New-York tribune., 1922-12-25
u. S. Examinations for Officers
attacked; -NerU LarUs Suggested
Master Mariner Says Present Rules Are Moldy With
Age; Examiners Men With Inland Experience
Only; Details of Proposed Changes in the Laws

lieenss 20 serve as third assistant for
at least one year while holding third
assistants license on vessels over 1000
tons gross upon the waters OF any
ocean.
A candidate for hrst assistants H.
cense to serve as second assistant for
one year or two years as third assist
ant while holding n second assistants
license on vessels over 900 tons gross
upon the waters OF any ocean.
A candidate for n chief engineers
license. % serve as first assistant for
at least one year or two years as sec
ond assistant while holding a first as
sistnnt's license on vessels over 1000
tons upon the waters OF any ocean.
The present method Of giving
licenses for ocean-going vessels OF un-
limited tonnage 20 candidates who
have served on inland vessels only 10
be abolished and 70 be restricted 70 the
-outes for which their service entities
them.
The time service to count while on
the vessels. articles 20 be shown By
discharge or letters Of recommendation
from master and chief engineer or
from records Of owners or managers
There are men et present holding
chief engineers licenses who have
never served time IN any capacity on
an oeenn-going vessel. They were al
lowed 20 get away with time served on
tughoats and small inland passenger
boats. Unfortunately, the men who ex-
anime them are practically inland men
on the east coast, and naturally want
20 elevate their own kind TO prominent
positions or ocean-going vessels. Some
OF these men examine our largest
occan-colng passenger steamers and
have never served an hour aboard any
OF them In any capacity, while the
ocenn-Roing men. who have experience
on this class OF vessel, may be sent to
examine a small motor boat or a canal
boat.
This is caused by our inexperienced
supervising and local inspectors. The
officers who hold those position,
should be promoted on their superior
knowledge In shipbuildlng, engineering
and navigation instead Of political pull.
Then we would have the right men 10
look after our mercantile marine, ex-
anime our officers and bring up lts
personnel 10 equal any In the world.
and save our taxpayers millions OF
dollars. I. would appall the ordinary
taxpayer 20 know the amount Of dam
age that IL done by incompetent and
inexperienced engineers.
The present examination questions
In all our ports are blue moldy with
age. They are known In all the en-
gineering schools. and when a candidate
fails he copies the sum and takes Il
down 10 the school and brings Il back,
done 10 perfection. the next morning.
IL the examination papers came from
board Of practical examiners, In
Washington, this could not be done
Give a candidate one chance 10 find his
mistake. II he cannot find Il, put him
back for one week et a time. II he
cannot pass the third time. put him
back for three months.
The oral examinations 20 be left 20
the local inspectors. who should be
oeean-going men Of practical expert
enee for that class Of vessel. A can
didate who fails In this examination
20 be put back for six months. The
local examiner Of engineers to be paid
AZ least $1,000 a year
would like 10 call the attention OF
our steamship owners and managers
that first class man should get first
class pay and they would find him
cheaper In the end and Il would be an
encouragement % intelligent Americans
10 man our ships and become lndepen.
dent Of the foreigners.
MASTER MARINER
New Vera City. Dee. ?.