Morning journal and courier., 1889-10-22
FROM ALL QUARTERS.
| The STOLEN MEXICAN BONDS.
The RAvAeEs OF CHOLERA.

Pan-AMerican Delegates At
Chicago.
THE MARINE CONFERENCE.
Consideration OF the Rules OF the
ROad-The FlAt Vote-B0und Signals
Pretty Thoroughly Discussea-Dr.
Sieve-Klng Advocates That Vessels be
Instructed to Aan at Top Speed I'm
Fog.
WAsH1NGToN, Oct. a1.-There were but
few vacant chairs aronnothe table when Ad-
miral Walker called the Insruational Marine
conference to order this moryng. Consider
alton of the rules of the road >eing resumed,
article 10, relating to lights to y shown by
open boats and fsaing vessels, vastaken up.
Mr.. Hall, of England, reminded tho oonfer-
ence that there was Europea| conference
either now In session or soon t be at The
Hague on this same topic. The matter was
dropped without action.
DR.. Sieve-King, of Germany, poposed an
amendment to the effect that smll fishing
vessels or open boats carry but De white
light. Mr.. Hall suggested tina steam
launches, in view of the rapid rate alwhich
they 90, should carry distinctive ligt. It
would soon be necessary, he said, to poyide
distinctive lights for naphtha boats, hyraul-
10 boats and all other new and unusual trms
of naval architecture now becoming s,nu-
merous.
| POWERFUL LIGHTS poR SWIFT VESSELS.
Mr. Goodrich spoke of the neoessityof
providing powerful ami distinctive lights br
the swifter vessels of the ocean. The ruIs
must be kept few innumber, however; othe,-
wise the sailors vii become confused and
} fail to carry them It all.
As the outoomeof some discussion upon
the abandonment of the colored lights, the
following resolution was proposed by Mr.
Goodrich:
that then shs1 be no change in the masthead and
colored 1ght as at present used.
This res,lution was carried unanimously.
THIS was lhe first definite vote taken by the
conference on any proposition presented to
1 it.
Mr.. Goodrich said that at various times
| there bad been some discussion as to defiui-
| ton of terms. He therefore proposed the
following:
The term "starboard your helm shall mean that
the whee! or tiiier, rudder, and bow shall go to
mean that the wheel or tier yrudder and I bow
shall go to port.
AT the suggestion of Mr.. Hall this went
over until the steering rules come up for
amendment. The conference here took
recess until 2 O'Clock.
SOUND SIGNALS FOR FOG.
This afternoon there WAS an interesting
discussion of Article 10, covering sound sig
mails for fog, etc. Mr.. Hall desired specif-
ic definition of the terms long and short
sounds. At the end of Section ga, which
reads "a steamship under way shall make
with her steam whistle or other steam sound
signal at intervals Of nbt more than two
minutes . prolonged blast" Mr.. Hall sug-
sestsd that these words be added "Of about
four seconds duration" He also suggested
the insertion of new section, "B," n
follows: IA steamship not At anchor and
without way, having shut down her engine,
shall sound at intervals of two minutes two
long blasts, separated by an interval of two
seconds" And in Section "C'' to carry out
the same idea, change the words, "when not
under way" to "when not at anchor" The
Section &c" reads: ga steamship and
sailing vessel when not under way shall at
intervals of not more than two minutes ring
the bell"
AAAs SOoAAAcA bokkCbtc0 tuot tuo WOI0B
"rapidly for five seconds" he added.
Captain Sampson raised the question OF
the expediency of adopting q system of
sound signalling to indicate the direction or
course of ship in foggy weathe"
Mr.. Goodrich read to the c@lference LETT
ter from Francis w. Houp.ton, superintea.
dent of the Maritime association OF the port
of New York, propopug system of musical |
signals BY which vessels invisible to each
other In thick weather may indicate the |
direotion.in Which they are moving. Tho |
communication was referred to the commit |
tee on sound signals.
Mr.. Hall presented to the conference . |
Communication On the subject in the shape |
of letters to the marine department of the |
for opinions UPON the question:
Is 1t practicable, and If SO is It desirable to intro
duce some system Of course or route indicating |
foS mist Or failing Mssn neither
the others
To this replies were received from 119 mas
tiers and 10 owners and societies who opposed
the Introduction of any compulsory system
Of sound signals, from 4S masters and two
owners who advocated the adoption of SIM
pie siRnals, and from % masters and one
seamen's society who advocated the adoption
of q more complete system. The chief reasons
given by those who objected to the introduo-
ton of any system of fog signals are the con.
fusion they would cause in crowded waters,
the difficulty of locating sounds In fogs, the
false confidence they would give to officers in
charge of the vessels using them and the
considerable degree OF skill and experience
necessary to prevent the possibility of mis-
take in the event of any complex system be-
ing adopted.
Article ID, requiring all vessels, sail or
a. al 20 20 fyp
fog, mist or falling snsw was taken up.
DR.. Siev-King of Germany advocated that
in fog. vessels be instructed to 60 at top
speed. In the course of his remarks he re-
ferred to the facts that the courts had oon-
relatively only very eight reduction and In
other decisions to- hold that moderate
speed" meant enough for the vessel to hold
| its steerage-way.
Captain Mensing said that the consensus
| of opinion among captains of ocean vessels
| is that full speed is desirable. he insisted
that il was safer to run fast; that In case
danger Of collision was discovered he could
get his vessel out of the way more certainly
| Article | was passed and Admiral Franklin
called up the next article (stesring and sailing
rules for sailing vessels) Mr.. Hall said be-
fore entering into the discussion of the ques-
ton he desired to propose the following deh-
milton: "The term steam vessels shall be held
to include all vessels propelled by machine
cry"
1t being then nearly O'Clock the confer
ence adjourned.
ocean steamers.
BosroN, Dot. 2l.-Arrived: Steamer Sauna.
ria, Liverpool.
Death OF Frederick l.. Bray.