Evening star., 1917-06-03

| IN tne old days the Inspection OF
vessel was a matter Of hours. whereas
now, point out experts OF
Inspecting the steamboat inspection
| w., service, It is one some-
'esseAS' times of days. Under the
old conditions the inspection was super
fetal. whereas under present conditions
it goes into minute details to ascertain
whether the vessel Is in fact in proper
condition to be certified.
Today the local inspectors make care
full inquiry to satisfy themselves that
every vessel submitted for inspection is
of structure suitable for the service
in which she is to be employed, has
suitable accommodations for passengers
| and crew, is in condition to warrant
| the belief that she may be used in navl-
cation as a steamer with safety to lie,
| and that all the requirements of law
in regard to fire, boats. pumps, nose.
life preservers. floats, anchors. cables
and other things are faithfully COM
piled with. In the same way, also. the
| local inspectors give particular atten..
! tion to the inspection Of the boilers OF
steamers and their appurtenances be-
fore they shall be used, and once In
are required to subject all boilers to the
| hydrostatic pressure. When vessel is
most carefully inspected, with refer
ence to hull, boilers. equipment and ap-
same and make and subscribe certifi-
cate of approval under oath.
| For vessels Of over 100 tons. subject
| to the inspection Of the service, blue
prints are required to be submitted. de-
scriptive Of the hull. for the informa-
ton of the inspectors. but these blue
! prints are not required to be approved
by the local inspectors having jurisdic-
tion. Therefore the suggestion has re-
/ Gently been made that a corps of ex-
perts be created. to be employed in the
| office of the supervising inspector gen.
| eral, whose business it would be to ap-
prove hull construction.
For many years the law has required
| that blue prints Of boilers be submitted
to the local inspectors for approval, but
| it has been recommended that the blue
prints should be approved in the office
of the supervising inspector general
ice say. would be to have absolute uni
| formity in both hull construction and
| boiler construction.
| Directly connected with the work of
inspection is the subject of f1reproof
boats. There was q time, not so long
ago. when 1t was thought impossible to
build a flreproof excursion steamer. but
with a constant demand for increased
safety precautions men have commenced
| to give their attention to this most
proof construction Of excursion steam
| ers may still be debated by some, but
the fact remains. say these steamboat
experts of Uncle Sans, that such a
mercial success. If. upon the one hand.
it be claimed that it is impossible to
build such steamers absolutely fire.
proof and still carry large numbers Of
persons, the answer to that objection.
they say. is that it may be necessary
o. II a
number of persons that shall be car
ried on an excursion steamer, because,
in the last analysis. safety is the first
consideration and financial profit Is
the last
Officials Of the service say that the
idea is not to force flreproof construc-
tion on excursion steamers regardless
of all other considerations, but rather
to proceed in the consideration of the
subject with an open mind and to OBJ
tain information. suggestions and
criticisms by those who are competent
to furnish Information upon this sub
ject. The time. it is pointed out. is
one for progress in the construction of
vessels, as IN other matters. Men are
not content to proceed along old beaten
paths, but are seeking to meet new
conditions as they actually are and to
make vessel construction as complete
Ily up to date as are buildings or rail-
road cars.
X
For several years the bureau of
standards has been studying the ques-
ton Of the specifications
Measurino for electric light and
power service, and
CAeetllclLy. the requirements that
should be made by cities or state COM
missions of public utility companies fur
nishing such service.
According to those who have been
conducting this investigation, the prin-
cipal factors of such service are its
quality and reliability. and the ac-
curacy of the meters that measure it.
Steadiness of voltage, they say, and
continuity Of service, without which
electric lighting is not satisfactory,
are phases of quality and reliability
that have sometimes been included in
missible errors of meters and fire.
quency Of testing of meters are almost
always included. AS the requirements
that can fairly be made diner under
different circumstances, 1t has natural
ly been necessary to prepare more than
one set of specifications for cities.
Hence the officials at the bureau have
prepared three model ordinances, one
for large cities. one for medium-sized
cities and one for small cities and
are more detailed and the quality of
service required is higher than for
smaller places. In the third require
ments are fewer and inspections by
the city or town are not contemplated,
but the character of service to be ex-
pected is specified and there Is a basis
for further requirements when prac-
ticable.
A set of rules suitable for adoption
by state commissions has also been
prepared by Uncle Sans experts at
this bureau, and a digest given of the
requirements of all the rules now in
force by commissions.
In this work the experts at the bu-
reau have had the cooperation of cleo
trio companies, state commissions and
various electrical associations. The
bureau has for years co-operated with
the meter committees of the associa-
tions. In this connection, also. rep
resentatives Of the bureau have at
tended many hearings at the invitation
of public service commissions in vari-
Gus states where proposed rules for the
regulation of electric service We're un-
der discussion and have given the COM
missions assistance in formulating such
rules.
X II
Overdrilling is strikingly evident in
the Cleveland gas field. where it has led
to considerable finan-
Dril1ino for cial loss, according
to experts of the