New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-12
SEAPLANES AS VESSELs
Are They Primarily Air or wik
Craft?
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: To-day's newspapers are ysr-
about the alleged classification Of the ht'|
aeroplsne land presumably tho fyiy VI
also) as vessel" and the ALLEGED pwI
bility of aircraft manufacturers moNs
Canada, the latter theory being euss! 1
that OF "Henry Woodhouse NEE Csssltfs|
editor of Flying and governor OF TIE Al
Club of America" Attention is esllM
the fact that this definition OF ssspsv 1
a vessel contrsdicts Secretary BOZ
claim that a scaplane is primarily
plane. and does not come under Artie's V
Of the thirteenth convention OF the w
Hague Conference, in answer 70 Bernrr
attempt to claim a hydro-sesoplsns -"
sci.
1t does not seem possible that sseff'
Bryan, Bernstorf and .he esteemed x.
could have overlooked such an inTs
item as the fact that hydro-seroplsn" y
been vessels" in one sense since 70.
mer OF 1913, when the Department o. y
merce announced (Aeronautlcs, p w. :.
1879 il considered hydro-aeroplsne' AZ
ing boats as vessels" while they opsr'm !.
the water aid would require them 70 g..
with the rules Of the department as
rules of the road etc, under penalty =,
fine, and the act 10 be enforced By cow
of customs and other officers 4.
Albert Lee Thurman, solicitor iof ~.
partment, rendered al official oplnles -.
places hydro-aeroplsnes and dying 00'a
der control Of the Federal govern,
through the steamboat inspection ss'''1'
reau Of Navigation. TONY Janus w
first aviator to apply for license un'"
new ruling, when he operated n!'t
ferry between Tampa and 81. PeNl~,
Fla. the winter OF 1914 (Asfo''
p. 70, March Is, 1919 (Aeronsuaa ,
February %, 1914 N,
A. c. Beech also obtained lieeh" .e
nautics, p. 100, October 80, 1919, :"
Janus license was reproduced IN "a" n
In 1915 f. X. Jaquith, operating 8 n!.s,
passenger-carrying business and seh0'r ,,,s
lantic City, was required 10 Obtain a., o
and conform with regulations as "
tinguishers, life preseryers, etc. ~
As this classification IS not new "A,
years old, it is obvious that Berns'0'., -,
have made use OF it had It been sm s,.;s
Secretary Bryan took the view mss a..
the fact that the hydro seroplsne %. Z
boat were motor boats when ope".
waters of the United States, tns .i,r
was primarily an seroplsne. ana ",..s /,
legitimate article of commerce N a
sale 10 belligerent nations by s'''''''
neutral country. "a, b
IL is obvious that a Federal ~
registration OF aircraft and heeh'".A NJ
orators is desirable. 20 avoid the p'',. D
Of forty-eight different state Jaw, 10
same end, which now exist with 80
automobiles. Automobilists have 80 -
years for q Federal law, withou. wv ~
start has now been made as y" ~
flying machines are concerned py -. n
Of nc Department Of Commerce -. ~
Club Of Pennsylvania a year or 80 .s.,iss
duced q bill for tho Federal regis" a.. 4
aircraft and licensing OF operator. y
some reason il has not been pfs's..i "
eral states have already passeo us,uS<
with respect 70 registration sno 49,. tssb
and it is hoped by those who have y, ", \. 4
OF aeronautics at heart that II wiz
''''' 10 nave = n'''I ERNEST Ss T. JON.
Editor Of Asrssss
] New York. Feb. %. 1916. -