Directory_and_Chronicle_1864 — Page 382

and, when used my be included in the space allowable for passengers, but the same shall not occupy more then one hundred superficial feet of deck or platform: Provided, That on board two-deck ships, where the height between the decks is seven and one half feet or more, fourteen clear superficial feet of deck shall be the proportion required for each passenger.

Space in certain two-deck vessels.

Berths.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That no such vessel shall have more than two tiers of berths, and the interval, between the lowest part thereof and the deck or platform beneath, shall not be less than nine inches and the berths shall be well constructed, parallel with the sides of the vessel, and separated, from each other by partitions, as berths ordinarily are separated, and shall be at least six feet in length, and at least two feet in width, and each berth shall be occupied by no more than one passenger; but double berths of twice the above width may be constructed, each berth to be occupied by no more, and by no other, than two women, or by one woman and two children under the age of eight years, or by husband and wife, or by a man and two of his own children under the age of eight years, or by two men, members of the same family; and if there shall be any violation of this section in any of its provisions, then the master of the vessel, and the owners there- of, shall severally forfeit and pay the sum of five dollars for each passen- ger on board of said vessel on such voyage, to be recovered by the United States in any port where such vessel may arrive or depart.

House over, pas-

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That all ves- sels, whether of the United States. or any foreign sage-way. country, having sufficient capacity or space, according to law, for fifty or more passengers, (other than cabin passengers,) shall, when employed in transporting such passengers between the United States and Europe, have, on the upper deck, for the use of such passengers, a house over the passage-way leading to the apartments allotted to such, with two doors, the sills of which shall be at least one foot above the deck, so construct- ed, that one door or window in such house may at all times be left open for ventilation; and all vessels so employed, and having the capacity to carry one hundred and fifty such passengers or more shall have two such houses; and the stairs or ladder, leading down to the

aforesaid apartment, shall be furnished with a hand- Booby Hatches.

Hand-rail. rail of wood or strong rope; but booby hatches may be substituted for such houses.

Ventilators.

one

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That every such vessel so employed, and having the legal capacity for more than one hundred such passengers, shall have at least two ventilators to purify the apartment or apartments occupied by such passengers; of which shall be inserted in the after part. of the apartment or apart- ments, and the other shall be placed in the forward portion of the apart- ment or apartments, and one of them shall have an exhausting cap carry off the foul air, and the other a receiving cap to carry down the Fresh air, which said ventilators shall have a capacity proportioned to he size of the apartment or apartments to be purified, namely: if the partment or apartments will lawfully authorize the reception of two ndred such passengers, the capacity of such ventilators shall each be qual to a tube of twelve inches diameter in the clear, and in proportion

to