The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-02-02
REVISION SOUGHT
OF MARITIMELAW
Secretary Redheld to Take
Steps Toward Greater
Safety at Sea.
COPY OF REPORT FILED
Disaster to the Monroe May Result in
Steamboats, Coming to Full
Stop During Fogs.
COPY OF REPORT FILED

As result OF the ramming of tbs
steamship Monroe by the steamship Nan
tUcket outside the Virginia capes. 1t Il
probable that active efforts will be made
at once by the Department Of Commerct
to have am International law adopted
that will require steamships to come Il
a full stop and remain SO as long as the
lookout or the captain on the bridge il
unable to distinguish moving object:
clearly within an eighth Of mile.
The United States has full power or
inland and United States waters, under
the present law to prescribe such a rule,
but on the high seas to have such a Law
enforced il would be necessary to secure
an amendment to the maritime conven-
ton TO which the United States Is q
signatory power and of which twenty
five or thirty other natiops are also
signatorics. In the past it has been diff
ficult to secure amendments to this con-
vention.
George Uhler, supervising inspector
general of the steamboat inspection serv-
ice. said last night That he was strong
~ in favor of the eighth of a mile rule
for navigation on the high seas. and he
indicated that he would recommend to
Secretary of Commerce Redfield that &C
ton be taken to provide such rule.
Has Copies of Report.
Robert E. Tapley. inspector in charge at
Norfolk, arrived in this city yesterday
morning and personally placed in the
hands of Gen. Uhler a typewriter re-
port containing sworn testimony and af-
fidavits of members, of the crews of both
boats, the testimony of Capt johnson. of
the Monroe, and the testimony of Capt.
Berry, of the Nantucket
1t is the belief here that the captain
of the Nantucket. to some degree. will
be held responsible for the collision and
that within a few days Secretary Red
field will convene a special board at Nor
folk to try whoever is responsible for
the catastrophe which cost forty-four
lives
II is considered as significant that the
Nantucket, which had cleared from Bos-
ton, had maintained her schedule up to
within few moments before she struck
the Monroe. and this would indicate that
she was running at slightly less. her usual
speed, notwithstanding the fact that
there was a dense fog.
Gen. Uhler and Secretary Redfield will
go over the report tomorrow morning.
and it is believed action will be taken be-
fore the day is over.
The place at which the collision took
place was in international waters. or on
the high seas, and under international
law 1t is provided that in time of fog,
heavy rain, or snowstorms, or in thick
weather. vessels shall proceed at a mod
crate speed. 1t is left to the discretion
of the captain as to what constitutes
moderate speed.
"Our work in connection with this COL
lision was to ascertain the cause and to
fix the responsibility. said Gen. Uhler
last night, land We have done both"
I'VE have the log of the steamship
Nantucket. but the log of the Monroe
went down with her."
Gen. Uhler indicated. however. that the
log of the Monroe was unimportant as he
stated that the report of the captain OF
the Monroe was substantially contained