Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-27
IRA NSEEHS INNOLyE ONLY
CHA NIf. IN WNEItSIIIp

CHANGE IN OW :NSIiIp
During the past year. undei' the ship
registry act OF Angus, is, 1914 q total
of liS vessels ana Of 52S.3sl gross tons.
valued at $3",39".7J6 and manned by
s. Z" men, We're transferred from Tor.
cien flags TO the American Nag and reg
ster. These transfers III most cases
involved u change only ia the owner
ship OF record. made possbl. by the
act deferred to. which enabled Amer
lean owners to place under their own
haE ships built in foreign countries
During the wear 1877 vessels Of @2j-
10 gross tons were built AMI docu.
,meutcd in tile United States. compared
with l,lji vessels Of 3i6.25o gross tons
for the previous year. The outpu, -
the smallest since 1898 and Was antic.
ipated in the report Tor last year be
cause Of the general depression in shit.
building and other Industries prevailing
in the summer and early autumn Of
'lal4.
our shipyardS on the scaboard al the
present time are busily employed. and
the output for the year AT present pros
poets will probably reach 100000 gross
tons On juno 80, 1918. the S.a boa rd
yards reported that siXty-two steel yes
sells Of 2a4.!3S gross tons were under
construction or under contract to be
built "a tonnage which has not beer,
approached ut the corresponding date
IN the last fifteen years, except in 1907.
when sixty three vessels OF ",3. >65
'Sross tons We're 50 reported.
Tn" receipts from tonnar. duties the
year ended June 30. 1919, were Sl2l5-
500 compared with $l.3io..is.0a for
the previous year, and are the largest
annual receipts from this source in
over thirty years. Tonnage duties arc
COLLECTED on the net tonnage Of ships
On not 10 exceed five entries during :hc
year At the rat. OF cents on vovug-S
from foreign ports across the ocean and
AT me rate Of cents on the shorter
voyages from foreign nearby ports in
IN" Western hemisphere. The receipt, $
! from navigation fees for the rcar
amounted TO $li2. 1857, decrease of
slO.2i7.S2. compared with last year. ana
the collection from navigation fines DIR
ing the Year amounted to s4l.5iS..t. an
increase OF S.16.Sb over last wear.
INSPECTION SYSTEM
CARRIED ON MORE Fully
The organization Of the field force
TO carry out the laws rclatin: to radio
Communications has been improved hur
ing the year. aud in consequence il In :
been possible 10 carry on more FULLY The
iinspcction system through the scaboar,l
states and the States bordering on the
Great Lakes. The field force now con
iSiSts Of lively" inspectors and more
Territory is covered than hcretoforc The
number of ship Inspections this wear
was G.l5J. compared with 6iSi for Tic
previous Year. the decrease being due
hn foo tl,.,f
atlantic passenger liners have been
withdrawn and smaller cargo boats not
y'uuircd 10 carry wireless apparatus and
operators have taken their places in
b the export tear ing trade. Tie inspac-
ition Of ships is the most important
work OF this service, and il has been
carried out more thoroughly this year
Than formerly. although the number OF
inspections has been less
The number of land stations inspcc, ed
was so, compared with 36S for the
iprcriouS fiscal year, and the number OF
operators examined as to qualifications
was @,l94. compared with o.2tJ for 1919.
The total number OF stations licensed
was 1888. compared with 2.309 during
The preceding fiscal year. and the total
Ihhmocr OF licenses issued TO operators
was 1883, compared with 1,54S during
tl?l4. The total number Of operators
licensed. including amateurs, is 1895
The bureau has begun TO assemble
records of marine casualties in which
1.-THE wireless system on ships inspected
tby the department contributed to the
Saving OF life and property. Incomplete
returns for the past fiscal year show
;thirty-siS such casualties, and in every
instance the apparatus worked salts
ifactorily, the auxiliary set taking up
the work Of the communication when
the main set, through the nature of tho
casualty. was put out OF commission
Radio operators nave set for them.
Iscivrs high standards of courage and
devotion to duty.
INCREASE IN VIOLATIONS
I OF NAVIGATION LAWS
Daring the fiscal year ended June 30
1915. $500 violations OF the navigation
laws were reported from all sources
IL.