Roots of the National Maritime Center

Although in the early days of the United States, general shipping codes were never addressed, yet with a need for maritime regulation, three prominent federal agencies were formed to shape the U.S. maritime destiny: the Revenue Cutter Service, the Steamboat Inspection Service, and the Bureau of Navigation. Those three agencies came together in the U.S. Coast Guard during the twentieth century. This article traces the history and the specific functions of today's Coast Guard and, in particular, the National Maritime Center from 1838 to the present. Some of the historically perhaps most interesting pieces of legislation include: Two federal licenses were instituted in 1852, one of which was a certificate for pilots of passenger steamboats, and in 1869, all licenses began to be nationally standard; A river pilot's license was issued to Samuel Clemens, also known as the quintessential American Author Mark Twain in 1852; The Act of June 25, 1936, required every seaman employed on most American vessels of 100 gross tons and over to carry additional Certificates of Efficiency such as Tankerman or Lifeboatman; the sheath of documents was called "seaman's papers"; and, finally, in 2002 the U.S. Coast Guard was transferred to the new Department of Homeland Security, where it has taken perhaps its greatest responsibility.

• Record URL:
  • http://uscg.mil/proceedings/archive/2005/Vol62_No2_Sum2005.pdf
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/15479676
• Authors:
  • Bates, Robert Stanley
• Publication Date: 2005

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Pagination: pp 88-01
• Serial:
  • Coast Guard Journal of Safety at Sea, Proceedings of the Marine Safety & Security Council
  • Volume: 62
  • Issue Number: 2
  • ISSN: 1547-9676

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: History; Laws; Legislation; Licensing
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Department of Homeland Security; United States Coast Guard
• Subject Areas: Education and Training; History; Law; Marine Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01003561
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 10 2005 4:27PM