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8 NATIONAL M. E. B.A. The Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association of the United States convened inits twenty-first annnal session at Willard’s Hotel, Washington, at 9:30 o’clock on the morning of of Monday, Jan. 20, the meeting being called to order by ‘National Président George Uhler. “The report of the committee on credentials showed the following members present: H.T. McAuley, and Cc. M. Stoddard, from No. 2, Cleveland; Edmund Dungan and Edward Blanchard, No. 3, Detroit; Thomas F. Dowd, George Grubb, No. 4, Chicago; Edward Jordan, Wm. ‘Shaffer, Otto Boettger, No. 5, New Orleans; J. C. Col- lins, No. 9, Milwaukee; Lewis McAllister, Samuel Hall, No. 13, Philadelphia; J. J. Williams, No. 15, Sia Ba I. Leahy, J. J. Harrison, J. J. Johnson, George W. Rouse, W. J. Dubois and D. EF. Hammond, No. 33, New ‘York; J. J. Searey and F. A. Jones,No 35, San Francisco; Frank Parker, proxy for No. 43, Port Huron, Mich.; Frank Parker, No. 53, Marine City, Mich; Robert Mc- Murray and John T. Cook, No. 59, Kast Boston, Mass.; N.S. Lawrence, No. 62, New London, Conn.; Charles Ellis, No. 63, Albany, N, Y.; J. J. Harrison, proxy for “No. 64, Jersey City; Hugh Ferguson, Jr., No. 65, Char- leston, S. C.; J. C. Collins, proxy for No. 77, Manito- woc, Wis., Andrew McGillvray, Mo. 78, Duluth, Minn.; A. J. Irwin, No. 85, Alpena, Mich.; Patrick Roach, No. 91, Ashtabula, O.; John Henry, No. 92, Saginaw, Mich.; C. W. Robinson, No. 93, Washington, D. C.; J. F. God- win and Thomas Kendall, NO. 101. The chair appointed the following representatives to serve during the session; Representative Kendall, con- ductor; Representative Roach, doorkeeper; Representa- tive Ellis, assistant national secretary; Representative McAllister, past national president. After opening the session according to the ritual -National President Uhler delivered his annual address, - dealing exhaustively with his labors for the past year, and copies were distributed to the delegates. National Vice President John J. Searey and National Secretary Thomas F. Dowd also submitted their annual reports, . ‘which were printed in pamphlet form for distribution. The natioual president then introduced Commodore George W. Melville, Chief of Engineers, U. S: N., who is amember of the order. He addressed the meeting at some length, saying in part: ; I am not only glad to see you at this end of the avenue and in this building, but Iam glad inat your influence is felt at the other end of the avenue, in 1:he Senate and House of Representatives. I believe you have there a very good friend in Senator Squire, of ine State of Washington, and who will stand up asa soldier and be shot, if necessary, to accomplish the right and to assist in the accomplishment of your purposes before \on- gress.”” — Commodore Melville then mentioned Senator Squire’s bili, which is similar to that introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Hopkins, of Illinois, the substance of which was printed in the RECORD Jan- uary 9.° It provides for the recognition of marine en- gineers as officerson vessels, and in consequence pro- hibits aliens from serving in such capacity. He then continued: : ‘Now, gentlemen, I-have been hammering at this mat- ter in Congress for many, many years. For years, as Engineer-In-Chief of the Navy, lhave been trying to get appropriations to carry on the work, trying to raise the standard in our corpsin the navy, and I know pretty well how things drift. Asthe President was absent, I - took the matter into my hands, and in talking this mat- ter over with others, I finally reached the conclusion that if our friends, the enemy, would make opposition to the passage of this bill, it would have a good effect. There are men in the Senate and House of Representa- tives, who do not know whether we may or may not be -_able to handle our ships at sea. But when such men get to criticizing us, that puts a hammer into the hands of the enemy to pound us with. So I took the liberty of saying I would be responsible to Mr. Uhler, and if by so doing I have put any hammer into the hands of the enemy to strike me a blow with, lama young man and -able to standit. (Laughter and applause.) I said it is much better to suffer this evila year longer than to have it knocked out on a-technicality. It ismuch better for -you to-adjust your little differences, and every man-Jack of you fall to work as brothers. Do not sit idle, doing nothing; but every man of you should bring pressure to bear on somebody to advocate your cause. asking for nothing but what is absolutely right, and stand forth and let everybody know we are going to fight for what belongs to us! (Great applause.) Beg for nothing; ask for your just dues! [he man whoprays and begs gets nothing. Make your demand, and you shall have it! (Great applause.) _ Senator Watson C. Squire was introduced and gave a few interesting facts in connnection with this bill, In You are’ THE MARINE RECORD. its preparation his principal assistant was Chief En- gineer John R. Rdwards, whose exposition last summer of serious errors in naval construction in connection with the new navy caused such a commotion in the Navy Department. He continued: I further wish tosay that I feel proud, asan American citizen and an American Senator, that we have such able men, to say nothing about the question of their dis- tinction—they are distinguished, all of them, men of marked ability in their chosen profession and calling— such men as Commodore Melville and the assistants un- der his command whomI have met. * * * Iam sure I express—for I have the token of your applause—the deep degree of appreciation that you entertain for these men, and it is a proud feeling with me, too, that these commercial marine engineers, represented by the mem- bers of your body, are in such close affiliation with the engineers of the United States Navy. That is as it should be; you are brothers, I might say, in the same general, Tae : profession. * As I understand, gentlemen, the first great object sought in this legislation is this: That the officers of the engineers of the navy, in connection with the com- mercial marine of the United States, shall be Ameri- can citizens. That is the first substantial groundwork upon which to build. That is right. It isrightasa matter of justice to you. Again it is right, in view of the fact that these vessels—notably those belonging to the great American Line—may be: brought into the service of the United States government as war