Evening star., 1915-12-28
Steamboat Inspector General
UhIer Makes Recommends
H. tions in His Report.
ASKS CONGRESS TO PASS
/ NECESSARY LEGISLATION
Directs Attention to Need Of Laws
Governing Transportation Of
| Dangerous Articles.

Absolute fireproof construction should
be required in excursion steamers as
preventive measure against loss of life,
according to George Uhler, supervising
inspector general of the steamboat in
spection service. made public today.
There are other perils as terrible as
capsizing, he says.
THE possibility of fires aboard excur-
sion steamers always exists he says.
"and though there may be any number
of regulations in regard to fre-fghting
equipment, the best way is to remove
the cause and require absolute fire.
proof construction of excursion steam
ers This cannot be done until Con-
gress acts. and the bureau most ear
nestly invites attention to the necessity
for legislation in this respect.
'In connection with fires is to be con-
sidered the transportation of danger
Gus articles. The law does not by any
means meet modern conditions. 1t is
poSSi BILE today TO transport certain DAN
gerous articles not covered by the law
on steamers carrying passengers, and
over such situation the bureau mas no
control. Further, the bureau has no
control over the transportation OF dan
Serous articles on freight steamers, al
though the lives of persons on passen-
ger steamers may be Jeopardlzed
through carelessness on freight steam
ers The Office or 3he supervising in
spector general should be given au-
thority to regulate this very dangerous
practice
Necessity of Regular Inspections.
The necessity of regular inspections
and the need of additional appropria-
tions are pointed out by Mr.. Uhler. In
making inspections the inspectors visit
the vessel without prior notice. accord
ing to the report, and. Judging from
the reports received, it would appear
that many vessels would not keep in
good condition were il not for the re-
peated reinspections.
with the limited appropriation here
tofore givep it is not possible to OBJ
tain the highest efficien"y or activity
from the supervisiAs inspectors. A suf-
fciently large appropriation would
make it possible to have them make
actual reinspections of vessels and fol-
low up the work of the local inspectors
to a great extent.
"A most important means of obtain
ing uniform administration and i'm
proving the work of the service has
been through the efforts of the travel
ing inspector His chief duty is to as
certain whether the local inspectors
have been correctly inspecting vessels;
and that his appointment is Justlhed
Is proven by his reports for numerous
instances of defective and imperfect
inspection have been discovered.
THE force of inspectors employed in
this service is entirely too small. For
several years the bureau has in it's es-
Inmates pointed out the necessity of ad-
ditional inspectors. There are in
stances where inspectors work from
am. to 10 PIN. and there have been
instances where dry-dock examinations
have not been made because there was
not a sufficient force of inspectors to
make them More clerks also are
needed. With one more clerk In the
office of the supervising inspector gen.
eral more efficient inspection could be
obtained, because there could be more
careful review of the inspection cards.
At present the press of work is some
times so great that most important
work has to be sighted.