quired by the act of June 9, 1910, collectors of customs and other officers until further notice need not report such lights as violations.

No penalty is incurred by motor boats for a failure to carry lights between the hours of sunrise and sunset.

If a motor boat, through temporary disablement of machinery or lack of gasoline, finds it necessary to proceed under sail the white lights should be extinguished and she should proceed with her colored lights only.

The aft light should be higher and so placed as to form a range with the forward light and should be clear of house awnings and other obstructions.

The law does not specify the size of lights to be carried on motor boats of class 1. Such lights should be large enough, however, to accomplish the purpose intended. and it is suggested that the illuminated portion of such lights or lenses should not be less than 3 inches in diameter.

WHISTLE, FOG HORN, AND BELL.

Act June 9

Every motor boat shall be provided with a whistle or 1910, sec. 4. other sound-producing mechanical appliance capable of producing a blast of two seconds or more in duration. and in case of such boats so provided a blast of at least two seconds shall be deemed a prolonged blast within the meaning of the law.

Every motor boat of class 2 or 3 shall carry an efficient fog horn and an efficient bell, which bell shall be not less than 8 inches across the mouth, on board of vessels of class 3.

No size or style of whistle, foghorn, or bell (except the bell for class 3) is prescribed, provided it is available and sufficient for the use for which it is intended. The word "efficient" must be taken in its ordinary sense, considered with reference to the object intended by the provisions in which the word appears, namely, the production of certain signals.

A mouth whistle capable of producing a blast of two seconds or more in duration which can be heard for at least one-half a mile has been held to be in compliance with the law.

Foghorns can not take the place of whistle on motor boats of classes 2 and 3.

Act June 9, 1910, sec. 5.

LICENSED OFFICERS AND LIFE PRESERVERS.

Every motor boat carrying passengers for hire shall carry one life preserver, of the sort prescribed by the Board of Supervising Inspectors, for every passenger carried, and no such boat, while so carrying passengers for hire, shall be operated or navigated except in charge of a person duly licensed for such service by the local board of inspectors. The only officer required to be carried on motor boats, within the contemplation of the act of June 9, 1910, is the licensed operator provided for in this article. Motor boats hired at launch liveries, carrying persons in addition to the person operating, are construed as carrying passengers for hire.

Every motor boat not carrying passengers for hire must have life preservers or life belts or buoyant cushions or ring buoys or other device, which should be of types approved by the Board of Supervising Inspectors. sufficient to sustain afloat every person on board. This includes members of the crew, children, and babies.

In addition the Department of Commerce authorizes life preservers and buoyant cushions for motor boats not carrying passengers for hire, under the following conditions: Each life preserver or buoyant cushion shall be capable of sustaining afloat for a continuous period of 24 hours an attached weight, so arranged that whether the said weight be submerged or not there shall be a direct downward gravitation pull upon such life preserver or cushion of at least 20 pounds. If a buoyant cushion is furnished for more than one person, its capacity must be proportionately greater.

No such life preservers or buoyant cushions stuffed or filled with granulated cork or other loose granulated material and no pneumatic life preservers or cushions will be approved.

Planks, grating, flooring, oars, small boats in tow, etc., are not approved as substitutes for life preservers, life belts, buoyant cushions, or ring buoys, but wooden life floats may be used, provided their dimensions shall not be less than 4 feet in length, 14 inches in breadth, 2 inches in thickness, and made of well-seasoned white pine, or of any other wood not exceeding white pine in weight per cubic foot.

Samples of other substitutes for the articles mentioned must first be submitted to the Supervising Inspector Gen

eral, Steamboat-Inspection Service, for examination and approval.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.

1910, sec. 6.

Every motor boat, and also every vessel propelled by Act June 9, machinery other than by steam more than 65 feet in length, shall carry, ready for immediate use, the means of promptly and effectually extinguishing burning gasoline.

No specific means of promptly extinguishing burning gasoline are prescribed. Besides the usual extinguishers and suitable chemicals, salt or sand in sufficient quantities will serve the purpose. The salt or sand (preferably the two mixed) should be kept in a pail or receptacle ready for immediate use, and may be marked "USE

ONLY IN CASE OF FIRE.

All motor boats, irrespective of length, must be so equipped.

VIOLATIONS AND PENALTIES.

1910, sec. 7.

The penalty for the violation of any of the provisions Act June 9, of the foregoing sections of this article is a fine not exceeding $100. The motor boat 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.

All violations of the provisions of this article must be reported to the Department of Commerce, regardless of mitigating circumstances, as authority to mitigate and remit the penalties (except for a violation of sec. 6 of the act of June 9, 1910) is vested solely in the Secretary of Commerce.

Collectors of customs and others will observe that the penalties for violations of existing laws not in conflict with the act of June 9, 1910, remain unchanged.

All moneys received as fines or penalties imposed by T. D. 31988. the courts for violation of the act of June 9, 1910, should be paid to the clerk of the court, and by him turned over to the collector or deputy collector of customs in the district or port in which the case arose.

DOCUMENTS AND NAME.

All motor boats of 5 net tons and over engaged in trade must be documented; that is to say, licensed by the collectors of customs. Vessels under 5 net tons are not

documented in any case. The license of the vessel obtained from the collector of customs (designated a document) is additional to and must not be confounded with the license required for the operator of a motor boat.

Documented vessels must have name and home port on stern and name on each bow. Tonnage admeasurement is necessary only in case of vessels requiring to be documented.

While the law does not require it, it is recommended that the name be conspicuously displayed on undocumented motor boats.

Motor boats are required to have on board two copies of the pilot rules to be observed by them, which will be furnished by local inspectors of steam vessels on request. Copies of Bureau of Navigation Circular No. 236, July 27, 1914, should be inserted therein.

The following is a tabulated statement of equipment required on the respective classes: