The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-06-16
MOTOR soar REGULIfIoMs.
rPuiy PAteEunl Federal GunFalanahlp q
GnaaaanN N.Rgtafhnna.

tRwlg rAfesunl Redlera1 GuanalAmIhlw 20
Gasslsns LeviathAns.
To THB EDIFoR 90 TaB sUN-Sr: Ths
bill styled for short the motor boah hln haa
boon signed by the President. The law 10
comes effective on Julyp For the ARA elma
In tho history Of our Federal legislation the
0OveFnnnent has taken upon ITSELF the flne-
ton % regulating the use OF private pleas
ura boats nom twenty-five feet lsngth down
20 the smallest. Tho several hundred thou.
sand persons who md their chief and al
most their only recreation In the naa Of th@sa
little cram are thankful that q law wa not
enacted which would have prevented their
using them anywhere but In tho woods or
upon the dry lots.
A. one time 70 looked a. II Congress we're
going 10 put through a law that would drive
the almost lnnumerabls swarms Of tha.o
mosquito craft from tho hydroRFaphlo
maps. and Il Was feared that President Tafl.
having his time fully occupied With auqs-
lions of larger national import, and knowing,
perhaps, no more about the matter than che
trainers Of tho proposed Law. would anix
his signature 10 the hin Perhaps Il was not
given even 20 Theodore Roosevelt 10 know
intuitlvely ali about small gasolens boats
While the shippers Of the pungent moe.
quito aquadr0ns are grateful that they are
not 10 be Destsred until July .. and that By
paying a tax Of few dollars in the way Of
compliance with requirements for uaelsaA
Outnt they can secure Immunity for the
fow remaining weeks Of the outing season.
they feet that the Ohllgation 70 carry .
mechanically operated whistle might have
been omitted.
There are two ways Of providing q small
motor boat with q mechanical whistle.
the air tank contrivanee and the contrnp-
ton worked on tho bicycle pump principle.
TO the former most Of the serious motor
boating accidents Of recent seasons are due
from the Explosion Of the air tank The hand
pump whistle after the packing has dried
and ahrunk n mute and would be- moro uss-
less II possible than whom a was new.
Yet most OF the users Of little motor boats
yin provide their craft with whistles not
blown with the breath. In accOrdanes With.
the Law. Then II the Kaiser Wilhslm der
Kleins. three yards Iona. rams and sinka
the Kaiser Wilhelm der Groaaa. three city
blocks long. Il viii BE- comparatively easy
10 locate the responsibility. II the burden
Of testimony ahall make Il reasonably Ger.
tain that the Kaiser Wilhelm der Klelna
was not equipped with q msohanlcally
operated whistle and that when che Raiser
Wilhelm der Crosse let out one bias. not
blown with the breath. meaning Il am di-
rectinF my course 10 staKboard. ths ether
vessel had nOt the appliance for almalllnR
either with en- afr tank tooteg OF q bicycle
pump whistle that she would bold 70 a
starboard course oT wished 10 croas che
Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosses boua, h that
event the Kaiser Wilhelm der Klsina can
Be- held responsible for the terrible loaa Of
life that resulted.
On the other hand. Il q shall appoar that
the Kaiser Wilhelm der Klslne blew two short
blasss with her bicycle pump 10 chow that 4
she would veer % port az blsw thres. ahort
whistles. meaning I am going astagn AZ
fun speed and that the laresr vesapl
through negligence or because ahe was
navigating without q whistle not blown
with the breath did not make reply, In that
case the foreign steamship company viii
have TO pay not only for the hundreds. Per.
haps thousands. Of lives lost. but wIll face
the alternative Of indemnifyinG tire owner
Of the Kaiser Wilhelm der Klslns % the full
extent Of tho valus Of his vessel, or maybe
so into bankruptcy.
I take Il that this country wishes %
make Il clear 10 other Powers that Il does
not desire 20 establish q virtual blockada
Of our ports against the foreign merchant
marine BY permitting waaolene boats Of eli
lengths. from nine or ten feet 40 10 twenty.
i've feet. 20 shoot out from the Potato Patch
into the Ambrose Channel without Whistles
not blown by the breath. with all the posi-
bilitiss Of appallinG disaster that such nssli.
gence entails. and 10 do Substantially tho
same thing a. other ports Of entrance.
The republic desires 10 exiat on terms Of
maritime amity with the other nationa Of
tho earth aud 20 have them feel assured that
when their vessels approach our shores
they will not BE- endangered by laviathans
twice a. long AZ q bedstead TeckleaHly
lsviathaning around without Whistles nos
blown With tho breath. RMR
bRoowfyy Juna Is