New-York tribune., 1904-10-17

ously objects II this involves any deiay or in
convenience to himself An interesting exam
shortly after the burning Of the Slocum, while
the reinspection was going and while the
public demand for additional precautions and
inspection was at its height. IN the regular
course OF reinspectiOu a certain excursion
steamer was ordered TO be tied Up for reinspec-
rion. A large party Of excu eEtonists had in
/ tended TO make a trip on thatsvessel that day.
and upon finding her laid Up for reinspection
made energetic and forcible objection TO the
Inconvenience and delay which was caused to
the party. Among these objectors were many
who had shortly before been personally proTni-
nent in demanding reinspection and all other
possible precautions"
INSPECTION INADEQUATE.
The report shows that the operations Of the
steamboat inspection service at New-Fork were
unsatisfactory. inefficient and negligent in many
respects. The commission says that the evil
dence shows that the local inspectors were In
terprettng their duties in a manner not justified
oy the statutes. The requirement an to the
testing OF fire nose on passenger steamers was
wholly oisregarded. The assistant inspectors
made no measured pressure test whatsoever Of
nre hose, except such as might incidentally take
place by the use Of such hose for the testing OF
ooiIers. They uniformly reported the fire hose
in good condition" but no pressure test ever
was made. The local inspectors who signed the
certificates OF vessels had no personal knowledge
OF these matters, simply accepting the reports
OF their assistants. They never followed up the
assistant inspectors to that they did their
work properly. They failed practically too, 10
instruct properly new assistant inspectors. The
joint rule. which requires that vessels equip
ment shall be inspected Jointly by the inspectors
was not enforced. The result Of this negligence.
the commission states, was that life-saving ap-
pliances often were in extremely bad condition.
The inspectors merely looked over. for instance,
the FIRE hose.
THE absurd and inadequate nature Of such
ners visual inspections of fire hose is apparent
from the tnnumerabIe cases in which hose equip
ment. passed at the regular inspection. burst on
the reinspection under pressures all below the
STa TNYT1 R0F In,
cent of the hose equipment was condemned. In
spectors di6 not lower the boats, and frequently
omitted any test Of the falls and lowering tackle
In the majority or cases no test was made OF
either steam hand fire pumps" The commits
sion recommends thorough reorganization Of the
force OF assistant INSPECTORS. with a view TO
eliminating all who have demonstrated their in
competency. Referring TO the work of the super
visng inspector IN NeW-York the commission
says that ii he did not know Of the facts OF In
efficiency and neglect the part OF his subor-
dinates. or II he knew Of them and did not take
steps TO remedy them, ne is equally chargeabIe
with neglected duty. But il is undeniable that
the local board in this port did not do its duty.
Upon the supervising inspector, therefore. must
rest large share OF responsibility for the exist
ence Of such ineflciency and neglect"
RESULTS or REINsPECTIoN.
By reinspection Of 26s vessels the commission
has been able to anaiyze and consider with great
care the actual condition OF vessels in the port
Of New-York The prevalent methods OF in
spection above outlined. the board says. show
the general system OF neglect. inefficiency and
lax supervision In great detail the commission
presents the facts developed by the reinspection,
which showed IN many instances that since the
Slocum disaster many vessels have been re-
equipped. at least in part. with life saving
appliances and IRE fighting devices. The
inspection showed however. the gross in
efficiency OF the old system OF inspection. there
being 33 per cent OF defective or missing life
preservers and % and 80 per cent OF detective
or missing hose. The commission Is OF opinion
that the same state Of facts applies boiler in
spection. The commission censCres part!cu-
lary, however, the inspection OF fire hose and
OF IRE fighting apparatus generally. and hnds
that the work OF the service falls materially be-
low the standard demanded by the statutes. No
evidence was presented 10 the commission
which indicated that the lack OF efficiency was
due to corruption or 70 improper motives. but
the commission holds that men who are re-
sponsible for the safety OF human lives
discharge their trust 10 the FULL IN order that
these results may be accomplished at New-TOrk
the commission believes that there must be
fundamenta changes in the methods and per
sonnel OF the inspectors.
The commission presents many reconrneuda-
tions, all Of them baFed on It's examination
into the SIocum disaster. These rsconmsnda-
tious are principally OF a technical character.
relating 10 the laws and regulations governing
the steamboat inspection service: laws reguat-
ing the construction OF passenger steamers and
laws giving authority 70 the Department. OF
Commerce and Labor 70 enforce absolutely its
orders issued to vessel owners and 70 the officers
and crews OF steamers II IS pointed out that
the present laws relating 70 safety appliances
are inadequate IN that they DO not make specific
requirements 70 safety appliances and
how they shall be carried on each vessel The
present lack Of efficiency In steamboat inspection
service induces the commission strongly to
recommend that the laws relating TO the service
be amended 10 70 confer greater power 10
enforce its commands upon the service. Various
other technical recommendations are made by
the commission looking 10 the betternent Of the
service on steamboats, and to the insurance Of
the safety OF passengers. 50 far may be.
through a thorough knowledge by the officers
and crews or such vessels OF their duties.
These recommendations VIII be transmitted
70 Congress at its approaching session, and legs-
lation viii be asked along the lines OF the re-
poYt and recommendations Of the commission.