The Secretary of Commerce is authorized by the seamen's act in specific cases to exempt existing vessels from the requirements of this section that the davits shall be of such strength and shall be fitted with a gear of sufficient power to insure that the boats can be lowered with their full complement of persons and equipment, the vessel being assumed to have a list of 15 degrees, where their strict application would not be practicable or reasonable. Each set of davits shall have a boat of the first class attached to it, provided that the number of open boats of the first class attached to davits shall not be less than the minimum number fixed by law. If it is neither practicable nor reasonable to place on a vessel the minimum number of sets of davits required, a small number of sets of davits may be fitted, provided always that this number shall never be less than the minimum number of open boats of the first class required by law. If a large proportion of the persons on board are accommodated in boats whose length is greater than 50 feet, a further reduction in the number of sets of davits may be allowed exceptionally, if the arrangements are in all respects satisfactory. In all cases in which a reduction in the minimum number of sets of davits or other equivalent appliances required by the rules is allowed, the owner of the vessel in question shall be required to prove, by a test made in the presence of an officer designated by the Supervising Inspector General, that all the boats can be efficiently launched in a minimum time. The conditions of this test shall be as follows: _First._ The vessel is to be upright and in smooth water. _Second._ The time is the time required from the beginning of the removal of the boat covers, or any other operation necessary to prepare the boats for lowering, until the last boat or pontoon raft is afloat. _Third._ The number of men employed in the whole operation must not exceed the total number of boat hands that will be carried on the vessel under normal service conditions. _Fourth._ Each boat when being lowered must have on board at least two men and its full equipment as required by the rules. _Fifth._ The time allowed for this test shall not exceed 10 minutes. 2 Lifeboats swung out—1 on each side. All passenger steam vessels, except those fitted with mechanical davits, shall, when the weather permits, have one of their lifeboats swung out on each side while at sea, brailed into a boom or rail and ready for immediate use. Equivalents for and weight of the persons. In test for determining the number of persons which a boat or pontoon raft can accommodate each person shall be assumed to be an adult person wearing a life preserver. In verifications of freeboard the pontoon boats shall be loaded with a weight of at least 165 pounds for each adult person that the pontoon boat is authorized to carry. In all cases two children under 12 years of age shall be reckoned as one person.