The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-06
MARKING OF VESSELS.
Their Names Not Required to
Be on the Bows.
THE OLD LAW NOT REPEALED.
huiins OF Commissioner of Navigation
Umatiiia saiIs-wasco Trouble
Marine Notes.

Inc customs officers Of this district are fore
ing steam vessels and yachts to have their
names markell in accordance with the provisions
oi Inc set OF Congress OF February q, 1881,
sfnendatory of section AIS of TIE Revised
statutes, though the commissioner of naviga-
uon on April ls, 1881, ruled that the act did not
apply to this class of vessels.
Inc act provided that the name of every doc
ufheiIed vessel should be marked upon each
DOW and the stern; that the home port should
also be marked upon the stern, and that the
smallest letters used should not be less than
TOUR inches. Time was given for marking the
name on the bow until January /, 1892.
In his decision the commissioner of naviga-
ton took the position that the marking OF
yachts was provided for in the act of March 8,
1855, amendatory of section 1914 of the Revised
statutes and the marking OF steam vessels was
likewise provided for in section 4,495 of the
same statute, aud thai these statutes, not hay
ing been repealed except by implication, came
Within the meaning Of the decision of the
supreme court, which held that a specific pro-
VISION Tor a particular class was not repealed by
a general provision in a later act; and for the
further reason that these several laws relate to
the same subject, were enacted for the same
purpose, were consistent and reeoncilable and
seemed to be better adapted to this particular
class of vessels than the later law OF February,
1891. He therefore ruled that yachts must be
marked in aacordanee with the act of March 8,
1855, ana steam vessels with section, 1895 of the
Revised Statutes. This ruling was sustained by
Acting Secretary of the Treasury Nettleton and
sent out in the reports of the commissioner of
navigation as the law on the subject
Now section 4,495 of the Revised tSatutes only
provides that in addition to having the name
and hailing port placed upon the stern, the
name shall be placed on each side OF the pilot
house. should she be q side steamer, the
name in addition must be placed on each wheel
house. The letters on the stern to be not less
than four inches, and upon the pllot-house not
less than six inches in length. The colors may
be light on DARK, or dark on q light ground.
And with reference TO the marking OF yachts,
the act of March 3, 1883, simply provides that
''such vessels shall have their name and port
placed on some conspicuous portion of their
hulls."
This construction makes it absolutely un-
necessary Tor yachts or steam vessels to have
their names on the bows, yet the commissioner
OF navigation keeps sending out copies o. the
act OF February Il, 1891, aud hundreds OF boat
owners on the Sound have been put to the trou-
bic and expense OF marking their boats accord
ingly, the customs officials taking it for grated
that it meant the enforcement of the law and
m men acting accordingly.
Another decision OF the commissioner of navi-
CATION interprets the act of February 81, 1891,
with reference to the marking of vessels OF ir-
regular shape, etc. lie ruled that on double
enders" the name should be placed On the parts
corresponding 10 the bows, and the home port
on parts adjacent to the stern, If the stern be
too small for the lettering. Seows, barges. etc,
with square bow, should be marked OH bow in
stead OF sides, as rubbing against piles, etc.,
would soon wear letters off sides. And if all the
figures indicating the draft OF registered vessels
cannot be placed on the sternpost they may be
continued upward on adjacent parts.