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October, 1915 parts of the hull; and of the kinds of material of which made, including kinds of wood. This rule also re- quired a full description of the rivet- ing of all parts of an iron or steel hull. One result of the rule referred to has been to place in the possession of local inspectors certain valuable information of which they were for- merly in ignorance. To this extent, therefore, the Service makes an effort to see that the vessels subject to its inspection are properly constructed, but the rule as it stands at present does not require the blue prints to be approved by the inspectors having jurisdiction; it simply requires that information be furnished to the in- spectors of that district.” Cireulars Issued The department of commerce has issued a circular calling attention to the following clause in the seamen’s act: “That the owner, agent or master of every barge which, while in tow KS THE MARINE REVIEW tion 2 of the act of Feb. 19, 1895. All accidents sustained or caused by any barge while in tow outside these lines will be reported by the Owner, agent or master to the collector of cus- toms and by that officer to the secre- tary of commerce pursuant to section 15 of the act quoted. “All such accidents inside such lines shall be reported as at present under the act of June 20, 1874.” The department of commerce has issued the following regulations re- garding the hours of labor clause in the seamen’s act: “The section prescribes no penalty on the master or owner for failure to comply with its provisions. Collectors of custéms will distribute this cir- cular promptly to the masters of such merchant vessels of the United States as are covered by the. section, re- questing them after Nov. 4 to post it in forecastles. Local inspectors of steam vessels will bear the section in mind in fixing the complement of of- ficers and crew in the inspection cer- Language Clause Interpreted Within the past month a number of reports have members of the crew to speak in any language. All that is required is that the vessel shall have on board 383 August Lake Levels The United States Lake Survey re- ports the stages of the Great Lakes for the month of August, 1915, as follows: Feet above Lakes. mean sea level. SUPEHlOn: orca ee eee wee eee 602.41 Michigan-Huron 2% 207 «aa oun 580.11 | Did (tate eRe ma Ge Nein ears 572.34 Ontario His cae ee eee ares 245.43 ~ Lake Superior is 0.12 foot higher than last month, 0.34 foot lower than a year ago, 0.23 foot below the average stage of August of the last ten years, 1.52 feet below the high stage of August, 1876, and 0.81 foot above the low stage of August, 1879. Average stages of the last ten years indicate that, the Sep- tember level will be 0.1 foot higher. Lakes Michigan-Huron are 0.19 foot higher than last month, 0.52 foot lower than a year ago, 0.87 foot below the average stage of August of the last ten years, 3.40 feet below the high stage of iSSS been circulated regarding the interpretation of the language clause. of the seamen’s act. In order to obtain an official ruling on this important matter, for publication, The Marine Review addressed a letter _of inquiry to the department of commerce, asking for an opinion. The department’s reply, signed by Edwin F. Sweet, acting secretary, is as follows: “The following interpretation has been placed by this department upon the clause in the seamen’s act to which you refer: - “‘The department construes the words “able to un- derstand any order given by the officers of such vessel” to mean the necessary orders that may be given to members of the crew in each department in the course of the performance of their duties.’ “Permit me to call attention to the fact that the 75 per cent language clause of the seamen’s act does not make any mention whatever of the ability of the ‘a crew not less than 75 per cent of which, in each department thereof, are able to understand any order given by the officers of such vessel’. “Congress was evidently looking for practical results. It is for the officers to command and for the crew to understand and obey the commands given by the officers. The commands on board a ship have no reference to abstruse or academic subjects but are comparatively simple and few in each department. It should not be a matter of great difficulty for mem- bers of the crew to acquire enough knowledge of the languages used by the officers to understand all orders naturally pertaining to their several duties. To re- quire more than this would not make for better work or greater safety. For my own part, I am unable to see why there should be any reduction of our mer- chant marine because of this requirement.” through the open sea, has sustained or caused any accident, shall be sub- ject in all respects to the provisions of sections 10, 11, 12 and 13 of chap- ter 344 of the Statutes at Large, approved June 20, 1874, and the re- ports therein prescribed shall be transmitted by collectors of customs to the secretary of commerce, who shall transmit annually to congress a summary of such reports during the previous fiscal year, together with a brief statement of the action of the department in respect to such acci- dents.” In administering this clause, the de- partment has issued the following regulations: “For the purpose of administering tow through such barges dividing the this act ‘barges while in the open sea’ shall be while outside the lines high seas from rivers, harbors and inland waters, as defined by the sec- sec- retary of commerce pursuant to ee tificate, pursuant to section 4463, Re- vised Statutes, as amended by the act of March 3, 1913. Where charges in outstanding certificates of inspection may be necessary, they may be made by indorsement. Shipping commis- sioners on and after Nov. 4, 1915, un- til otherwise instructed, will furnish two copies of this circular to the mas- ter of every vessel of more than 100 tons sross,<.the ctew of which is shipped before them, with the request that one copy be posted in such part of the vessel as to be accessible to the crew. Complaint by a seaman that the master has failed to comply with this section may be made to the United States shipping commissioner, or, in a foreign port, to the American consul, if the crew has been shipped on the United States shipping articles. The shipping commissioner or consul will hear such complaints and render his decision in the manner now pre- scribed for hearing and deciding com- plaints.” August, 1876, and 0.25 foot above .the low stage of August, 1911. Average stages of the last ten years indicate that the September level will be 0.2 foot lower. Lake Erie is 0.26 foot higher than last month, 0.22 foot lower than a year ago, 0.32 foot below the average stage of August of the last ten years, 1.77 feet below the high stage of August, 1876, and 0.96 foot above the low stage of August, 1895. Average stages of the last ten years indicate that the Sep- tember level will be 0.3 foot lower. Lake Ontario is 0.30 foot higher than last month, 0.90 foot lower than a year ago, 1.21 feet below the average stage of August of the last ten years, 2.83 feet below the high stage of August, 1862, and 1.08 feet above the low stage of August, 1895.