Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-10-20
THE MARITIME CONGRESS.

The international Marine Congress that
began its session in Washington Wednes-
day meets in pursuance of an Act of the
last Congress of the United States, inviting
the great nations of the earth to send dele
gates to a conference to consider the best
means of saving life at sea, of preventing
marine accidents and disasters, and of i'm
proving the marine of all the world. The
response to the call has been more prompt
and general than was anticipated, and
there are now assembled in Washington
many distinguished men of nearly all
civilized countries, who are specially
versed in navigation of the waters of oceans
and rivers. All the maritime powers of
Europe, with the exception of Portugal,
are represented, and even China, Japan
and the island kingdom of Hawaii are
present by representatives. Very many of
these delegates are men who, from the
position of navigators, have risen to high
political stations. Thus, Germany has
delegated one of the Emperors privy
council, Consul General, and a Captain
in the Royal Navy; Italy sends Rear
Admiral; England sends Government
Secretary of the State Board of Trade,
three Admirals and member of Parlia-
ment, and these are supplemented by a
number of the chief officers of her great mer-
cantilesteamship lines. Japan commissions
one of the Emperor's priyy council and
some of her best shipmasters and naviga-
tors, while Russia sends Vice-Admiral as
the head of her delegation. For practical
ability it is possible that no more select
body Of men has been assembled upon an
international conference. Nothing more
significantly testifes to the marvellous
advancement made in the means
and multiplicity of transportation by
water than this assemblage. The
great waters of the earth, now so familiar
to the modern means of blowing them, are
to be subjected by this conference to a
districting system, under which it will be
the duty of each nation within certain
bounds to establish a patrol for the re-
moval of wreckage that is so dangerous to
passing steamers and other vessels to
watch for distressed ships; to rescue the
castaway, and to do general police duty.
1t is proposed also to establish more uni
form system of signals, of lights, of buoys,
and other warning devices. Uniformity
in certificates of inspection will also be
aimed at, and greater thoroughness in the
examination of the fitness of passenger
carrying ships. A great many other sub
jects will come before the Congress of SINH
lar character, and many of them will in
volve the ethical code of the sea, the i'm
provement of the maritime service in the
personnel of its officers and men, the
questions of coast surveys, the methods of
ship-building, the improvements in life
saving devices, the sanitation of ships,
quarantine regulations, ETC., etc. The
high Importance of the conference is to be
grasped, therefore, after moments
thought 1t is likely that it will be in
session for very considerable time, and
that its work will be done with great
deal of care and precision. While the re-
forms it may advise will not probably be at
once adopted by the nations represented,
it may be accepted that the most of them
will eventually become the regulations for
maritime Jurisdictions of most, if not all,
the great powers of the world.