Executive order of Sept. 1, 1916:
1. The provisions of the law prescribing that the watch officers of vessels of the United States registered for foreign trade shall be citizens of the United States, are hereby suspended so far and for such length of time as is herein provided, namely: All watch officers now employed on foreign-built ships which have been admitted to United States registry under said Act who, heretofore, have declared their intention to become citizens of the United States and watch officers on such ships who, within six months from this date, shall declare their intention to become such citizens shall be entitled to serve on foreign-built ships so registered until the time shall have expired within which they may become such citizens under their declarations, and shall be eligible for promotion upon any foreign-built ship so registered.
Duration of licenses.
All licenses issued to such officers shall be for a term of five years, but the holder of a license may have the same renewed for another five years in the manner prescribed in the rules and regulations of the Board of Supervising Inspectors: Provided, however, That any officer holding a license, and who is engaged in a service which necessitates his continuous absence from the United States, may make application in writing for renewal and transmit the same to the board of local inspectors, with his certificate of citizenship, if naturalized, and a statement of the applicant, verified before a consul or other officer of the United States authorized to administer an oath, setting forth the reasons for not appearing in person; and upon receiving the same the board of local inspectors that originally issued such license shall renew the same and shall notify the applicant of such renewal: Provided further, That no license as master, mate, or pilot of any class of vessel shall be renewed without furnishing a satisfactory certificate of examination as to color blindness. And in all cases where the issue is the suspension or revocation of such licenses, whether before the local boards of inspectors (of steam vessels), as provided for in section forty-four hundred and fifty of the Revised Statutes, or before the supervising inspectors, as provided for in section forty-four hundred and fifty-two of the Revised Statutes, the accused shall be allowed to appear by counsel and to testify in his own behalf. (May 28, 1896; sec. 2; Oct. 22, 1914.)
Service during war.
No master, mate, pilot, or engineer of steam vessels licensed under title fifty-two [R. S., 4399-4500] of the Revised Statutes shall be liable to draft in time of war, except for the performance of duties such as required by his license; and, while performing such duties in the service of the United States, every such master, mate, pilot, or engineer shall be entitled to the highest rate of wages paid in the merchant marine of the United States for similar services; and, if killed or wounded while performing such duties under the United States, they, or their heirs, or their legal representatives shall be entitled to all the privileges accorded to soldiers and sailors serving in the Army and Navy, under the pension laws of the United States. (May 28, 1896; sec. 2.)
Officer's license.
The boards of local inspectors shall license and classify the masters, chief mates, and second and third mates, if in charge of a watch, engineers, and pilots of all steam vessels, and the masters of sail vessels of over seven hundred gross tons, and all other vessels of over one hundred gross tons carrying passengers for hire. It shall be unlawful to employ any person, or for any person to serve, as a master, chief mate, engineer, or pilot of any steamer or as master of any sail vessel of over seven hundred gross tons, or of any other vessel of over one hundred gross tons carrying passengers for hire, who is not licensed by the inspectors; and anyone violating this section shall be liable to a penalty of one hundred dollars for each offense. [See act June 9, 1910, p. 351.] (R. S., 4438; Dec. 21, 1898; Jan. 25, 1907; May 28, 1908; sec. 2.)
Every master, mate, engineer, and pilot who shall receive a license shall, when employed upon any vessel, within forty-eight hours after going on duty, place his certificate of license, which shall be framed under glass, in some conspicuous place in such vessel, where it can be seen by passengers and others at all times: Provided, That in case of emergency such officer may be transferred to another vessel of the same owners for a period not exceeding forty-eight hours without the transfer of his license to such other vessel; and for every neglect to comply with this provision by any such master, mate, engineer, or pilot, he shall be subject to a fine of one hundred dollars, or to the revocation of his license. [See act June 9, 1910, p. 351.] (R. S., 4446; Feb. 19, 1907.)