When the length of the vessel exceeds one thousand and thirty feet, the Board of Supervising Inspectors, with the approval of the Secretary of Commerce, shall determine the minimum number of sets of davits and of open boats of the first class for that vessel.

EMBARKATION OF THE PASSENGERS IN THE LIFEBOATS AND RAFTS

Suitable arrangements shall be made for embarking the passengers in the boats, in accord with regulations by the Board of Supervising Inspectors, with the approval of the Secretary of Commerce. In vessels which carry rafts there shall be a number of rope or wooden ladders always available for use in embarking the persons

onto the rafts.

The number and arrangement of the boats, and (where they are allowed) of the pontoon rafts, on a vessel depends upon the total number of persons which the vessel is intended to carry: Provided, That there shall not be required on any voyage a total capacity in boats, and (where they are allowed) pontoon rafts, greater than that necessary to accommodate all the persons on board.

At no moment of its voyage shall any passenger steam vessel of the United States on ocean routes more than twenty nautical miles offshore have on board a total number of persons greater than that for whom accommodation is provided in the lifeboats and pontoon life rafts on board.

If the lifeboats attached to davits do not provide sufficient accommodation for all persons on board, additional lifeboats of one of the standard types shall be provided. This addition shall bring the total capacity of the boats on the vessel at least up to the greater of the two following amounts:

(a) The minimum capacity required by these regulations;

(b) A capacity sufficient to accommodate seventy-five per centum of the persons on board.

The remainder of the accommodation required shall be provided, under regulations of the Board of Supervising Inspectors, approved by the Secretary of Commerce, either in boats of class one or class two, or in pontoon rafts of an approved type.

At no moment of its voyage shall any passenger steam vessel of the United States on ocean routes less than twenty nautical miles offshore have on board a total number of persons greater than that for whom accommodation is provided in the lifeboats and pontoon rafts on board. The accommodation provided in lifeboats shall in every case be sufficient to accommodate at least seventy-five per centum of the persons on board. The number and type of such lifeboats and life rafts shall be determined by regulations of the Board of Supervising Inspectors, approved by the Secretary of Commerce: Provided, That during the interval from May fifteenth to September fifteenth, inclusive, any passenger steam vessel of the United States, on ocean routes less than twenty nautical miles offshore, shall be required to carry accommodation for not less than seventy per centum of the total number of persons on board in lifeboats and pontoon life rafts, of which accommodation not less than fifty per centum shall be in lifeboats and fifty per centum may be in collapsible boats or rafts, under regulations of the Board of Supervising Inspectors, approved by the Secretary of Commerce.

At no moment of its voyage may any ocean-cargo steam vessel of the United States have on board a total number of persons greater than that for whom accommodation is provided in the lifeboats on board. The number and types of such boats shall be determined by regulations of the Board of Supervising Inspectors, approved by the Secretary of Commerce.

At no moment of its voyage may any passenger steam vessel of the United States on the Great Lakes, on routes more than three miles offshore, except over waters whose depth is not sufficient to submerge all the decks of the vessel, have on board a total number of persons, including passengers and crew, greater than that for whom accommodation is provided in the lifeboats and pontoon life rafts on board. The accommodation provided in lifeboats shall in every case be sufficient to accommodate at least seventy-five per centum of the persons on board. The number and types of such lifeboats and life rafts shall be determined by regulations of the Board of Supervising Inspectors, approved by the Secretary of Commerce: Provided, That during the interval from May fifteenth to September fifteenth, inclusive, any such steamer shall be required to carry accommodation for not less than fifty per centum of persons on board in lifeboats and pontoon life rafts, of which accommodation not less than two-fifths shall be in lifeboats and three-fifths may be in collapsible boats or rafts, under regulations of the Board of Supervising Inspectors, approved by the Secretary of Commerce: Provided further, That all passenger steam vessels of the United States, the keels of which are laid after the first of July, nineteen hundred and fifteen, for service on ocean routes, or for service from September fifteenth to May fifteenth on the Great Lakes on routes more than three miles offshore, shall be built to carry, and shall carry, enough

lifeboats and life rafts to accommodate all persons on board, including passengers and crew: And provided further, That not more than twenty-five per centum of such equipment may be in pontoon life rafts or collapsible lifeboats.

At no moment of its voyage may any cargo steam vessel of the United States on the Great Lakes have on board a total number of persons greater than that for whom accommodation is provided in the lifeboats on board. The number and types of such boats shall be determined by regulations of the Board of Supervising Inspectors approved by the Secretary of Commerce.

The number, types, and capacity of lifeboats and life rafts, together with the proportion of such accommodation to the number of persons on board which shall be carried on steam vessels on the Great Lakes, on routes three miles or less offshore or over waters whose depth is not sufficient to submerge all the decks of the vessel, and on all other lakes, and on rivers, bays, and sounds, shall be determined by regulations of the Board of Supervising Inspectors, approved by the Secretary of Commerce.

All regulations by the Board of Supervising Inspectors, approved by the Secretary of Commerce, authorized by this Act, shall be transmitted to Congress as soon as practicable after they are made.

The Secretary of Commerce is authorized in specific cases to exempt existing vessels from the requirements of this section that the davits shall be of such strength and shall be fitted with a gear of sufficient power to insure that the boats can be lowered with their full complement of persons and equipment, the vessel being assumed to have a list of fifteen degrees, where their strict application would not be practicable or reasonable.

