Saint Mary's beacon., 1909-04-22

As very manyof our citizens own
and Operate motor boats, we reprint
| for their information Department
Circular l88. Bareau OF Navigation, !,
dated March rs. 1909, Failure to
comply with these rules subject the
offender to consider .ble tine
wHrsTLE. Poa HORN AND BELL
All motor vessels. without regard
70 size or use. must be provided with
40 efficient fog b rn, and an efficient
bell. No size or style of whistle,
| fog horn or bell Is prescribed. pro-
vided 10 Is available and sufficient
FOR the nse for which 1t Is intended.
The word .'efnciensv must be taken
Ia its ordinary sense, considered
with reference to tho object intend
ed bv the provisions in which the
word appears, namely. the product
ion Of certain Signals. The power
TO operate the whistle Is not pre-
scrihed. but IL must be OF such a
character as 70 producea prolonged
blast" which Is defined as OF from
foar 70 six seconds duration.
LIGHTS.
When naviRated between sunset
aud sunrise, they must carry regu-
lation lights, namely:
A bright white light at the bow
or head OF the vessel.
2 A green light on the starboard
side and d red light on the port side
provided with proper screens. The
side lights may be so affixed TO
the coaminR or to the sides Of the
deck house as 30 be properly screen
cd. provided the lantern be backed
with metal. Whenever the green
and red side lights cannot be fixed,
they must be- kept lighted and ready
for use as provided by article of
the act Of June7. 1897.
The law docs not appear to permit
the use OF three color "combina-
tion" light.
3 A white light aft, showing ell
around the horizon, TO range with
the head light.
SufAhn OH BuLAo.
Such vessels are also required to
have on board two printed copies Of
the rules which must be observed
by them, which rules will be fur
nished by local inspectors OF steam
vessels on request.
IIFRPREsERvERs.
All such vessels OF 10 gross tons
or less engaged In carrying passen-
| gers for hire, In addition 70 the equip
ment above stated. are required TO
carry one life-preserver for each
passenger carried and shall be op-
Grated only In charge of Q person
duly licensed by the local inspectors
OF steam vessels. Such vessels when
used only as private pleasure boats
and not at any time engaged in the
carriage Of passengers for hire are
not obliged to comply with the pro-
visions OF law Ia regard 70 lIfe-pre-
servers and licensed operators. :
(The Iife-preservers must be af she
sort prescribed by the regulations
Of the Board Of Supervising Inspec-
tors. They muss bear the United
Spies irsspset0Fst stamp
While the Law does nos require it,
the Department recommends, ip the
Interest of safety to life, that q life.
preseryer for each person on board
be carried on ell motor boats regard
less Of size or occupation,
DoCuMENTIEG. INSPECTION, ETc.
An motor boats of over 5 net tons
engaged In the carriage of freiQht /
or passengers for hire must be doc
umented that is to say, licensed
BY the collectors of customs. (Ves-
sells under B net tons are not docu.
mented In any cass) The license OF
the vessel obtained from the collec-
tor Of customs designated q docu-
ment) is additional TO and must not
be confounded with the license re-
duired for the operator of motor
boat Of ID gross tons or less carry
ing passengers for hire.
Motor vessels OF over is gross
tons engaged In the carriage Of pas
sengers or freight for hire must also
be inspected by the United States
local inspectors of steam vessels
and must carry q licensed engineer
and q licensed pilot.
Documented vessels must have
name and home port on stern and
name on each side OF bow. Official
measurement is necessary only In
case Of vessels requiring to be doc
umented.
While the law does nat require IL,
the Department recommends that
the name be conspicuously display
ed on undocumented motor boats.
HERBERT KNOX SMITH.
Acting Secretary.