Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-17

ne nao the police boat In attendance at the
regatta, ana the members Of tho crew
were under INSTRUCTIONS to do what they
coula N accefdance with law. They had
matter OF regulating, the course.
Inc DISTRICT Commissioners acquiesced
IN my suggsstion- that the police boat
s 81 pe "a attendance to assist In case
reporter this morning. "When the police
boat reached the course We found 1t OBJ
structed aboye the bridge by canoes and
o.nsr sman boats containing men and
Woiuen VINO were anxious to see what was
gong on. They were requested to clear
the course. Objection was made by the
regatta management to the swells from our
boat. and we laid to a few hundred yards
oetow Wnere the accident afterward hap
pened to the Recreation.
Inc superintendent said those aboard the
vlgiiant were told of the accident by call
IT, the plate printers boat, and that the
vigilant lost NO time in reaching the scene.
All available men and boats were employed,
and under the direction of the chief. people
VINO were In the way were ordered back.
ne also told OF the work OF recovering the
Dooies ana or the efforts at resuscttatiOn.
and conplimented Harbormaster Sutton
and Acting Coroner GlazebroOk for their
unceasing EFFORTS to save the victims OF
the accident.
The Small Motor Craft.
The conditions that exist today regard
ing the small motor craft" said Major
sylvester. have crept in upon US In the
course OF q few years. Like the motor
vehicles. they make conditions which call
Tor the enactment Of special laws. and the
SAD lesson OF last Saturday only emphasizes
the necessity for something in this line to
be done without delay. Motor boats on the
water neea regulating as much as DO the
motor vehicles on the streets. These things
are seldom realized until some disaster
brings them to attention.
PERSONS operating machinery on the river
Where nIe Is at stake should be regulated
the same as those on land. Examina tons
should be made and licenses issued. Then
there should be an inspector to make re-
ports upon the condition Of the craft and
specify the number Of persons to be carried.
Lire boats or preservers should be required
Tor use In connection with such boats. 1t
1s not to be expected that whirlpools, cur
rents and eddfes are to be controlled, but
people who operate boats and become
FAMILIAR with conditions should avoid such
places. A man who Is not familiar with
conditions about river where he operates
9! boat Is not a At person to hold a
license"
The suggestion has been. made by some OF
the people along the river front that some
thing be done to lessen the danger about
places where water emptfes into the river.
SUCH as that from the mill, and causes dam
gerous currents whrlpools One boatman
SuS8eStSu mat plIeS might Ue driven d Tcti-
sonable distance from the shore In order
that boats might not get where they are
likely to meet the fate Of the Recreation.
Followed Precedent.
In the case Of the regatta on the Potomac
on Saturday last the Department OF Com
MERGE and Labor did not detail a boat to
police the course because no request had
been made for such protection. A boat
could have been sent there for that pur-
pose without request. but precedent has
established the custom which has been
pursued, and the regatta was entirely In
the hands of the officials of the races.
All navigable waters Of the United
States are under the jurisdiction Of the
far as navigation Is concerned. In all
other matters the waters are under the
Jurisdiction of and subject to the laws Oh
the states which may bound them on either
side.
The bureau of navigation OF the Depart
ment of Commerce and Labor has 5urisdlc-
ton over what are called vessels OF the
United States 1t documents all vessels
propelled by either sail or machine power
which are of fifteen tons burden or more
Vessels smaller than this are not subject
to document by the bureau.
The steamboat inspection service OF the
Department of Commerce and Labor has
jurisdiction over all vessels having other
than sail as a, motive power. and such YES
sells are subject to the laws governing
steamboat inspection in the United States.