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ay IN ail RTIFICIAL handicaps imposed by A government fiat, and from which their foreign competitors are ex- empt have seriously menaced American steamShip operators for years. No sooner is one sweeping change precipitated, involving an expenditure of. thou- sands of dollars per ship, than an- other is promulgated, or a statute en- acted by congress which necessitates the replacement of equipment, just in- stalled by other and different equipment, which, in turn, may be ordered to be thrown aside and some other sub- stituted. In support of these allegations, the engineering committee of the Amer- ican Steamship Association has sub- mitted a brief to the committee on merchant marine and fisheries of the house of representatives on bill H.R. 8036. This brief is designed to sub- stantiate the reality of these burdens in the particular case with which it deals, that is the number and qualifi- cations of engineers on American ships as compared with those on British ships. British Requirements “Under two licensed engineers British law there are but required for merchant steamers, viz.: first class engineer and second class engineer, without variation as to tonnage. This requirement is covered in section 92 of the British merchant shipping act of 1894, reading as follows: “Every British foreign-going ship and every British home-trade ship, when going to sea from any place in the United Kingdom, and every for- eign steamship carrying passengers between places in the United King- dam, shall be provided with officers duly certificated under this act ac- cording to the following scale: “Tf the ship is a foreign-going steam- ship of 100 nominal horsepower or upward, with at least two’ engineers, one of whom shall be a first class and the other a first class or second class engineer duly certificated, “If the ship is a foreign-going steam- ship of less than 100 nominal horse- power, or a seagoing home-trade pas- senger steamship, with at least one engineer who is a first class or sec- iN Rulings on Marine Matters Improvements to Waterways Hints to Navigators ce ond class engineer properly certificated. ‘In explanation of the words ‘for- eign-going ship’ and ‘home-trade ship,’ the British statute says the follow- ing: “‘Foreign-going ship’ includes every ship employed in trading or going be- tween some place or places in the United Kingdom and some place or places situate beyond the following. limits: that is to say, the coasts of the United Kingdom, the Channel is- lands and Isle of Man and the conti- nent of Europe between the River Elbe and Brest, inclusive. ‘Home- trade ship’ includes every ship em- ployed in trading or going within the following limits: that is to say, the United Kingdom, the Channel islands and Isle of Man and the continent of. Europe between the River Elbe and Brest, inclusive. ‘Home-trade _ pas- senger ship’ means every home-trade ship employed in carrying passengers. “Thus it will be seen that a foreign- going ship of small power (less than 100 nominal horse) can operate to any part of the world with only one licensed engineer, who may be an en- gineer of the second class. Likewise a passenger ship of any size or power of machinery may operate coastwise, and to nearby territory .in . France, Belgium, Holland and Germany, with only one licensed engineer, who may only have a second class certificate. “Cargo vessels of any size or pow- er are allowed by the above laws to operates coastwise, or to nearby for- eign countries, without any licensed engineer. “Compare the British requirements with those of this country at present in force, or as called for in the bill in question. ; “Under the general rules and regu- lations of the board of supervising inspectors of steam vessels, which, pursuant to that act of Feb. 14, 1903, have the force of law, the following 16 grades of marine engineers’ licenses are prescribed for our merchant ma- rine: “Chief engineer of ocean steamers. Chief engineer of condensing lake, bay and sound steamers. Chief engineer of non-condensing lake, bay and sound steamers. : Chief engineer of condensing river steamers. 214 1tU—E—i————_——O [ “Chief engineer of non-condensing river steamers. “First assistant engineer of ocean steamers. si : “First assistant engineer of con- densing lake, bay and sound steamers. “First assistant engineer’ of non- condensing lake, bay and_ sound steamers. “First assistant engineer of con- densing river steamers. “Second assitant engineer of ocean steamers. “Second assistant engineer of con- densing lake, bay and sound steam- ers. . : “Second assistant engineer of non- condensing lake, bay and sound steam- ers. “Second assistant engineer of con- ,densing river steamers. “Third assistant engineer of ocean steamers. “Third assistant engineer of con- densing lake, bay and sound steamers. Harmful Limitations “In addition to the above 16 grades specified in the rules, the United States local inspectors of steam ves- sels make.a practice of stating on an engineer’s license the maximum gross tonnage of the vessel on which he may serve. This limitation is irre- spective of power of ship, or engin- eering skill necessary to successfully perform the duties required. The gross tonnage of a vessel is no cri- terion of the quantity or quality of engineering labor or skill necessary to operate it safely and successfully, and it is a surprise to us that an engineers’ association, composed of practical men, should have used the tonnage standard in their endeavor to make laws to govern the number of men to he employed on machinery- propelled vessels. “A table prepared of vessels, in each the vessel with the has less horsepower, and requires less engineering labor, skill and knowl- edge than the vessel with the small- est tonnage. The vessels in this table are not exceptional cases: the list could be extended almost indefinitely. “The practical effect of the Amer- ican requirements, and the way same are enforced by the United States steamboat inspectors, is to artificially shows 16 groups group of which greatest tonnage