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346 his district and even to the supervising inspector gen- eral. No necessity exists for changing in any manner whatever Section 4449. The section as it stands pro- tects both the licensed officer and the public. The section as amended would enable the licensed officers to combine and dictate terms to steamship owners and it would only be necessary for a few of them to combine to tie up commerce, for a ship is for- bidden to navigate without a full quota of licensed officers aboard. The section as amended would prove, in fact, a very effective hindrance to commerce. Moreover, it takes the control of the licensed officer out of the jurisdiction of the steamboat inspection service so long as he has not signed papers and is not in active employment. Under the amendment the owner is to continue to be bound to operate his prop- erty only by a licensed class, but that class is to be left free to, if they desire, not to exercise any author- ity at all, or if at all, on such terms as a few of the class may say. For instance, it would be entirely possible for a comparatively few second mates upon the opening of navigation to decline to sign papers unless the captain or first mate or chief engineer was discharged or their wages advanced, or for any other reason. With their licenses temporarily out of their possession, they could not be compelled to sign nor could the ship proceed without them. There are six licensed officers aboard each ship and it would be entirely possible under this bill for a certain quota of subordinate officers to combine to tie up shipping altogether by simply refusing to sign articles until their terms were granted. This bill makes them amenable to the law only after they have signed articles. This bill removes them from the jurisdiction of the steamboat. inspection service until they have actually shipped. This bill should be watched in the senate, as it is a most pernicious measure. It should be kept in mind that there is nothing in the law as it is, preventing licensed officers from organizing for any lawful purpose. They are, how- ever, prohibited from combining for unreasonable or unlawful reasons when that results "to the hindrance of commerce". | The policy which declared that it was for the good of commerce and the people that steam vessels should only be employed in commerce at the hands of officers licensed by the Inspection Service, also dictated that the men so licensed should not be empowered to hinder commerce unlawfully by reason of that license and the restrictions imposed on the employment of steam vessels. This bill would be a complete reversal of policy ; would correct no evil, but promote it. What a golden opportunity is now ours if we only had a resourceful merchant marine. The stars and stripes might now be flying in every neutral port with the products of our fields and factories. But--where are the ships? THE MARINE REVIEW - Commerce. September, 1914 Navigation in Fog Representative Alexander, chairman of the com- mittee on merchant marine and fisheries, has intro- duced in the House of Representatives an act to amend Rule 15 of the Pilot Rules of the Great Lakes to read as follows: : "In a fog, mist, falling snow or heavy rainstorm, no vessel shall proceed at greater speed than will permit her being stopped within the range of visibility ahead of the ship having careful regard of the existing circumstances and conditions. - "A steam vessel hearing, apparently forward of her beam, the fog signal of a vessel, the position of which is not ascertained, shall, so far as' the circumstances of the case admit, stop her engines and then navigate with caution until danger of collision is over. "Every pilot, mate or master of any steam vessel, or person or persons acting in such capacity, who violates the provisions of this rule shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than six months nor more than two years in the discretion of the court. Any violation of this rule shall be prosecuted in the district wherein the offender is found or into which he is first brought." It is understood that this measure has been intro- duced in Congress by Representative Alexander by request, the request coming from the Secretary of It will be seen that the purpose of the measure is to incorporate in the pilot rules the suggestion of Captain Commandant Bertholf of the United States Revenue Cutter Service that moderate speed in fog shall be defined as that speed in which a vessel may stop herself within the range of visibil- ity ahead of the ship. Considering the source from which it comes, the suggestion is a highly surprising one. A moment's reflection will convince anyone that the range of visibility ahead could not be deter- mined without a fixed bearing. No one could tell unless he had a fixed object to bear upon how far he could see into such an elusive thing as fog. More- over, as the ship is a moving object, the range of visibility is constantly changing. The pilot rules as they stand today are as perfect as the wisdom of navigators can make them. They will undoubtedly prevent collision in fog if they are rigidly enforced. What is wanted in this particular is not new legislation, but a vigorous enforcement of * the present rules. The present rules provide for a fine for violation as follows: "A fine, not exceeding $200, may be imposed for the violation of any of the provisions of this act. The vessel shall be liable for the said penalty and may be seized and proceeded against, by way of libel, in the District Court of the United States for any district within which such vessel may be found." The captain of the ship is solely responsible for the navigation of the vessel and it is upon him that the fine would fall, though the government makes the ship liable in order to insure the collection of the