TO every
one concerned we'll already 70 the owners and
underwrters a. shown by the high estimate ~ which
the members Of the Association are held