The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-11

He department OF Commerce and Ia'
Dor has fleet Of vessels employed OF
nearly all the waters Of the United
states. There are comparatively fen
persons outside Of the government ser.
vice who are aware OF this fact or who
know that the neet Is usually made III
OF 289 steam. sail and gasolene vessels
These statements are based upon inter.
estinS statistics for the fiscal year
ended June 40. 1911. presented In the
torty-thlri annual List of Merchant
vessels Of the United States" pre- pared
by the Bureau of Navigation in the
Department. OF Commerce and Labor.
The list for 1911 Ia now In press and
contains Tho names and other partic.
uiars as tn rig, official number etc, OF
All uocumtnted vessels OF tho United
states for the year ended June 30 last
Oh al government vessels: Of all yes.
seis lost during the year, and also g
signal coda list of seasoing vessels and
yachts. II does not include sixty-twc
sasoiene motor boats operated by the
Bureau of Navigation. owing 10 the fac,
mat these boats are chartered only for
the actual length of time required
VesseIn of the Burenu of Lighthouses
The Lighthouse Service ranks frs;
In the number of vessels owned enc
operated among the twelve bureaus II
me department Of Commerce and La.
Dor. 1t has under its command III
vessels. OF which forty-fve are steam
and two gasolene vessels, used as ten
ders. and sixty-four are l.ghtships
thirty-three OF which arc propelled by
steam, while thirty-one. although pro.
Vided with sails. arc usually lowed "a
their stations.
The light vessels or floating light
houses are placed. for the purpose OF
guiding shipping at the most impor.
tant and dangerous points along tfg
coast often In stormy and tempestuous
locations Owing to the severity oil
storms at sea, which sometimes tear
tho lightships from their moor,ngs and
carry them for miles away from their
stations. the larger number of these
VESSELS are operated under their own
stean power. which ene bles them to re.
turn TO their posts without assistance
The sail vessels, IL carried away by tho
lorce OF storms, generally require tho
ala OF steam tugs or vessels 10 tow
them back to their stations. The moor
Ing OF light vessels has been so i'm
proved, however, that instances OF light
vessels being off their stations have
now become comparatively rare.
The tenders OF tho Lighthouse Blu
Icau are used mainly to carry provis-
ions and supplies to the iightships and
lighthouse stations; to carry ma terials
during the construction Of new stations
and lighthouses. to place buoys III
newly designated channels; TO replace
old buoys with new ones: 10 carry the
gas for charging buoys. ard for The
inspection OF lights and vessels. Some
are equipped also With largo cranes
Tor the better handling of buoys and
construction materials.
Vessels of the Bureau of Navigation.
The Bureau of Navigation charters
bi1ty-two gasolcne motor boats, which
are In use. on the average, only about
four months during the year In north.
ern waters the boats are used In the
summeEs.oniy, while In southern waters
they are employed more in winter than
In summer. Owing To the short time
they are required at any one port, the
department has found Ii more econom-
ical TO charter the boats than to pur-
chase them outright Congress annu-
ely appropriates $4,000 for the hiring
OF motor boats Tor the use OF ths Bu-
reeu OF Navigation. While there are
100 customs collection districts, some
are equipped with revenue cutters, so
that additional boats are not required
al such ports for inspections in con-
ncction with tho enforcement of The
navigation laws. In many instances
however, revenue cutter Is too Iarg e
for ordinary purposes. For each OF
these districts Il Is necessary TO char
ter q motor boat. These sixty two
chartered vessels range from forty 10
sixty-hve feet in length. The compile
ment Of each when In use is usually
three men, all officials in the customs
service
In the enforcement OF the navigation
laws II is the duty OF every customs
officer to inspect all vessels entering
his port, for which purpose power
boat Is an absolute necessity, such In.
spection embracing, among other
things, the life preservers. II the yes.
sci carries passengers; It's whistle
foghorn and bell. and the license OF
It's officers. All violations Of the nava
CATION laws are reported by the Gus.
toms officers. and the Secretary o.
Commerce and Labor alone has power
to mitigate penalties imposed.
Vessels of the Const and Gcodctfc Sur
veg.
Fourteen steam and three sailing
vessels are operated by the coast and
geodetic survey, in the Department OF
Commerce and Labor. Five of these
ships are employed on the Atlantic and
gulf coasts: six along the Pacific coast
and in Alaskan waters; FIVE In the
Philippines. and one by the lighthouse
bureau. Four of the vessels employ.
ed in the Philippines are owned by the
insular government, but are assigned
to the use of the coast and geodetc
survey.
Vessels of the Bureau of Fisheries.
The Bureau of Fisheries owns and
operates four steamers and one sea
going schooner The largest steamer
which is held on the Pacific coast, is
especially equipped for scientific work
has cruised North and South Pacific
and Asiatic waters In her deep-sea ex-