that those are from a medical point of view looked upon as very valuable branches of the work; and while there may be now and then some objection expressed, such as that of Mr. YOUNG, of Baltimore, as made here today, which may be more correct than the reports of the Board, or opinions of mine based thereon, still, in the main, I think the reports will be found to be made from accurate information, and to be authentic.

Mr. WETHERILL, of Philadelphia: Mr. President, I think the creation of this National Board is for a good object. I think that under proper regulations, and governed by proper law, very great good may be effected. I think it is all right enough where an epidemic gains a dangerous footing in a city, for a Board of that sort to undertake the work of coöperating with the local Board of Health, if that Board has been in error, and cannot correct the error; and I have no doubt the result of such coöperation would be good, and such action would be met with approval by the people of the locality.

I also feel in regard to the adulteration of food and drugs, that under a proper law a sanitary Board could do a vast amount of good; and therefore, sir, in the main, I would favor this resolution. But I should like the report and resolutions to go back to the Committee, for the reason that it is possible that the law under which the work is done may require amendment.

I should be very sorry, when there is such an efficient Board of Health as that in Philadelphia, that an independent body, national in its character, should go over our ground without consulting with us, and make a report damaging to our city, simply on the supposition that if such and such things are not done, in eight or ten years hence trouble may arise.

The law should be looked into, in regard to quarantine regulations, to see if there is any conflict with State law. We had some trouble at the Delaware breakwater, between the State quarantine officers and the officers of the National Board, and although as soon as the matter was laid before the National Board of Health all further trouble was avoided, yet, if such power exists, or if parties not so kindly disposed as the gentlemen now in office were to succeed them, they might make serious and permanent trouble, and put a city like Philadelphia to a great deal of commercial embar

rassment.

INSPECTION OF SAILING VESSELS.

49

Mr. THURBER, of New York, moved that further consideration of the report and resolutions be postponed, and that they be made the special order for tomorrow afternoon, at 2 o'clock.

Mr. ARNOUX objected to further delay, and thought the Board sufficiently informed to vote.

After a lengthened discussion the motion of Mr THURBER was agreed to.

The SECRETARY read a communication from the Board of Trade of Boston, introducing Mr. JOHN STETSON, of that city, as a gentleman actively interested in securing the passage of a National Bankrupt Law, and, at the suggestion of the PRESIDENT, Mr. STETSON was invited to a seat on the floor.

The PRESIDENT announced that the next business in order would be the consideration of recommendations and resolutions on the official programme.

The SECRETARY read the first general proposition, postponed and referred at the last annual meeting.

I. GOVERNMENT INSPECTION OF SAILING VESSELS.

Resolved, That the Executive Committee be instructed to present to Congress a memorial, asking that the laws regulating the Government inspection of steamboats may be so amended that the system of inspection shall include the seaworthiness of sailing vessels also; and to reduce the fees for inspection of all vessels to as low a scale as will suffice to cover the costs of making such inspection.

Mr. BUZBY, of Philadelphia: Mr. President, I propose to offer a resolution in connection with this subject, if it be in order.

I will state, in this connection, that a day or two before I left Philadelphia I met a gentleman of professional standing who stated that he understood this Board would soon be in session, and his attention had been attracted to a paragraph in the Philadelphia Enquirer, which reads to this effect:

"Mr. JAMES A. DUMONT, Supervising Inspector General of Steam Vessels, in his annual report for the fiscal year, ending June 30, 1880, devotes considerable space to the subject of color-blindness. Various instances are cited showing the peculiar effect of the infirmity, among which is a pilot of long experience, who frankly conceded his inability to discriminate between various colors, and related that when once commissioned by his wife to purchase for her a dress of plain green materials, was much surprised on presenting his selection to find it designated a Dolly Varden' pattern of mixed fancy colors and figures."

As this is a matter of some importance, and seems to adhere to this resolution better than to any other, I propose to offer this:

Resolved, That the frequent occurrence of collisions at sea, arising from misuse or misapprehension of signals, is intimately connected with the fact of color-blindness, and demands the disqualification by Congress of the colorblind from service as pilots, or as seamen generally.

Mr. BUCHANAN, of Trenton: Your proposition then, in the concrete, is, that those who go to sea, shall see.

[Laughter.]

