The Washington herald., 1911-12-11

During the year ended June 30, 1911,
there were lost 315 American merchant
vessels, with an aggregate gross tonnage
of ss.SS3. There were 2,52s persons aboard
the unfortunate vessels. but only 1870 lives
were lost These statistics are given in
a report on commerce issued by the De-
partment of Commerce and Labor.
For the first time, the call letters of
American vessels which are equipped with
wireless apparatus are given officially.
Wireless telegraphy has been OF great
value to all seagoing vessels, and Com
missioner Chamberlain feels, therefore,
that the inclusion of these call letters
will help navigators. Numerous duplica-
tions occur in the letters in use, but Mr..
Chamberlain hopes within a year to bring
the system in the United States into har-
mony with the international system.
The merchant vessel list and the sepa
rate signal code section are filed with all
local inspectors of steam vessels; col
lectors and surveyors Of customs; consuls
and consular agents; lighthouse and life
saving stations; naval vessels; revenue
cutters. and all of the larger shipping
companies. They are at all times avail
able at such places for reference on tie
part OF the interested public.
vessel in order to he documented
must have been built in the United
States or admitted by an act Of Con-
gress and must mea sure FIVE tons net or
over. The gross tonnage of a vessel Is
the entire internal capacity expressed In
tons of 100 cubic feet: and from the gross
tonnage are deducted, II a steam vessel,
the engine. boiler. and bunker spaces.
the remainder being the net or register
tonnage.
Has Large Fleet.
The Department OF Commerce and La
bor has fleet of vessels employed on
nearly all the waters of the United States.
There are comparatively few persons out
side OF the government service who are
aware OF this fact or who know that the
fleet Is usually made up OF 239 steam.
sail, and gasoline vessels. These state
ments are based upon interesting statis-
tics for the fiscal year ended June 30.
1911, presented in the forty-third annual
List OF Merchant Vessels of the United
States"
The list for 1911 is now in press and
contains the name and other particulars
as to rig. official number &c. of all docu-
mented vessels of the United States for
the year ended June 30 last; of all gov
eminent vessels; of all vessels lost during
the year. and also a signal code list OF
sea going vessels and yachts II does not
include sixty-two gasoline and motor
boats operated by the Bureau Of Navi-
CATION. owing to the fact that these boats
are chartered only for the actual length
of time required.
The Lighthouse Service ranks first in
the number OF vessels owned and oper-
ated among the twelve bureaus of the
Department of Commerce and Labor. 1t
has under its command Ill vessels, OF
which IS are steam and > gasoline vessels
used as tenders, and 81 are ltghtships %
of which are propelled by steam. while
thirty-one, although provided with sails
are usually towed to their stations.
Charters Many Launches.
The Bureau OF Navigation charters
siXty-two gasoline motor boats. which are
in use. on the average, only about four
months during the year. In Northern
waters the boats are used In the summer
only. while in Southern waters they are
employed more in winter than in summer.
Owing to the short time they are re-
quired at any one port, the department
has found 1t more economical to charter
the boats than to purchase them out
right. Congress annually appropriates
$4,000 for the hiring of motor boats for
the use of the Bureau of Navigation
While there are 120 customs collection
districts, some are equipped with revenue
cutters. so that additional boats are not
required at such ports for Inspections in
connection with the enforcement of the
laws.
In the enforcement OF the navigation
laws il is the duty of every customs
officer to inspect all vessels entering his
port, for which purpose a power boat is
an absolute necessity, such inspection
embracing. among other things. the life
preservers, If the vessel carries passen-
gers: its whistle, foghorn, and bell, and
the license of its officers. All violations
of the navigation laws are reported by
the customs officers, and the Secretary of
Commerce and Labor alone has power to
penalties imposed.
Fourteen steam and three sailing YES
sells are operated by the Coast and Geo
detic Survey. in the Department Of Com
merce 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 Philip
pines, and one by the Lighthouse Bu-
reau. Four OF the vessels employed in
the Philippines are owned by tbe insular
government, but are assigned to the use
of the Coast and Geodetic Survey.