Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-09
MARITIME EXPERT
DIES IN BALTIMORE
Eugene Tyler Chamberlain
Served Under Cleveland as
: Navigation Commissioner.

Eugene Tyler Chamberlain, 73 years
old, former commissioner Of navigation
for the United States Department of
Commerce for 20 years, and later mari
time expert in the transportation diyi-
sion of the Bureau of Foreign and
Domestic Commerce from 1921 until his
retirement several months ago, died in
hospital In Baltimore yesterday after
noon, according to word received by Of
flcials of the Department of Commerce.
Mr.. Chamberlain went to Baltimore
to live following his retirement from
Government service. He had been in
failing health for several months. He
made his home in the Ethelhurst Apart
ments during his residence in Wash.
ington.
Mr.. Chamberlain had been instru-
mental in the revision Of certain mari
time laws. He had frequently received
high praise from the Department of
Commerce heads for his work.
In recent years he had compiled i'm
portant information for the official
publication OF the transportation divi-
sion of the Bureau of Foreign and Do
nestle Commerce and was frequently
consulted on important maritime mat
ters.
Served Under Cleveland.
Appointed commissioner of naviga-
ton in December, 1898. by President
Cleveland, Mr.. Chamberlain for nearly
20 years shared in the administration of
laws relative to ships and shipping and
also in legislation upon those subjects.
The act Of 1910 requiring wireless ap-
paratus and operators on ships carry
ing SO or more passengers was drawn by
Mr.. Chamberlain and passed on his
recommendation.
Mr.. Chamberlain was for some years
an honorary associate member of the
Society of Naval Architects and Marine
Engineers and member Of the Mari
time Law Association. He was secretary
of the Pan-American Customs Congress,
comprising delegates from the United
States and the republics of South and
Central America and Mexico, which met
in New York in 1908 to promote uni
formity of navigation laws among the
American republics. He helped in the
American preparations for the Interna-
tional Conference on safety of Life at
Sea in London in 1924. following the
Titanic disaster, and was one Of the
American delegates to that conference.
In 1902, by designation of President
Roosevelt, he acted temporarily as au-
ditor for the Navy Department in adj
dition to his regular duties.
Drew Registry Bill.
At the outbreak of the World War in
1914 Mr.. Chamberlain drew and recon-
mended the ship registry bill, which was
passed August Is, 1914, and resulted in
the prompt transfer from foreign flags
to American register of upward of
100000 gross tons of shipping.
Born in Albany, N. Y, September %,
1856, Mr.. Chamberlain was the son OF
Gen Frank Chamberlain and Celia De-
borah Tyler. His ancestors on both the
maternal and paternal side served in the
wars of the republic from the Reyolu-
ton.
Mr.. Chamberlain was educated at the
Albany Academy and at Harvard Col
lege, graduating with honors in meta
physics in 1878. He laugh school one
year; worked in the transportation and
grain elevator business for two years and
entered newspaper work as legislative
correspondent for the Associated Press
and also was an editor of the Albany
Evening Journal and editor of the AL
bany Argus, until 1898, when he came
to Washington as commissioner of nav
igation.
He married April IT, 1900, Mary Lee,