RULES ADOPTED AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. 19 



It may be intended to pass load line legislation for United States vessels as 

 arrangements are made for an International Load Line Conference (see Senate 

 Document No. 463, page 68, Recommendation 12) : — 



"The International Load Line Conference, which the British Government 

 proposes to convene as soon as the necessary preliminary work is completed, should 

 deal if possible with deck cargoes of timber and wood," 



and the Report of the Commissioners of the United States of America to the 

 President of the United States, Chapter II, which says: — 



"Furthermore, an International Conference is to be held at London later this 

 year to consider uniform load lines and deck loads, and Congress has provided 

 for American representation at this conference which will consider more particu- 

 larly cargo vessel problems." 



Of course it would be possible to submit the location of the load line with the 

 application for the safety certificate required in Regulation LII and have this load 

 line marked on the vessel. 



Floodable Length. — Referring to Regulation Article VI, Floodable Length: — 



"The floodable length at any point of the length of a vessel shall be determined 

 by taking into consideration form, draught and other limiting characteristics of 

 the vessel in question. 



"This floodable length for a given point in a vessel * * * {§ the maxi- 

 mum percentage of the length of the vessel (having its center at the point in ques- 

 tion) which can be flooded under the definite assumptions hereafter set forth in 

 Article VII without the vessel being submerged beyond the margin line." 



These two paragraphs call for a great deal of calculation, and if they are 

 to be followed should have a set of curves added to them so that a department 

 could use them. It means a series of calculations and curves for each type of 

 steamer, varied to suit the block coefiicient, the ratio of draught to depth of vessel, 

 to location of machinery and to sheer of bulkhead deck. It would be possible to 

 construct a series of curves of floodable length for a few standard types and calcu- 

 late separately for unusual types as occasion required. 



Permissible Length of Compartments. — On Plate i will be found two curves 

 conforming to the table in Regulation Article VIII. As mentioned in this article, 

 in Section 4, these curves will be fixed by a "criterion of service" which is to form 

 the subject of further study. 



Double Bottoms. — It will be noticed in Regulation Article XXI that all pas- 

 senger vessels above 200 feet in length will have a double bottom. If this is applied 

 to the coastwise trade, it will affect a very large number of vessels. 



Openings, Doors, etc., in Watertight Bulkheads. — There are regulations re- 

 lating to fireproof bulkheads, exits from watertight compartments, testing of bulk- 

 heads, openings in bulkheads and in vessel's sides, etc. It is not considered neces- 



