LLOYD'S REGISTER, a shipping record of vessels in commission and their ratings ac cording to construction, .physical condition and equipment. Lloyd's Register had its beginning in 1799, when the Underwriters' Registry, or Green Book, published by a committee of Lloyd's (q.v.) was denounced as unfair by the British ship owners whose vessels were therein given arbitrary ratings'. The ship owners formed an association of their own and began publishing the Red Book, with ratings accord ing to their own judgment. The rivalry con tinued until 1833, when Lloyd's engineered a combination of the two publications under the control of the ship owners, and they accepted the name "Lloyd's Registry of Shipping* as the title. The society has a staff of skilled surveyors who examine vessels periodically, changing their rating as occasion demands. They are also detailed to watch the construc tion of vessels in the yards, make inspections and tests of steel used, strength of cables and chains and examinations of equipment. The
rating 100 A 1 is the type of wholly approved ship; 90A 1 for a ship not wholly approved in build; 100A-- for a ship approved as to build, but lacking as to equipment. The general committee of the society is located at London; there are subcommittees at Liverpool, Glasgow and in the United States. Besides the Register the society publishes a separate register of American yachts and motor-boats, and rules and regulations for the building of steel vessels . and yachts.
LOA, the African eyeworm of man. One of the Filariidm among the Nematoda (q.v.), conspicuous because of its migrations through the subcutaneous connective tissue of the human body, a habit which brings it at times in front of the eyeball. It has often been re moved from this place and said to occur in each eye. Cases in North America are all im ported from the west coast region of Africa, which is its proper home. It is transmitted to man by the bite of the mangrove fly.