Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-04
SIGNALING AT SEA.

70
SIGNALING AT SEA.
reports OF Committees of the Maritime
Conference.
The report Of the committee on sound Sig
nais submitted to the international maritime
conference today says that the principal dim
Guilty in making Of a practical sy,tem of
sound signaling in foggy weather is in taking
IN the signal correctly, not in making IL
They say: Until seamen are able 20 locaIize .
sound with as great precision as they can the
position of light or object seen visually the
results to the mercantile marine from the
adoption Of a system, of course, indicating fog
signals are, in the opinion of the committee, .
doubtful advantage. The chief use would APP
pear to be to give facilities to approaching YES
sells, when not in sight Of one another, 10 con-
tlnue their respective courses without having
nrst localized the direction and distance Of OF
The neighboring ship, anc for the two vessels 90
Try TO pass close TO each other without taking
the precautlon of first reducing or, IL necessary,
stopping their way through the water. II 4
ior the conference TO decide on
THE VITAL QUESTION
whether to permit the use Of such signals in
the mercantile marine or not But the COM
mlttee submit that increased danger might
probably result owing 70 the inability Of the
iat &c majority of men TO localize sound with
sunlclent accuracy, IL those in charge of
steamships are encouraged to navigate their
vessels past Others not IN sight in q less eau
uous manner than they do at present The
committee are of the opinion that however
simple an adopted system OF course-indlcatip
sound-slgnals may be, and however distinct in
character the symbols chosen are
from the signals now authorized
aud used IL vessels were nayigated in
dependence on them, when neither can see the
other, there would be a danger of the officer in
charge reading the signal incorrectly; or, il
read correctly, of interpreting il wrongly.
Further. If such signals were in use in crowded
waters, We apprehend that danger would re-
suit from the uncertainty and confusion pro-
duced by the multiplicity OF signals and from a
feeling OF false security that would be created
In the minds OF many.
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMEND
the use of instruments giving a founder sound,
and that the tones of steamers fog whistle
should be as distinct possible from the sound
of sailing vessels fog horn; that special fog
signals be blown by towing tugs and by vessels
LOT under command; that tie conference con-
sIder the deeIrabIllty of introducing a lew
urgent ana important sound signals; that the
present UNIVERSALLY -adOpted b, I'M ound signals
be not changed; and tat It Is desirable that
ST. amshIps be provide with means OF blowing
oil surplus steam, when the engines are
stopped. IN such a manner as to occasion as
little noise as possible"
The Committee on Lights.
The report Of the committee on lights is
quite yoluminous and is accompanied by a large
appendix containing three plates. The chair
man OF this committee lie Admiral Kaznskof of
Russia. The report says: "1he committee
have not thought 1t advisable to single out any
special system Tor adoption. but content them
selves with reporting Ia general terms upon such
as are tpical OF their class. Ii Ii absolutely
necessary TO be as conservative possible in
regard TO The existing rules concerning lights.
1t has TO be borne IN mind that these rules,
after being nearly forty years in force, have
become as familiar TO every seaman ~ II they
were cast Ia iron letters and impressed on
their minds. Every change, therefore, has to
be considered most seriously before its adoption
and tins should De done only when considered
absolutely necessary. Bearing this in mind.
although the committee have no direct eyi-
dence OF the iusuinCIoncy of the present sys-
tenn OF lights. they are nevertheless of the
c. Onion that The regulations actually in force
are insufficient to MAKE the presence OF a sail
ing yessei kno IN to a fast steamer approaching
her soon enough o give the later ample time
10 keep out OF The way"
The committee come to the conclusion that
thou b they Cannot but consider AN increase in
the power OF the siGC lights most desirable,
they 10 not tnd themselves at present in a DO
sItlon to recommend any means TO that end.
lhey therefore conclude that while fully aware
OF the great desirabInty OF making the presence
OF a SAILING vessel known at a greater distance
than at present. they are unable to recommend
any OF the systems submitted to their cousid-
Grafton as being tree from all reasonable OBJ
jectlons.
THE POWER OF ALL LIcHTs.
The committee recommended that the power
of all lights be expressed by reference to one
standard; that the minimum power only Of
each light should be definitely fixed; hat the
Use o. electric lncandescent lamps II 10 be PER
miiled thai the Use o: the arc hight. however,
Is TO be. at least for the present eX-
cluded except for signaling and search lights;
that each lantern be so constructed that the
minimum power Is to be found at every point
where the light is 20 be visible; tina: the lanterns
bo SO coustru, ted as TO insure the hight having
tn minimum pow ia the ideal line counectii
tn lantern win the horizon, even thou-h the
ship be herled one way or the other 4. d, grues:
ins; tie color of the glasses be 20 chosen hat
the lights retain Their distinctive color u In
"a iUL. and that 10 detained description should
lie internationally adopted for she con ,ruct4on
OF a lamp OF lame rn, so that fair chance be
gwen luyentors 10 produce seryIceabIe ARTICLES.
Night Signaling, t.tc.
The report OF the committee on systems and
devices, of which Admiral Bowden Smith Of
England is chairman, is quite short. The COM
mlttee considered thirty-seven different pro-
posGls on night signaling, &c, at sea, but
while they glad to notice that this inn
portant subject Is receiving SO much attention,
they come to the conclusion that they have not
seen any plan equal to the Morse system,
which already IN use in many nayies. This
system necessltates the employment of .
trained signalman, but is otherwise Expensive,
as 1t only requires one flashing lamp for night
work aud the steam whistle or other sound
signal for fog. Ten papers on preventing
collisions at sea have come before us, but
we do not consider it necessary to lay them be-
fore the conference"
Theodore G. Valiant's Attempt to Com.
NIT Suicide by Suffocation.