The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-02-26
Hancock Department
REGULATIONS FOR MOTOR
BOATS ARE MADE PUBLIC
LIFE PREsERvER SECTION MORE
STRICT THIS YEAR.
Small Craft to Come in for Special
Attention Hereafter.


The motor boat regulations for Ia,
coming season were issued today b,
Acting Secretary benjamin S. Cabl,
OF the department of commerce ant
labor, through Commissioner Cham.
berlain of tho bureau of navigation
They viii be sent to collectors of Gus
toms and steamboat inspectors for tn,
use of motor boat men.
The new regulations make N,
changes in the rules for lights. whis.
ties, bells and sound signals whicl
were enacted by Congress in 1910 e
supersede the impossible requirement,
of the laws of 1895 and 1897 enacted
before motor boats came into genera
use.
The rules for life preservers ar,
slightly changed. Where passenger,
are taken for hire, life preserver.
stamped by the steamboat inspectors
must he carried. The Departments
recommends their use In other cases
cases life prcservers or buoyant cush.
ions capable OF sustaining float fol
twenty-four hours downward pull o'
twenty pounds will be accepted. Nc
life prescrvers or cushions filled witt
graduated cork or other loose gran.
ulated material. and no pneumatic lif,
preservers or cushions will be approx
ed
PlanlSs. gratlngs. floorings, oars
small boats i'm tow. etc. are not APP
proved as substitutes for life preserv.
ers. but wooden life floats may be USED
not more than feet in length, II inch
es in breadth. inches i'm thickness
and made of well seasoned white pine
in weight per cubic foot. Samples OF
ether substitutes for the articles men
toned must first be submitted to tho
supervising inspector general. steam
boat inspection service.
The regulations for the cxtinguish
ing of burning gasoline remain sub
stantially unchanged. but a number OF
tested appliances are specified. Be
sides these extinguishers and suitabl,
chemicals, salt or sand i'm sufficient
quantities. or referably the two mix.
ed. kept in available pals or boxes
will serve the purpose. Since the law
of 1919. was passed the loss Of life
from fires or explosions on motor
boats has almost ceased, and the mum.
Der of drownings, which could be pre-.
vented by life preservers, has dimin.
ished. fatalities now resulting usually
from capsizing.
The department records indicate tina
there are about 10000 motor boats n
the United states. Last season, 1866
violations of the motor boat law were
reported by collectors OF customs. Mo-
tor boat clubs, the motor boat period
ical and the daily press have aided
greatly in enforcing the law for the
past two seasons and the requirements
that every motor boat shall carry two
copies OF the pilot rules has created &
general school in the elements of navi'
CATION. attended by doubtless as many
as 100000 pupils.
Changes in tho law at the current
session are not anticipated unless Con
gress shll pass the Sherwood Dill
which will require licenses from the
pilots and engineers of motor boats
documented at custom houses to carry
passengers for hire. and motor boats
over forty feet long carrying freigh
for hire The bill also requires fish
inc motor boats and fishing tugs ovel
forty feet long to carry licensed engi'
ncers and pilots. The bill will appl!
TO about 1000 motor boats and smal
steamboats,.