vessels. That fact appeals at once to-every man’s sound sense. That is the bed rock on which to build. That is the foundation stone of all your efforts, as I understand it. And in that respect.I believe you will have the Ameri- can Congress behind you. You deserve to have it. Nor can I understand, for the life of me, how it has been that in the past the Secretary of the Treasury or CAPT. GEORGE F. BABCOCK. the Attorney General of the United States could have placed a construction upon the existing law that should apparently to my mind, disregard its present terms. I know that at times itis thought necessary to strain a construction. I suppose in war times we might perhaps strain a construction as to the provisions of law. But in a time of profound peace, to strain a construction of this kind, when the very purpose of the law is to secure the employment of Americans as engineers, how under such circumstances, the terms of the law have been differently outlined, is beyond my comprehension. * * * But there are other questions: The question as to whether you shail be deemed officers under the provi- sions of the law. That is a point that comes right home to you; one that appeals to your pride; one that appeals to your sense of right and in that respect I cannot conceive it possible that you will neglect your interests. I believe you should have your rank in the command of the vessel, or in the department which is to be under your control, as officers. I believe a fair construction of the present law will give you the right, and certainly, I believe, we ought to make it clear, if it is not already clear. Then as to the terms of your licenses I understand that at present your licenses are simply for one year, subject to renewal, and perhaps that renewal may not be granted. Sometimes for reasons that are good and sufficient; perhaps for reasons that partake to some ex- tent of partiality, of favoritism, or of inadequate ap- preciation of the merits of the engineer who has for the original bill sustained in all its features. that associations on the Great Lakes shall hold their -and will probably continue the former managing force a years performed his duty as such, has adopted it as calling, his life work, and then is likely to be thrown o of his position and work in his profession by the a of some local board. I believe that no man should deprived of his license except for cause; that that c ought to be properly established before the supervisin engineer of the United States Navy; that the man wh has charges preferred against him should be advised them and have an opportunity to defend himself agains them. I believe the bill-does make that provision. I believe that the licenses should continue for a period ¢ five years and be subject to renewal. Iam told thati other countries the commercial marine engineers hol their licenses for life, or during good behavior; an believe the American government can afford to be jus as fair and impartial to its engineers, to accord to the: their just rights, as any other government. I believe the qualifications of our American engineers are full equal, if not superior, to those of the marine enginee of any other country on the globe. [Great applause Hon. Samuel C. Hyde, Representative in Congress from the State of Washington, then addressed the en- gineers briefly. : BS Ai the second day’s session a movement to alteri some of its features the Squire bill was rejected, an Repor of local associations were read, after which Representa tives McAuley and Stoddard, of Cleveland, offered resolution for immediate consideration, which provides annual election of officers at the first regular meetin in January. It was adopted. ; The national president and‘ Representatives Jone Grubb, Harrison and Stoddard were appointed a com mittee to wait upon the Grand Harbor of Masters an Pilots, then in session, and to confer with them in r gard to pending national legislation. c M. BE. B. A. No. 92, of Saginaw, Mich., sent in a com- munication setting forth the need of some restrictio in the present methods of obtaining licenses, and ur, ing the enactment of law providing that all applic: tions for marine engineers’ license must be signed b three engineers who must be in actual practice at th time of signing such application. The communicatio was referred to the legislative committee. ae ' George P. Wilson, William Shaffer, and P. L. Leahy, a committee appointed at the last convention, Jan. 2 ; 1895, ‘to prepare and present to Hon. George W. Mel- — ville, Engineer-in-Chief of the United States Navy,a certificate of honorary membership, reported that they had performed that duty, and were formally thanked. On motion, the Board of Supervising Inspectors wer invited to meet with the convention during its session At the third day’s session John R. Kdwards, Chief Eugineer, U. S. N., addressed the meeting on the gen- eral usefulness of the M. EF. B. A. to the general govern- ~ ment, in time of war. Mr. Edwards dwelt on the pos- sibilities of the organization and the influence it might sway were the members cognizant of the power of the organization. ‘The meeting was also addressed by Past National Vice-President EK. P. Watson, editor of The Engineer, Past National Secretary Harris, Na- tional Vice-President Searey, and National President Uhler. : At the business meeting the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: National President, George Uhler, Philadelphia; National Vice-president John J. Searey, of San Francisco; National Secretary, Thomas F. Dowd, of Chicago; National Treasurer, J. J. A. Williams, of New Orleans. An Advisory Board, consisting of Messrs, Wm. F.. Yates, of New York; Wm. Shaffer, of Baltimore, and —— Wilson, of Philadelphi were elected to confer with the national officers in ca of emergency and to arbitrate any disputes that might arise. : ; ; The representatives attended a banquet which was tendered them by Washington Branch No. 93, on Thur, day evening Jan. 23, and enjoyed the evening with wit, wisdom and wine. ; __ ELD rr ANOTHER TUG LINE CHANGES HANDS. Capt. Jay Hursley, of Sault St. Marie, has disposed of his tug line to the Thompson Tug Co. of Port Huron. The line comprises the tugs Ly. D. Smith, O. W. Cheney Ll. Dimick and Mary Virginia. The terms of the sa have not been made public. Manager C. D. Thompsor expects to continue to operate these tugs at the Sault, in charge. $$ re ae f ‘THE MARINE RECoBD is the repository for all e gineering and nautical publications. Hydrographic charts always on hand, a e = :