Mr. SNOW, of New York: It does not seem to me that the amendment of Mr. BUZBY is exactly connected with this matter we now have under consideration, which is the inspection of vessels as to their character for soundness and good qualities for doing work. That resolution certainly has nothing to do with color-blindness, or anything of that kind.

We all know by experience, and I am simply calling attention to a thing that is open to us all, that the character, of a vessel is derived from the records of certain organizations that have been known for years as inspectors of vessels, and having a certain authorization as inspectors, for instance, the French Veritas, the British Lloyds, and the American Record.

If you want to get any insurance on vessels, you have to bring a rating of the vessel from one of these organizations. That rating is more or less expensive. If you wanted to insure a cargo to be shipped in a particular ship, you would go to the inspection office and find out what the rating was in their books. In addition to this, some of the marine insurance companies have a rating of their own; the Atlantic Company, notably, has inspectors employed, who constantly watch for defective vessels.

Now, this additional inspection, it appears to me, would be an additional expense; and I do not see where any corresponding benefit would accrue from it. I, therefore, hope that the proposi

THE INSPECTION OF VESSELS.

51

tion will be passed over as one that would not benefit, but rather injure the shipping interests. So far as I am concerned, it would injure me, because it would oblige me to have these ratings that I have now, and an additional rating from this national organization.

Mr. BUZBY, of Philadelphia: I desire to ask whether there is any real connection between ships and sailors? As you cannot sail ships without sailors, and as you do not want blind sailors, I think my amendment perfectly relevant.

The PRESIDENT ruled that Mr. BUZBY's amendment was not in order as an amendment, but might be received as a separate proposition, to take its proper place at the foot of the programme.

Mr. WINSOR, of Philadelphia: This resolution, at the close, seems to propose that the only expense attending the inspection shall be the fee to the inspectors; at least that is the only one alluded to here, in discussing the proposition. I think that shipowners would find that to be the smallest part of the expense attending Government inspection of sailing vessels.

We have now one in connection with steam vessels, which has been in force some years. As a steamship owner I think an inspection of such vessels is a proper thing, for steamships have a great many things on board that require constant inspection and supervision, otherwise they are dangerous. These steam vessels also carry a great many passengers.

The expense to which these steamship owners have been put in consequence of the United States inspection laws, is almost incredible, both as to its amount, and as to the character of the inspection. We have been obliged to adopt any number of patent inventions, and pay for them, which have proved to be utterly worthless, and even dangerous. We have been subjected to great expense in that way, and as I do not see that there really is, as Mr. SNOW has said, any special demand for inspection of sailing vessels, on the same ground that steamboats are inspected, I think that this thing would be onerous far beyond its usefulness.

Government inspectors will not give their certificate until certain requirements are complied with- that the vessel must have this thing or the other thing. If they were entirely reasonable in

this matter, and always knew very well what they were about, the results might be beneficial; but the experience with the steamships I have had, shows that it would be an onerous and not a beneficial thing to extend it to sailing vessels; and for that reason I mean to vote against it, although I have no personal interest in the matter at all.

Mr. BUCHANAN, of Trenton: As one of the few who remained last year up to the closing hour of the session of the Board, I would state that this resolution was submitted by Mr. McLAREN, of Milwaukee. The ground he adduced for the presentation of the resolution was, that on the lakes they had a number of men who were in the habit of buying up condemned vessels, or vessels that ought to be condemned, and sailing them till they went to the bottom with all on board.

I know nothing about the matter personally; but I thought it would, perhaps, be of interest to some of the new delegates to know how the resolution came up on the programme. There seems to be no one here of the proposers of the resolution to state anything in relation to it.

Mr. STRANAHAN, of New York: In view of the statement of Mr. BUCHANAN, I would like to suggest the propriety of laying the proposition upon the table. It may then be brought up by Mr.

MCLAREN, or any other friend of the measure, during this session or at any subsequent time.

The resolution was laid on the table.

The SECRETARY read the second proposition, which was as follows:

II.

COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH CANADA.

The renewal of reciprocal relations with the Dominion of Canada (Report of a Committee).

Mr. KEMBLE, of Boston: I rise simply to make a motion: that, as the Committee of last year has reported and been discharged from duty, in connection with this matter of reciprocity, a new Committee be appointed by the President to take charge of this subject, and watch the progress in the National House of Repre