The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-05-22
NEWS ON THE
WATER FRONT.
Sailing Vessel officers to
Be Examined for Com
potency.
NAVIGATION GRADUATES
The Travels of a Chart Around
the World in Search
of a Ship.
BELL BUOY FOR MILE ROCKS.
Philip Robin, Mendocino Rancher,
in Search of His Wife-War.
like Japs.
BELL BUOY FOR MILE ROCKS


part of the ship-owners here to establish
board of examiners, whose duty will be to
test the proficiency of captains and Off
GERS sailing vessels IN and out of San Fran
cisco. This is the only port in the civil
lied world where persons in charge of sail
ing craft are permitted to go and come with
their ability as navigators unquestioned.
Anybody who can get a job on board a
vessel as skipper or mate can take charge
and bump his ship up against the first
rock he approaches and render no account
to any lawful authority.
The underwriters, who are supposed 70
be interested in such matters, are indiffer-
ent because in the case of wreck or loss the
fact that the vessels officers are without
| certificates of competency gives the ma
rine insurance companies an opportunity
to contest the payment of the policies.
There are numbe of so-called schools
OF navigation in the City that promise for
a stipulated sum to make their pupils COM
petent navigators in given time. When
the term of schooling has expired, the
student is given sort of diploma, which
sets forth the recipients proficiency to
navigate ship all over the world, and nc
other official sanction is required.
Recently Edmund H. and Alfred D. NJ g
Nevin of the Nc Nevin School of Nav iga-
ton brought the que stion of compete ncy
on the part of coast ship officers before the
Chamber of Commerce, and that body ap.
pointed a com mittee to investigate the
matter. A fter due elaboration they made
the following report.
To the Chamber Of Commerce: Your com.
ma considered he of tba
animation by authority OF the Chamber OF
Commerce of San Francisco of officers in the
merchant marine, and respectfully report that
the Objectionable features of the recent method
are evident. They afford no security TO the
ship-owner or underwater and are of little or
no ben eft TO the recipient of naviga ton
school certificate outside of the limits wherein
the examiners may be personally known as
competent to perform their duties. In all
large marine ports of European nations and at
New York such certificates of competency in
navigation and seamanship are issued by the
ofhc1aI authority OF some organized govern
ment or commercial body.
1t is evident TO your committee that the like
procedure at san Francisco will be OF decided
advantage TO It's maritime and commercial in
terests.
Consequently we respectfully recommend
that the honorable board OF trustees of the
Chamber OF Commerce appoint TWO official ex-
amlners who shall be members of the cham
Der, to hold office at the pleasure of the board,
who shall be competent in navigation, nsuti-
cal astronomy and practical seamanship and
authorize them to examine all applicants sp-
plying 10 them for certificates of competency:
that the issuance OF said certificates shall de-
pend also on proofs OF sobriety, actual service
and good character that they shall be issued
to American citizens proficient in the English
language and OF legal age; that the charge
for each certificate shall be fixed by the
board OF trustees and a record thereof be
kept stating all particulars necessary for
personal identification, and the name OF the
o. hnn al frayr y,
recipient has acquired his knowledge OF the
profession; that the bureau shall be self-sus-
tanning and shall not in any event draw upon
the Chamber OF Commerce treasury; that for
the convenience of supervision the office of
said bureau shall be ct the Chamber of Com
meree rooms, Tor which rental shall be
charged; that the board of examiners shall
make an annual report to the board OF trus-
tees, and that certificates of competency shall
be signed by the president or vice-president of
the Chamber of Commerce ex-officio and also
by the two examiners, and shall be prepared
in as permanent form as possible; that the
examiners shall have authority 10 revoke GER
tlficates on proper and just showing of IN
worthiness.
With these precautions and conditions we
are confident that certificates of competency
issued by the Chamber OF Commerce OF San
Francisco will assume value to their holders
all over the world, and will be of service TO
maritime interests represented by this cham
Der, as well as TO all American ship-owners.
We finally recommend that the honorable
board OF trustees appoint the official examiners
at their next monthly session and authorize
them TO enter upon their duties as soon there
after as practicable. Respectfully submitted,
J. T. CHAPMAN,
CHARLES NELSON,
WILLIAM L. MERRY,
Committee.
The Chamber of Commerce immediately
appointed Captain William L. Merry and
D. T.. E. Wilson as examiners in seaman
ship and navigation. They will enter on
their duties June and make quarterly re-
ports to the board of trustees. The office
OF the board of examiners will be in room
So, Merchants Exchange building.
In the early part of 1891 a char. was
mailed from the Navy Department., Wash
ington, to the United States steamer
Adams at Mare Island. The vessel sailed
for Port Townsend before the package
reached her, and it was dispatched to her
Again she sailed before the chart caught
her, and the roll of parchment faithfully
followed the war vessel from port to port
to Sitka, through Boring Sea, and down
the coast of Central America
A few days ago tbat chart reached this
City, still hunting the ship. During its
five years of wandering over the ocean it
has become ornamented with MANY post
marks, addresses and unique inscriptions
One naval captain wrote: IF this pack
age comes to my ship again | will heave it
overheard" In another place somebody
has written: "rhis chart was at Port
Townsend in 1885," and This was lost,
found and then lost again" Another per-
son, becoming weary of the oft return of
the voyaging package, has penned: "For
Heavens sake find the Adams!" Even
the chart itself has been made to say:
please find my destination. Am sea-
SICK and weary OF travel"
The Adams is at Honolulu, whittier the
package Will be mailed tomorrow
On the 9Th of next month bell buoy
painted red will be placed on Mile Rock,
in the entrance 10 this harbor, and thus
dangerous obstruction to navigation will
be marked.
Philip Robin, a rancher from near
Ukiah, was in this City yesterday with his
Two little boys searching for his wife. who,
he says, ran away from Woodland with
man named Frank Smith. Failing to find
the woman, he took the train last evening
for home.
Customs Inspector Chaloner had a lively
fl ght at the Pacific Mail dock Wednesday.
He tried 10 search little japanese com
ing off a steamer. when the small brown
man hit the official with all the force OF
his small brown fist. Several other Jap
anese went to the assistance of their war.
ring countryman and were making 1t ex-