[ Act No. 73, January 16, 1901 ]
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE EXAMINATION AND LICENSING OF APPLICANTS FOR THE POSITIONS OF MASTER, MATE, AND PATRON OF SEA-GOING VESSELS.
By authority of the President of the United States, be it enacted by the United States Philippine Commission, that:
Section 1. A board to consist of the Captain of the Port of Manila, the superintendent of the Nautical School and two masters of merchant vessels, to be appointed by the Captain of the Port, is hereby created. The Captain of the Port shall be president of the board ex officio, and any three members thereof shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Whenever any person applies for license as master, mate, or patron, it shall be the duty of the board to make thorough inquiry as to this character and carefully to examine the applicant, the evidence he presents in support of his application and such other evidence as it may deem proper or desirable, and if satisfied that his capacity, experience, habits of life and character are such as to warrant the belief that be can be safely intrusted with the duties and responsibilities of the position for which he makes application, it shall so certify to the Captain of the Port, who shall issue a license authorizing such applicant to act as master, mate, or patron, as the case may be.
Section 2. The board shall meet at the office of the Captain of the Port at Manila during the last week of the months of April, August, and December of each year and examine all applicants for any such positions who have filed in writing their applications for examination at least one month before the meeting of the board. Every applicant, shall be examined physically by a competent physician selected by the board, and unless found to be physically sound shall not be further examined and shall not be licensed. The board may in its discretion require the production of ships journals and log books for inspection in the examination of applicants for positions, of master or mate. Every applicant for the position of third mate shall be required to present to the board documents properly certified showing that he has served as seaman, apprentice or quartermaster continuously for at least nine months in a sea-going sailing vessel or at least eighteen months in a sea-going steamer: Provided, That, if the applicant produces a certificate of graduation from the Nautical School of Manila it shall be sufficient evidence of his technical knowledge, but not of his physical condition, experience, habits, or character. The applicant must not be less than twenty-one years of age. Every applicant for license as second male must produce to the board a certificate as third mate and properly certified documents showing that he has served in the capacity of third mate in a seagoing sailing vessel for at least one year or in a sea-going steamer for at least two years and must not be less than twenty-three years of age. Every applicant for license as first male shall he required to produce to the board properly certified documents showing that he has served in the capacity of second and third mate for at least two years in a sea-going sailing vessel or at least three years in a seagoing steamer and must not be less than twenty-three years of age. Every applicant for license as patron shall not be less than twenty-three years of age. He shall be examined on the following subjects: Reading and writing; management of the sails, and rigging of coasting and pilot boats; manner of loading according to cargo; manner of careening a boat so as to rid if of water, as well as, manner of stranding same; knowledge of the coasts where he is to navigate, their shoals, banks, and reefs; of ocean currents and tides; of prevailing winds; which winds to sail with and which to sail away from; how to square the compass; to take bearings by the lead and other practical methods for determining the nearness of the coast and what course to he taken; methods of entering and leaving the ports of the provinces; precautions to he taken in lime of storms at sea as well as in port; method of repairing damage sustained by vessels; familiarity with all existing coast light-houses on their routes; knowledge of all maritime laws relating to the sanitation and police regulations of ports; of his knowledge of regulations governing the use of lights and signals for the prevention of collisions, and, in short, of all subjects that may have a bearing on his calling. Every applicant for license as master must produce satisfactory evidence that he has served as certified first mate for at least three years in n sea-going sailing vessel or at least five years in a seagoing steamer and must not be less than twenty-eight years of age. The holders of licenses as master or mate under the laws of the United States shall be eligible to appointment to like positions under this Act. The examination of every applicant shall be in writing and shall include a thorough, examination as to his knowledge of seamanship and navigation in its various branches, his capacity and skill in lading and unlading cargo, in handling and storing freight under all conditions and his knowledge generally of the duties of the position which he seeks.1aшphi1 To obtain a license every applicant shall be required to show a proficiency in the subjects upon which he is examined and shall answer correctly at least seventy-five per cent of the questions propounded to him on such examination. Examinations of all applicants as well as all records of the board shall be kept in the office of the Captain of the Port at Manila.
Every license authorized to be issued as above set forth shall be operative and in force for one year from its issuance, but the board may at any time suspend or revoke any license upon satisfactory proof of misconduct, intemperate habits, incapacity, or inattention to duty on the part of the licensee.
Section 3. Every applicant for license as master, mate, or patron, shall be a citizen of the United States or of the Philippine Islands, notwithstanding any provision in existing Spanish laws to the contrary: Provided, however, That every citizen or subject of any other country who is now acting as master, mate, or patron of any vessel flying the American flag may, if otherwise qualified as herein prescribed, continue to act as such for the period of two years. But he shall be required to secure a license and be subject to all the other requirements and provisions of this Act as are other persons in like situations.
Section 4. Whenever the term "sailing vessel" is used in this Act, it shall be understood and held to apply to sailing vessels of one hundred and fifty tons or over, and whenever the term "steamer" is used, it shall be understood and held to apply to all vessels of one hundred tons or over propelled by steam alone or by steam and sail.
Section 5. Before issuing a license to any applicant for the position of master, the Captain of the Port shall receive from such applicant the sum of five dollars in compensation for his examination and license, and for the same service shall demand and receive from every mate or patron the sum of three dollars, money of the United States. The sums thus collected shall be paid, by the Captain of the Port, into the Insular Treasury.
Section 6. Members of the board hereby created, unless in the service of the United States or of the Government of the Philippine Islands, shall be paid a per diem of five dollars, money of the United States, during the period of time required in the examination of applicants.
Section 7. This Act shall take effect on its passage.
Enacted, January 16, 1901.
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