Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-18

Secretary Of the Department Of Commerce
and Labor, who, under the organization OF
that department, had been given jurisdtc-
ton over such matters. The department
promptly replied. adapted our rules and
regulations, and detailed the fish commits
sion steamer Albatross. together with sew
eral launches, to do the work.
ION August 2. this year, acting for the
Potomac River Regatta Association, l OFF,
cially notified the Department Of Commerce
and Labor that the regatta was to be held
the 18th. and asked for the usual detail.
I'm answer to that request the following
letter was received:
i" Department of Commerce and Labor,
Office Of the Secretary.
WASHINGTON, August 3. 1904.
john Hadley Doyle,
President Potomac River
Regatta Association.
Sir: Referring to your letter dated the
I'd instant this department advises you
that it has approved the rules for the re-
gatta Of the Potomac River Regatta Asso-
citation to take place August 10. 1904. and
has requested the Secretary Of the Treas
ury to detail vessel, or vessels, to patrol
the course and assist in the enforcement Of
the rules. as contemplated by the act Of
May 10. 1896. Respectfully,
''v. H. METCALF. Secretary
No Available Vessel.
ut would seem from this that the de-
partment was endeavor1ng to make ar
rangements for patrolling the course and
maintaining the rules Of the regatta. But
on August received the following letter
from the commissioner OF navigation Of the
Department of Commerce and Labor:
Referring to your letter dated the I'd,
this office advises you that the Secretary of
the Treasury states under date Of the 9Th
instant. that he regrets there is no vessel
Of the revenue cutter service suitable for
patrolling the course of your annual re-
gatta on the Potomac river near George
town. Respectfully.
~. T. CHAMBERLAIN,
Commissioner
I'm response to this. and in view of the
fact that just such a letter had been sent
me by the Secretary Of the Treasury in
1902. / protested to the commissioner OF
told him that we did not fear anything like
a disaster or catastrophe. but that as long
as the law exists on the statutes we expect
its protection. In the meantime the matter
was incidentally mentioned to Mai. Sylves-
ter, who said he had no Jurisdiction. but If
we did not hear from those authorized to
protect thet course. he would get authority
and do what he could in the matter. We
believed the Department Of Commerce and
Labor would, secure launches of some sort
to do the service, and therefore did nothing
farther toward securing police protection Of
the course, S2When the hour of the regatta
came and wSsaw that no government vessel
had been sent, we were dumfounded. but
three days after the bureau Of NAVIGATION
replied to MY last letter to the efrect that
the Albatross was in the Pacific ocean and
that the ONCE had no Launches for the
service.
alleges Indifference.
'.In view Of the fact that a terrible ca
lamity befell one Of the spectators launches
the regatta association wish It known that
they did all In their power to secure the
protection OF the course provided by law.
and that the absence Of government vessels
was wholly due to the apparent indifference
OF the department controlling the revenue
cutter service.
i has been stated that MAI Sylvester
course by an official OF Me regatta associa-
ton he would have been near enough to
the Inflated launch Recreation to have rem
dered assistance to the persons who lost
their lives by the capsixing OF that vessel.
In contradiction OF this several persons who
were aboard the aeorsetown at the time
OF the calamity assert that the Vieilant,
with Maj. Sylvester aboard, left the course
at the orders of the superintendent OF no.
lice, and was not ordered away. but was
merely requested to keep clear OF the rae
Ing course for the reason that the VieiIant