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22 | THE MARINE REVIEW ping business in compefition with pri- vate capital, the administration prom- ises to jeopardize the best interests of the American merchant marine. Senator Weeks, of Massachusetts, expressed the situation recently in a very pertinent summary, as follows: “We should (1) repeal any. legisla- tion which, like portions of the sea- men’s act, militates against the. devel- opment of the American merchant marine; (2) we should follow the practice of all other nations, which has resulted in the development of shipping, by giving sufficient aid to overcome the difference in cost which stands as a handicap against us; (3) such aid should only apply in. cases where the operations cannot be con- ducted profitably, and only continue as long as conditions prevail, such aid being based on the service performed in carrying mails and furnishing ships for auxiliary purposes; (4) any gov- ernmental operations which place gov- ernment-owned and controlled ships in competition with privately-owned and operated ships should not be. counte- nanced. The judgment and _ experi- ence of experts of all kinds on this subject. should be sufficient to deter our taking such a hopelessly fatal step.” While all shipping interests may not agree to every suggestion made by Mr. Weeks, the general idea is accept- ed without question. By radical legislation the United States is putting obstacles in the way of build- ing up an American merchant ma- rine. To Examine Lifeboat Men In a recent circular, the department of commerce designates “Deck officers of the vessels of the lighthouse’ ser- vice, coast and geodetic survey, and fisheries service’ to examine appli- cants for certificates as life-boat men in accordance with the provisions of the seamen’s act. Assistants, aids, and other officers of the coast and geodetic survey, who stand a bridge watch, may be desig- nated by commanding officers, or by - inspectors, as examining officers, and shall be considered “deck officers” within the meaning of the above cir- cular. The examination shall be a reason- able demonstration to prove to the satisfaction of the examining officer that the applicant has been trained in all operations connected with launch- ing of lifeboats and the use of oars; that he is acquainted with the practical handling of the boats themselves; and, further, that he is capable of under- standing and answering the orders relative ta lifeboat service. enacting | \CW EW federal regulations govern- N ing the procedure in handling exports become effective Feb. 1, 1916. They have aroused such intense in- terest among manufacturers and ship- pers, that the bureau of foreign and domestic commerce, department of commerce, has reprinted the new order with explanatory text. This pamph- let is just off the press and is being supplied free of charge to those inter- ested, upon application to the bureau. All shipments for export to foreign countries or to Alaska, Hawaii and Porto Rico, will be affected by the new regulations. Accuracy of statement and com- pleteness of description in export sta- tistics are the primary objects sought by the new procedure. The data pre- viously received by the bureau of for- eign and domestic commerce, have frequently been lacking in these re- spects, largely by reason of the fact that interior shippers consign to their agents at the seaboard for export, goods unaccompanied by adequate de- scriptions for use in making export declarations. The new regulations seek to remedy this defect. The importance of detailed and ac- curate returns as a basis for the sta- tistical information published by the bureau of foreign and domestic com- merce, is apparent when it is realized that the export trade of this country now exceeds $3,000,000,000 annually and is rapidly increasing. With prac- tically all commodities participating in that growth, interests in commer- cial procedure is widespread. To meet the demand for authoritative instruc- tions regarding the new requirements in export trade, the main features of the regulations on that subject are suthmarized as follows: 1—A simplified form of shippers’ export declaration has been prescribed, alike for exports by rail and by ves- sel. It is so drawn up as to prevent the disclosure of the value of goods to persons outside the customs ser- vice. The duplicate to be handed over to the shipper’s agent at the seaboard or to the common carrier as proof of compliance with customs requirements, will contain no statement of value. 2.—The oath to shippers’ declara- tions for export by water may be taken before any person authorized to administer oaths and not as here- tofore exclusively before the collector of customs at the port of exportation. This will facilitate the preparation of export declarations by the original shipper instead of by his agent at the eat: January, 1916 seaboard who is less cognizant of the character and value of the merchan- dise and the country of final destina- tion. Manufacturers themselves are urged to make out the export declara- tions wherever practicable, to assist which work the bureau of foreign and domestic commerce cheerfully sup- plies to those interests the schedule containing the official classification of all merchandise entering export trade. 3.—The requirements on the part of common carriers have been some- what simplified and hereafter copies of the way-bills will be accepted from the railroad companies in lieu of car manifests. In vessel manifests, a no- tation that the values are as stated on the shippers’ declarations will be accepted in lieu of a detailed state- ment of the value of each shipment. 4—On and after Feb. 1, - 1916, the legal requirement that goods shall not pass out of the jurisdiction of the United States until shippers’ declara- tions are presented in due form will be strictly enforced. Exception will be made only when the carrier gives bond to produce within 15 days export declarations (originals or duplicates) for all shipments. Compliance with the new regula- tions, it is believed by government officials, will impose no hardships on exporters who have been observing the legal requirements. On the contrary, their convenience is served, and the co-operation of shippers generally will aid the bureau of foreign and domes- tic commerce in publishing full and accurate information regarding the ex- port trade and thus furnish to the manufacturers of the country an accurate business guide. Become Largest Private Ship Owners Alfred Holt & Co have acquired from T. B. Roydon & Co. the fleet of Indra liners, seven in number, which run be- tween New York and the Far East. Both companies are owned by British interests. The transaction is of great importance in further strengthening British shipping interests in the Far The vessels acquired are: INpRA, 5,173 tons; INpRapEO, 5,359 tons; INDRA- curt, 5,723 tons; INpRAKUALA, 5,691 tons; INpRASAMHA, 5,197 tons; INpDRA- wapl, 5,194 tons; and INverctypE, 4,395 tons. Holt & Co. are now probably the largest private ship. owning company in the world, having about 80 ships, rang- ing from 4,000 to more than 14,000 tons, mostly in the Far East.