Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-08
TO INSURE SAFETY AT SEA.
Proceedings OF the Maritime Confer
ence-Committees Appointed, Etc.


At the opening of the international marine
conference this morning, in accordance with
resolutions heretofore adopted, the chairman
announced the following committees TO con-
slider the several grand divisions Of the
progam not already under consideration, as
proposed by the delegates from the United
States:
Upon the subject Of o uniform load mark
general division three Of the program-Chiii,
Lieut. Beargency; Great Britain, Mr. Gray;
France, Capt. Richard; Germany, Dr. Sieve
king; Italy, Capt. Lettembrini; The Neither
lrnds, Capt Hubert; United States, Mr.. Girls
com.
Upon the subjects contained in general divi-
sions: 2, regulations to determine the sea-
worthiness OF vessels; 4. uniform regulations
regarding the designating and marking of ves-
sells; and 6, necessary qualifications for officers
and seamen including tests for sight and color
blindness-Brazil, Capt S;.ldanha da Cana;
Costa Rica; Don Manuel Aragon. France, Capt
Lanneluc; Germany, Capt. Bonner; Italy,
Capt Settembrini; Norway. Capt. Selvesen,
and United States, Capt. sampson.
Upon the subjects contained in general
divisions seven--lanes for steamers on fire.
quent rou.es-and eight-night signals for
communicating information at sea-Denmark,
Mr.. Garde; France, Capt. Lanneluc; Germany.
Capt. Bonner; Portugal, Mr.. Souza Roza;
Sweden, Capt. Malmberg; The Netherlands,
Capt. Hubert; United States, Capt. Shackford.
Upon the subjects contained in general divi-
sions 9, warnings Of approaching storms; 10,
reporting, marking and removing dangerous
wrecks or distractions to navigation; IL,
notice OF dangers to navigation, and II. uni
form system Of buoys and beacops-China,
Capt. Bisbee; France, Mr.. Ribiere; Germany,
Capt. Mensing; Norway, MIR. Flood; Siam, Mr..
Nerney; Uruguay, DIR. Alberto Min; United
States, Capt. Sampson.
Upon the subjects contained in general
division Is (the establishment of a permanent
International maritime commission)- belgium,
Mr.. Schneider; France, Capt. Richard; Ger
many, DIR. Sieveking; Sweden. Capt Malm-
berg, United States, Mr.. Griscon.
And the following committee on collocation-
France, Capt. Lanneluc; Germany, DR.. Sieve
king; Great Britain, MIR. Hall: Japan. Lieut.
Bahia; Mexico, Commodore Monasterio; Nor
rich.
SOUND SIGNALS FOR FOG.
The conference then proceeded to the con-
sideration of the amendments heretofore Of
fered to the rules of the road. The first amend
ments taken up were those offered by dele
gate from Great Britain to article II, relating
to sound signals for fog, &c. There were
several Of these amendments, the first Of
which was to section A of the article, and pro-
vided that a steamship under way in fog.
mist or falling snow shall make with her steam
whistle or other steam sound signal at inter-
walls of not more than two minutes long blast
OF about four seconds duration, instead Of "a
prolonged blast" After some discussion the
amendment was agreed to.
The second amendment offered to this arti-
Gle by delegate from Great Britain proposed
a new section to the article providing that
steamship not at anchor, but stopped and hav-
ing no way upon her. shall sound two long
blasts, with an interval Of about one second be-
tween them.
At the suggestion Of a delegate from the
United States the word such" was inserted
before 'long," so as to read 1.-TWO such long
blasts" and in this shape the amendment was
adopted
Before taking up the next amendment offered
by the delegate from Great Britain Delegate
Goodrich Of the United States offered an
II, providing that a sailing ship in
fog shall make with her fog
horn the signals provided for in the section at
intervals of every minute instead of at every
two minutes, az now provided for. Adopted.
The third amendment proposed by the dele
gate from Great Britain provided that a
steam or sailing ship in a fog when lat anchor"
shall ring the bell as now provided.
At the motion of Mr.. Goodrich of the
United States the interval between tho ring
lug VI tue Dell WAS CuauSeu 10 one
minute. and on his further motion a phrase
was added to the section under consideration,
providing that the bell shall be rung rapidly
for about five seconds. The amendment then
as modified was adopted.
The conference then adjourned to meet Mon
day morning at IL o'clock at Wormley's hotel,
where its sessions will be held in the future.
Before proceeding with the next amendment
Capt. Shackford, delegate from the United
Ststes. offered an amendment to article ~, pro-
viding that Trans-American steamers running
between Europe and America shall be allowed
to use distinctive whistle signal that cannot
be mistaken for another to indicate whether
the ship is going east or west. 1t will be here