Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-15

and has finally reached the stage which
makes quick relief Imperative. The re-
suit is that federal numbering law
for motor boats is practically assured
of passa ge by the next Congress and
will, no doubt, be in operation within
a year.
The federal laws governing the OPP
Grafton of motor boats require that
each shall be fitted with certain lights,
whistles, life preservers and other de-
vices for the safety of both their &C.
cupants and those of other craft. Thou
sands OF violations are found during
instances, the guilty parties escape
penalties by giving fictitious names.
This evil will be done away with when
the new law becomes operative, since
the identity of each boat owner can be
ascertained readily by reference to the
recorded number of his boat.
1T Is pointed out. however. by the
bureau OF navigation of the Commerce
department. which has charge of the
enforcement OF the motor boat regu-
iations, that the new law will be even
more valuable to the motor boat own
ers themselves. In the first place the
waters frequented by the small craft
VIII be made safer by the bringing to
lessly and who anchor their boats
without protective lights. Numbering
and recording will also add to the
value of the boats as property. and
Will facilitate their use as collateral
for loans as we'll as making their re-
covery easier in case of theft The
compulsory carrying of numbers will
also discourage the illegal and i'm
moral use of the boats in the large
harbors, it is believed
Though the federal government must
give way to states. counties and mu-
inequalities in the matter of numbering
ana recording automobiles. it finds its
lustihcation for the nationwide mum:
nf
Constitution, which reserves the regu-
lation of navigable waters to the cen
tral government. Before deciding on
the details of the legislation to be re-
onested from Congress the Department
u commerce recently called a confer
ence or motor boat owners representa-
tfVes OF boating associations and boat
manufacturers. 1t was decided at this
conference to have the regulations ap-
ply to all motor boats with perma-
nently attached motors. but to exclude
rowboats and other small craft fitted
with detachable motors
one of the results of the new legis-
latlon will be to furnish information
boating is, for now opinions as to the
number of motor-propelled craft in use
differ widely Federal navigation Off
Gals estimate that there are about
.oo.oOO regularly equipped motor boats
in service In the United States. other
authorities place the number at half a
million. while still others estimate that.
including the boats fitted with detach-
able motors, the total is not far from
100000
The law as practically decided on
Will provide for numbering the boats
in the navigation district in which
they are owned, each district to be as
signed letter or letters for combina
ton with the figures to avoid the use
of large numbers. Thus AIS may de-
note boat in the Portland, Me-. dis
trict, while 25A may be the combina-
ton placed on the bow of similar
boat on the Pacific coast Harbors
like New York. Boston and San Fran
cisco Will be assigned several letters
each.