xl INTRODUCTORY PROCEEDINGS. 
something of the romance of the sea and its sailing ships, and, given a world-wide trade, 
our ships with power or without will attract more and more of our natives to service on 
board. We also have the alternative—the employment of those of foreign birth who will 
become our citizens. Here, as in other industries, the kind of immigration matters greatly. 
Our laws covering the question of physical and mental fitness must be strictly enforced. It 
would then seem that our American ships would be attractive to the best of sailors of what- 
ever birth. 
COMMITTEES ON FIRE RESISTANCE AND BULKHEADS AND LOAD LINES. 
As to your own direct interest as naval architects, two recent movements deserve espe- 
cial mention. It is to the credit of Hon. William C. Redfield, Secretary of the Department 
of Commerce, that he called into service naval architects, shipbuilders, owners and opera- 
tors to aid by conferences in the solving of two very important questions relating to vessels. 
The first conference, held last May, on the subject of reducing the fire risk, resulted in 
the testing by the United States Board of Standards of all sorts of materials that may ren- 
der construction of vessels fireproof or nearly so. When these tests shall have been com- 
pleted, the competent committee appointed will report its recommendations. 
The second conference, held last September, discussed the subject of subdivision of 
ships by bulkheads, and the equally important subject of assignment of load lines above 
which ships must not be loaded. 
These subjects were referred to a committee of nine, seven of whom happen to be 
members of this Society. It is needless to say that this committee, composed of naval archi- 
tects, builders, owners and the president of the Classification Society, American Bureau of 
Shipping, will give the subject the most careful attention that it may be able when the time 
comes to give such information and advice to government officials as they may require. 
Subjects like the subdivision of ships by bulkheads, and assignment of load lines, 
should be, as far as possible, treated as international. 
For transoceanic service we should adopt the rules suggested by the Conference on 
Safety at Sea, held in London in 1913-1914. There still remains what appears more difficult 
of solution, our own Atlantic coastwise, Pacific coastwise, and Great Lakes services, each 
of which brings problems of its own, requiring the utmost careful consideration. 
THE FUTURE. 
“Watchman, tell us of the night, what its signs of promise are!” 
We remember too well the conditions that suddenly came upon our country in August, 
1914, and the predictions of important men of this community, particularly those of finan- 
ciers, none of which came true; though it is only fair to say that no prophet arose to say 
them nay. 
In these days, predictions and warnings about the future are made by great men and 
read with interest, but we hesitate to indulge in prophecy. We realize the great changes that 
have taken place, the enormous expenditures in Europe, expenditures which are causing such 
terrible destruction. We find that foreign nations, besides the very large amounts borrowed 
from their own peoples, have also borrowed from the United States the very considerable 
amount of 1,796 millions of dollars, which is only a little over 3% per cent of the total 
amounts borrowed by the Entente Allies and the Teutonic Allies. These figures illustrate in 
