The Calumet news., 1913-11-12
MEETING MAY LAST A MONTH
intelligent Action Demanded by
Recent Ocean Disasters
CONSIDER MANY APPLICANTS

London Nov. l2.-.l'ourteen great
lations are represented by delegates
in The international conference on
safety at sea which opened its ses-
sions here today and the intense in
terest manifested. I'm the deliberations
and proceedings OF this conference. by
the general public and the press. indi-
cats the Importance attached TO this
gathering, If the Titanic disaster prov
ed q powerful agent In bringing about
a general understanding between mar
thine nations of the world concerning
the necessity oi certain laws and their
enforcement to insure safety on the
sea, the recent Volturno disaster clear
ly demonstrated other defects the cor
rection of which equally demands
prompt attention and intelligent ac-
ton.
1t is impossible to predict with any
degree of certainty how long the con-
ference will be in session, but the gen
eral opinion seems to be that there H.
enough work TO be done to keep the
conference busy fer a month. The
delegation representing the United
States will undoubtedly take prom
| inent part in the proceedings. The
United States government had a large
| share in the activity which led to the
| calling of this conference and will
probably take the initiative i'm propos-
ing some important suggestions tor
the consideration of the delegates.
Cite Titanic as Example.
The conference was called for the
purpose of considering general ques-
fionsty of safe appliances. the man
ming Of lifeboats, the efficiency of
crews the prevention Of fire. the i'm
! PRODUCTION of wireless outfits on sea
going vessels and other matters hav-
! ing a direct or indirect bearing upon
! the safety at sea. The necessity of
| having a sufficient number of lifeboats
and safety appliances on board of a
/ big ship was forcibly demonstrated by
the Titanic disaster and since that ca
| tastrophe every maritime nation has
! passed laws and regulations requiring
/ ships to carry sufficient number of
! life boats. The Volturno disaster
| taught a double lesson. IL demonstrat-
ed the necessity Of crews efficient i'm
launching aud handling life boats and
| the Importance of having adequate APP
pliances FOR the suppression of fire and
crews thoroughly drilled in the use of
! these appliances.
Both these problems will be intro
duced for consideration by the Amer
lean delegates who will present a SER
les of important suggestions aiming at
the solution of these problems. The
! United States navy department has re-
Gently been experimenting with Il new
device for releasing and launching life
boats so as to prevent their being
dashed against the sides of the ship
and as the tests are said to have been
extremely satisfactory it is quite
probable that the adoption of "a sim
liar device upon passenger carrying
ships will be recommended.
Wireless on All Steamships.
| Another important recommendation
to he made by the United States del
egation refers to the subject OF radio
equipments. The delegates will sug-
gest the general enforcement OF a law
| rquiring all passenger carrying steam-
ships to he provided with wireless out
| fits capable of sending messages to a
distance Of at least 100 nautical miles.
| All steamers built to carry twenty
| five or more passengers or having a
| crew of sixty men shall he considered
| as passenger steamers. They will also
suggest that two first grade operators
should be required on ships maintain
| ing constant service and carrying 100
| or more passengers. For cargo boats
one first or second grade operator and
one cargo operator or watcher is to
he recommended Other recommends %
tons will refer to the raising of the
the standard of efficiency of the crews
on all passenger steamers and the re-
quirements of adequate fire-fghtng
appliances and the systematic drilling
Of the crews i'm the use of the ap-
| pliances.