CERTIFICATED LIFEBOAT MEN-MANNING OF THE BOATS

There shall be for each boat or raft a number of lifeboat men at least equal to that specified as follows: If the boat or raft carries twenty-five persons or less, the minimum number of certificated lifeboat men shall be one; if the boat or raft carries twenty-six persons and less than forty-one persons the minimum number of certificated lifeboat men shall be two; if the boat or raft carries forty-one persons and less than sixty-one persons the minimum number of certificated lifeboat men shall be three; if the boat or raft carries from sixty-one to eighty-five persons, the minimum number of certificated lifeboat men shall be four; if the boat or raft carries from eightysix to one hundred and ten persons, the minimum number of certificated lifeboat men shall be five; if the boat or raft carries from one hundred and eleven to one hundred and sixty persons, the minimum number of certificated lifeboat men shall be six; if the boat or raft carries from one hundred and sixty-one to two hundred and ten persons, the minimum number of certificated lifeboat men shall be seven; and, thereafter, one additional certificated lifeboat man for each additional fifty persons: Provided, That if the raft carries fifteen persons or less a licensed officer or able seaman need not be placed in charge of such raft: Provided further, That one-half the number of rafts carried shall have a capacity of exceeding fifteen persons.

The allocation of the certificated lifeboat men to each boat and raft remains within the discretion of the master, according to the circumstances.

وو

By "certificated lifeboat man is meant any member of the crew who holds a certificate of efficiency issued under the authority of the Secretary of Commerce, who is hereby directed to provide for the issue of such certificates.

In order to obtain the special lifeboat man's certificate the applicant must prove to the satisfaction of an officer designated by the Secretary of Commerce that he has been trained in all the operations connected with launching lifeboats and the use of oars; that he is acquainted with the practical handling of the boats themselves; and, further, that he is capable of understanding and answering the orders relative to lifeboat service.

Section forty-four hundred and sixty-three of the Revised Statutes as amended is hereby amended by adding the words "including certificated lifeboat men, separately stated," to the word "crew wherever it occurs.

MANNING OF BOATS

A licensed officer or able seaman shall be placed in charge of each boat or pontoon raft; he shall have a list of its lifeboat men, and other members of its crew which shall be sufficient for her safe management, and shall see that the men placed under his orders are acquainted with their several duties and stations.

A man capable of working the motor shall be assigned to each motor boat.

The duty of seeing that the boats, pontoon rafts, and other lifesaving appliances are at all times ready for use shall be assigned to one or more officers.

MUSTER ROLL AND DRILLS

Special duties for the event of an emergency shall be allotted to each member of the crew.

The muster list shows all these special duties, and indicates, in particular, the station to which each man must go, and the duties that he has to perform.

Before the vessel sails the muster list shall be drawn up and exhibited, and the proper authority, to be designated by the Secretary of Commerce, shall be satisfied that the muster list has been prepared for the vessel. It shall be posted in several parts of the vessel, and, in particular, in the crew's quarters.

MUSTER LIST

The muster list shall assign duties to the different members of the crew in connection with

(a) The closing of the water-tight doors, valves, and so forth. (b) The equipment of the boats and rafts generally.

(c) The launching of the boats attached to davits.

(d) The general preparation of the other boats and the pontoon

rafts.

(e) The muster of the passengers.

(f) The extinction of fire.

The muster list shall assign to the members of the stewards' department their several duties in relation to the passengers at a time of emergency. These duties shall include

(a) Warning the passengers.

(b) Seeing that they are dressed and have put on their life jackets in a proper manner.

(c) Assembling the passengers.

(d) Keeping order in the passages and on the stairways, and, generally, controlling the movements of the passengers.

The muster list shall specify definite alarm signals for calling all the crew to the boat and fire stations, and shall give full particulars of these signals.

MUSTERS AND DRILLS

Musters of the crews at their boat and fire stations, followed by boat and fire drills, respectively, shall be held at least once a week, either in port or at sea. An entry shall be made in the official log book of these drills, or of the reason why they could not be held.

Different groups of boats shall be used in turn at successive boat drills. The drills and inspections shall be so arranged that the crew thoroughly understand and are practiced in the duties they have to perform, and that all the boats and pontoon rafts on the ship with the gear appertaining to them are always ready for immediate use.

LIFE JACKETS AND LIFE BUOYS

A life jacket of an approved type. or other appliance of equal buoyancy and capable of being fitted on the body, shall be carried for every person on board, and, in addition, a sufficient number of life jackets, or other equivalent appliances, suitable for children. First. A life jacket shall satisfy the following conditions: (a) It shall be of approved material and construction.

(b) It shall be capable of supporting in fresh water for twentyfour hours fifteen pounds avoirdupois of iron.

Life jackets, the buoyancy of which depends on air compartments, are prohibited.

Second. A life buoy shall satisfy the following conditions:

(a) It shall be of solid cork or any other equivalent material. (b) It shall be capable of supporting in fresh water for twentyfour hours at least thirty-one pounds avoirdupois of iron.

Life buoys filled with rushes, cork shavings, or granulated cork, or any other loose granulated material, or whose buoyancy depends upon air compartments which require to be inflated, are prohibited. (Mar. 4, 1915, sec. 14.)

Third. The minimum number of life buoys with which vessels are to be provided is fixed as follows:

Vessels under one hundred feet in length, minimum number of buoys, two; vessels one hundred feet and less than two hundred feet in length, minimum number of buoys, four, of which two shall be luminous; vessels two hundred feet and less than three hundred feet in length, minimum number of buoys, six, of which two shall be lumi