The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-14
INSPECTION or, STEAMBOATS,.
CONTEMPLATED SHAkE-UP OF
THE ENTIRE SERVICE.

kust8nOcY " hnOu1CIC0oy " 0tUS9 NO0hOOv
at the Pert Of New Yerk-Locai In.
specters May he eupersedcd-Werk
fer the New supervtsing Inspector.
WASHINGTON. March is.-A complete
reorganization Of the Steamboat Inspection
Service at New York will be begun by
Secretary Shaw, IN cooperation with George
Uhler, the new Supervising Inspector-Gen-
eral Of the service, as soon as his nomina-
ton, which was sent to the Senate to-day,
10 confirmed. Mr. Shaw believes the in
spection service at New York Is bad to
the core. and that through the faults OF
omission and commission on the part OF
the local inspectors the lives Of many
sea travellers on the Eastern seaboard arc
constantly endangered.
Scores Of instances Of ineficiency or Of
gross neglect Of duty. or worse, have been
brought to the Secretarys attention within
the last few months. He would have made
an earlier beginning Of his work Of re-
form had 1t not been for the difficulty In
bringing about change in the headship
OF the Steamboat Inspection Service In
Warrington, and his desire to postpone
the general shaking up until this end was
accomplished. With the retirement OF
Supervising Inspector General Dumont and
the accession Of q new chief, whose char
acteristics are said to be expert knowl-
edge, administrative ability and plenty OF
nerve, Mr.. Shaw thinks he is in a position
to place the inspection service at large on .
much better basis.
Efforts will be made early in the next
session OF Congress to secure radicsl
revision Of the Steamboat Inspection laws,
which at present are ridiculed and de-
nounced by marine interests the world
over. In the meantime, the way will be
paved for the administration Of improved
laws by removing a lot Of inefficient, II
not corrupt inspectors, and the appoint
ment in their places OF men OF known in
tegrity and proven knowledge OF the science
OF marine engineering.
Secretary Shaw makes 2 great point Of
the fact that the steamship st. Louis was
allowed to 60 to sea this winter with leaky
boilers. which kept her out Of port many
days after she ought TO have arrived, and
subjected her passengers to loss Of time,
hardships and even danger: This case, It
day, il Of kind similar to Others which.
although unknown to the public, are charged
up to the account of the local steamboat
inspectors at New York;
A Treasury ofhcial told to-day Of one Of
Ni0 l4I 8coS BSroAAibihpo Piyh8 UttWCCif
New York and European ports on which
1t was recently discovered that the princi-
pal fire pump had been out or order for
several months. The pump was supposed
70 have been e1smined by Thomas H:
Boilers, but the fact was that the machinery
was absolutely useless, and had been 30
for q long time. In case Of q serious fire
on that ship, the crew would have been al
most powerless to prevent its destruction.
Annfhar IN 90 IL Cha rood IN potar n nj
the local Inspector Of Hulls. It was found
that a certain large steamship had been
allowed to 60 for a long time with davits
improperly constructed. In ease Of neces-
have been necessary to cut away large
portion Of the ships bulwarks In order to
swing the boats over the side Of the vessel.
The belated discovery was not made by
Inspector Petrie, either.
There IL some prospect that Robert 8,
Rode. Supervising Inspector Of the Second
district, which includes New York, Boston
and Philadelphia, among other ports Of
the North Atlantic coast, win Be super
ar . SeoG prob.ST s~sts oc. In
spoctors Petre and Barrett. As soon a.
possible after Mr.. Uhler's induction into
ONCE Secretary Shaw will take up with
the new Supervising 1nspector-Gen
Trouble Ii believed 70 be brewing, also.
for several Of the sixteen assistant in
spectors stationed at New York, and the
house cleaning will be extended as soon a.
possible to Boston and Philadelphia
Charges against the two members Of
the Steamboat Inspection Board at Seattle,
WASH, are now under Investigation, and
both these officers may be dismissed. as
was done early this week In the cases Of
the Government inspectors at Chicago.
Secretary Shaw intends to urge Congress
at the next session to authorize the ap-
pointment Of q commission Of Ave experts
In marine engineering to examine into
the subject OF needed improvements In
the anuquated Inspection laws. II will
be the duty Of this board TO recommend
legislation TO Congress Of q character TO
bring the inspection service of this country
up to the standard existing in England,
Germany and other great maritime nations
and TO insure Q reasonable degree Of safety