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March, 1916 gers and property in such trade, and just, fair and reasonable classifications, regulations, or practices to be followed with regard thereto: Provided, however, that the board may prescribe preferential rates covering the transportation afore- said, if, in its judgment, such rates are necessary in order effectually to carry out the purposes of this act. And when property may be and is transported by common carriers from a point within theUnited States to foreign countries or to or from the territories or possessions of the United States, the carriage being by a railroad or railroads or other means of transportation, within the United States, and a vessel or vessels operating under American registry or enrollment, the board is hereby author- ized to determine and prescribe through routes between and over such rail and water lines, and just and _ reasonable joint rates or charges to be demanded and collected for the transportation of property over such routes, and to deter- mine and prescribe just, fair and reason- able classifications, regulations or prac- tices to be adopted and followed in re- gard to such traffic, including the issu- ance and form of through bills of lad-_ ing and permits for shipments for spec- ific sailings which shipments are hereby expressly authorized: Provided, however, That the board may prescribe preferen- tial rates covering the transportation aforesaid, if, in its judgment, such rates are necessary in order effectually to carry out the purposes of this Act. And whenever the carriers between and over whose lines joint routes have been estab- lished and prescribed, as aforesaid, shall fail to agree among themselves upon the apportionment or division of the joint rate prescribed by the board, as afore- said, the board may, after a hearing, prescribe the just and reasonable propor- tion of such joint rate to be received by each carrier party thereto, provided that in determining the just and reasonable proportion of such joint rate to be re- ceived by any railroad company or com- panies the board shall act in conjunction with the Interstate Commerce Commis- sion with regard thereto and the prior publication of such rates as provided by the Interstate Commerce Act shall not be required. The board shall also have power and authority to make diligent investigations into the navigation laws of the United States and into the organization, conduct, and management of the business of all corporations, firms, or individuals en- gaged as common carriers in the marine transportation aforesaid, and to gather and report to the President of the United States such information and data as will enable him to recommend to the Congress legislation for the regulation of such commerce and for the promo- tion and development of the American merchant marine. In order to accomplish the purposes declared in the foregoing provisions of this section, the provisions of the Act to regulate commerce, approved February fourth, eighteen hundred and. eighty- seven, and all Act amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto, are hereby extended to include common carriers en- gaged in the transportation of passen- gers and property by water between the ports of the United States, and not en- tirely within the limits of a single State, and between the United States and for- eign countries, and between the United States and its Territories and posses- sions, and between the Territories and possessions of the United States, so far as applicable, except that in respect to such common carriers the board hereby created shall be substituted in lieu of the Interstate Commerce Commission mentioned therein. Sec. 10.—That on and after January first, nineteen hundred and_ seventeen, no corporation, firm, or individual shall engage in the business of transporting passengers or property by water between the ports of the United States and not entirely within the limits of a’ single State, or between the United States and foreign countries, or between the United States and its territories and pos- sessions, or between the territories and possessions of the United States, without first obtaining a license so to do from the board hereby created, and the col- lector of customs or other officer of customs is hereby authorized and di- rected to refuse clearance to any vessel unless the corporation, firm, or individual owning or operating the same is a holder of such license. The said board is hereby authorized and directed to promulgate and establish from time to time such rules and regulations, to be observed by all corporations, firms, or individuals engaged in the business afore- said, as may in its judgment be neces- sary to secure a full and complete com- pliance with the above provision and to carry out in the most effective manner the provisions of this Act, and is also authorized and directed to revoke li- censes theretofore granted when satis- fied that the rules and regulations prom- ulgated as aforesaid are not being ob- served or the provisions of. this Act are not being complied with: Provided. That the authority hereby granted shall not be construed to affect existing laws in regard to vessels or the authority con- ferred by such laws upon any officer or officers or department or division of the Government to promulgate and estab- lish rules and regulations relating there- to. Sec. 11.—That any vessel operated un- der this Act may be listed as a vessel of the United States Naval Auxiliary Reserve, and such of the officers and crews of such vessels as may volunteer for the purpose may be. enrolled as members of such reserve in various ranks and ratings corresponding to those of the United States navy not above the rank of lieutenant commander, pro- vided they are citizens of the United States, under such regulations as_ may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy with the approval of the board. All persons thus enrolled in the said re- serve shall be entitled to receive retainer allowances from the United States while so enrolled, at rates to be fixed by the board, not to exceed an allowance of $5 per month for enlisted men, $10 per month for petty officers, $12 per month for warrant officers and $15 per month for officers. Sec, 12.—The board shall, on or before the first day of December in each year, make a report, which shall be trans- mitted to the Congress, and. copies of which shall be distributed as are the other reports transmitted to the Con- gress. This report shall contain a record of all transactions of the board and of all expenditures and re-:ipts under this Act, and of the operations of any cor- poration or corporations in which the United States may have become a stock- holder, and the names and compensation of all persons employed by said board. Sec, 13.—That for the purpose of THE MARINE REVIEW 111 carrying out the provisions of this act, there is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $50,000,000, and the Secretary of the Treasury may issue and sell so many of the Panama Canal bonds au- thorized to be issued and sold by section three, and on the same terms, as may be necessary to secure the amount of $50,- 000,000, and set apart and use the pro- ceeds thereof for such purpose. Sec. 14.—That all Acts, and parts of Acts in conflict with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed. Laws for Measuring Vessels Regulations interpreting the laws that relate to the measurement of vessels, to- gether with copies of the laws of the United States on that subject and of the Suez Canal regulations, have been pub- lished by the Bureau of Navigation, De- partment of Commerce, in a single book of 84 pages, for the guidance of those identified with maritime interests. There are 22 pages of instructions for the tonnage measurement of vessels, with subdivisions under the general topics of gross tonnage and net tonnage. The laws of the United States relative to the measurement of vessels include those applying to measurement, gross tonnage, deck houses, breaks, etc., hatchways, be- tween decks, open vessels, water ballast, net tonnage, crew accommodations, de- ductions for other purposes, deductions for propelling power, register tonnage, appendix of measurement, vessels exempt from measurement and measure- ment of foreign vessels. Measurement. Rules Brief reference is made to the Panama canal rules for measurement, with the statement that customs officers may ob- tain copies, as well as _ supplies of Panama canal tonnage certificates, from the chief office, the Panama canal, Wash- ington, D. C. Questions of interpreta- tion under the Panama canal measure- ment rules are to be submitted in writ- ing directly to the governor of the Panama canal, Balboa Heights, Canal Zone. Decisions on such subjects are to be published and distributed to col- lectors of the customs. There are 43 pages relating to the Suez canal, in- cluding the measurement rules, memo- randum on the application of the rules of 1904 relative to the measurement of superstructure, instructions to American custom’s officers and regulations relating to the measurement of United States naval vessels for the Suez canal, the last mentioned for use in the preparation of tonnage certificates upon which tolls may be collected when ships of the United States Navy have occasion to pass through that canal. Lye nt Pe re TS oot