New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-24
SAFETY AT SEA.
Precautions Taken to Insure 1t as
Far as Possible.

So % have Sss the marine disasters ssss
pose visiting Europe summer viii PROBABLY Be in
.sreIed II sa5n.ns Of ne care with which the Brit
passenger ship which leaves British port The de-
scrlpton is taken from The London GRAPHIC:
When one hears Of a great maritime disaster
the landsnlan is inevitably prompted TO inquire
what precautions and facilities were available
to insure the safety and preserve the lives Of
the passengers in cases OF emergency. As a
matter OF fact no British vessel IS permitted %
leave port without Passenger Certificate In
order to obtain which the vessel must undergo
4 most searching examination az the hands Of
experts
The inspection Of passenger ships is depart-
ment of the work carried on by the Board et
Trade and the photographs herewith Of the In
spectiOn Of the American liner New York, car
red out under the personal supervision OF Cap
tain Clarke r. n. R., F. r. s. the chief inspec-
tor at Southampton. viii give some idea Of the
exhaustive nature OF the examination 20 WHICH
every ship is subjected.
The final official inspection Is conducted lust
previously 70 the saIhug or NssSel E.ssS
member OS the ships company, from captain
to cabin boy. must he in his appointed place 70
answer to his name ar muster, and as the IN
spectton party pass down the long lines eacn
section makes an imposing array
Passengers, OF course, are not actually mus
tered in person. but a number OF clerks may De
seen busy in Of the saloons examining and
checking the tickets and documents that relate
To them which are 10 be included In the ships
papers After the inspection OF the members OF
the ships company. a tour OF inspection OF the
vessel is made. bur this is more or less formal.
as obviously work Of such vital Importance
could not possibly be left till the last minute.
The Inspection in reality continues from The
time the vessel enters port until the chief IN
spectOr finally hands the complete passenger
certificate" to the captain upon the receipt OF
which he Is at liberty to give the first signal
from the bridge 70 The engine room
All the time she has been lying in port TAX
ing in stores and preparing for the forthcoming
passage various inspectors will have been com
ing on board demanding 70 see this and taaJ. 70
have something renewed OF alterations made
snd every item % the ships equipment from
stem to Sternpost and from masthead 10 Keel
son VIII have undergone careful examination
The power Of tie Board Of Trade inspectors
is absolute and should ANYTHING. great or small.
IsU ta meet vita their approval. il must inme-
liateIv be altered or replaced. Moreover ths
survey is by no means - superficial one.
At times large quantities cf IRON plating are
ordered to De removed. or portions OF the deck
torn up. in order thar some otherwise inacccs-
sible part af the leviaIhans anatomy may ne
revealed. OF il may be that Tor some technIca-
reason IL is found necessary % discover how the
plates and riVets other metal work them
selves are standing the Strain Of continual use
Then grimy. OvevalIed experts crawl INTO the
gloomy interior Of the boiler and other strange
places. lamp and tools IN hand and search Tor
any sign OF possible defect MI food and drink
ing water must be passed as approved and the
sanitary arrangements demonstrated % be in
satisfactory working order before the authOri-
ties UpCn these subjects hand m their report %
that effect To the chief inspector
Naturally all the lifesavinE appliances come
in for q large share Of attention and great
care Is taken that an ample supply OF life belts
and boats is provided, and that the latter are
replete with store of water and provisions and
all the necessary equipments 20 enable them 70
make Independent journey IN case OF eilet-
genCy \ great point is made CT the number and
quality of the cork life belts. and also that they
are placed where they are easy OF access Every
thing possible Is done TO render a liner what
actual death rate certificate prove her to DO
viz. the safest place on earth