The life buoys shall always be capable of being rapidly cast loose, and shall not be permanently secured in any way. The owner of any vessel who neglects or refuses to provide and equip his vessel with such lifeboats, floats, rafts, life preservers, line-carrying projectiles, and the means of propelling them, drags, pumps, or other appliances, as are required under the provisions of this section, or under the regulations of the Board of Supervising Inspectors, approved by the Secretary of Commerce, authorized by and made pursuant hereto, shall be fined not less than $500, nor more than $5,000, and every master of a vessel who shall fail to comply with the requirements of this section, and the regulations of the Board of Supervising Inspectors, approved by the Secretary of Commerce, authorized by and made pursuant hereto, shall upon conviction be fined not less than $50, nor more than $500.
Line-carrying guns, rockets and equipment.
All ocean steam, pleasure vessels and ocean steam vessels carrying passengers, except vessels of 150 gross tons and under, shall be provided with at least three line-carrying projectiles and the means of propelling them, such as may have received the formal approval of the Board of Supervising Inspectors.
Rockets.
When approved rockets are used instead of guns, there shall be in every case at least three of said rockets, and all steamers that are required under the law to carry line-carrying projectiles and the means of propelling them shall be supplied auxiliary thereto with at least 800 feet of 3-inch manila line for vessels of over 150 and not over 500 gross tons and 1,500 feet of said line for steamers above 500 gross tons; and, except where approved rockets are provided, with three approved service projectile lines and three projectiles. Such auxiliary line and all other equipment shall be kept always ready for use in connection with the gun and rocket, which lines and other equipment shall not be used for any other purpose. (R. S., 4488.)
Requirements for firing tests.
The test rounds required shall be fired from the gun when mounted on its own carriage, lashed as it would be in shipboard use.
The line shall be coiled, faked, or reeled in its own faking box or reel, and the gun, carriage, line box or reel, and projectiles shall all bear the same number and shall be initialed by the inspector, whose report of the test, giving number, date, and result, shall be filed in the office of the supervising inspector of the district in which the test is made.