Evening journal., 1918-12-19
A GOOD wAn-woRK SHOWING.

~ also 10 landuDDers are found In the annual report
Of the steamboat inspection service that has Issued
by the Department OF Commerce for the year ended
June 80 1918
summary of activities and statistics shows that the
force inspected and certicaed 70i5 vessels with total
tonnage OF si6i696 Of which 6ss were domestic
vessels with total tonnage OF 6sse356 and 227
foreign passenger steam vessels With total gross
tonnage Of i6s30 OF the domestic vessels there were
5532 steam vessels Cos vessels passenger barges
and 543 sea-gong barges There Increase OF 81
In the total number Of Inspected as compared
with the previous fiscal year r41
Letters OF approval Of designs Of boilers. engines and
other operating machinery granted TO 33 steam
vessels with total gross tonnage Of 97s There were
i9s reinspectons OF passenger and ferry The
two travelling inspectors Travelled i7s72 miles,
spected 2 vessels and found i6 deficiencies various
kinds
Licenses issued TO 32 2i5s officers Of all grades
There examined FOR visual defects ii75 applicants
for license Of whom 206 found eoor-bllnd or with
other visual defects and rejected Certificates Of service
issued to s33i able GOO were rejected
Certificates Of efficiency issued to 5iOi lfeboat
and 7se were rejected
Steel plates for the construction OF marine boilers to
the number Of 9605 Inspected at the mills and
large amount Of other boiler material was inspected
There were examined and tested 3i9259 life pre-
servers OF which number 5i74 were rejected.
The total number OF accidents resulting In loss Of
life was 2i7 The total number OF lives lost was 500 Of
which II passengers. OF the lives lost ii7 were
from suicide accidental drowning and other be-
yond the power Of the service to prevent leaving
353 lives fairly chargeabe o,accldents collisions
founderings etc.
There was decrease Of 92 In the number of lives
lost compared with the previous fiscal year Passen
to the number Of 335iiiis carried
required by law TO make report Of the number OF pas
carried Dividing this number by n, the total
number OF passengers lost shows that i352s2 passen-
frbfr
hundred and ftyslx lives saved by means Of life
saving appliances.
That is pretty good war-work showing for
branch OF the service and have doubt that 10 had
exceedingly important part in shaping up the credit
able part that the United States played in the war.
During the last fiscal year. every activity and very
effort Of the vast machinery OF the Government has been
directed that all things have been subordnaed to the
idea Of defeating the Imperial German Government.
That defeat is fact. The Steamboat Inspection
Service has had the honor Of occupying important
position in the prosecution Of the against Germany
and has done everything that II could do to make its
functioning efficient. This has been done by i'm
proving methods Of administration in such manner as to
avoid relieve congested condition, by the adoption OF
regulations adjusted TO conditions by the
inspection OF vessels, by the licensing of men,
by investigation Of alleged instances of dlsloyalty
on the part of licensed officers, by securing
the enactment by Congress of important legislation af
serving important committees of other branches Of
the Government
Particular attention has been given to the adoption
of regulations for the inspection that ap
pcable to conditions to the end that there might
be safety also that the pressure upon shipping
might be intelligently relieved
The licensing Of has also received attention. and
has been possible the result of amended regulations
Tor men 10 obtain license. who In normal times might
iave had dincuy in obtaining license. AS from time
time reports have been made to the Office Of the Super
Using InspectorGenera by the Navy Department OF
of alleged dlsoyalty OF licensed officers the
bureau investigated these cases. and while this has
ntaed large amount of work. 1t has resulted In good
conditions Inspectors and officials of the service have
,een called upon upon numerous committees Of
,iher departments of the Government and have done
good work in that capacity.
The bureau makes special mention Of the faithful work
the employees of the service Not only Inspectors
worked day and night in the inspecting Of vessels
he licensing Of men, but the clerks have been quite as
athul for II Is be remembered that the clerical work
las Increased enormously result of wartime cond-
ions The employees of the Steamboat Inspection Service
nay well consider whether women. that they
been, fact soldiers OF the great republic
hat while they did not uniforms they were never
heess. engaged In work quite important TO the well
the nation the in the trenches or on board
naval ships.