Telegram-herald., 1889-09-02

No better zrranxeLaels than thls las
been Drupose1. 01G = lrtle rSglecrloa ~il
shos EnAt LIS l. very tD41egazLs @z.d
unsatisfactory Suppo<lng tast On
dzrk nighs tae master ~ yessvl sees =
rsd ara . white light he kuoSs thai
he Is looking Al t4s port side q > Fss-
-. but of course lie cannot Tell how Tar
OF sae Is nor can be tel - Whethsr sAe i
he1ded almost directly toward his own
ship or = heIAsr shs Is actually Irzfellg
aWav from him
Similar regulations are applied 70 ne
cases of other vessels. 81 thai. according
- tie iooAous sess white Lights, red
lights or green hghts, II c2n 5s1ge
whether lie Is snceuntering al ocean
going s.caraer, a towing stsamer. = fes-
Ell l4yins tei-gE4pLis cable. = s4lAns Ves-
sell 4 pilot vessel. or some small crSfl-
Flare lights 2rs also usst az Intervals
ov certain vessels. but Ia actual practice
10 j. found that even when the reguia-
uors are strictly followed, IS they gen
orally are, mistakes are often made by
the observer.
Thee International regulations also
prescribe fhat in case o. log. steam YES
sels 4uler way shall sound \ steaIn wins
rie az intervals u not more than one
minute Ssl vessels under way must
souul fcg horn - intervals 0f not
more Chsa ute minutes. and steam and
sad vessels aal under way must SQUAD
bell H. .-.reais II n5i more thsn i've
uluu-t ofae- craft. such as canal
boa. a. q .eft. musf souul q loy horn or
some elu.r-lent ssnal, which must
max sound equal - a steam whistle,
a. iute-v.4is 81 not more than two min
utes. IlIs is OF course a measurable
prote-a.a isom ths DANCE Of collision,
bat IS a master of fact experience shows
that these noises ID not tell the listener
how far OF is the vessel s. gnaling nor,
II the fog Is heavy. in what direction
-he is.
Signals - various kinds may be and
are given ~ long and short blasts Of the
wh' p Iae only ones prescribed in
the rai IS quoted. aside from the foe sig
mails j;. specified, are one, two and
three short blasts. The FIRST means, Il
am direc. ing my course 10 starbo2rd:"
the second, - am directing NY course
70 port aad the third, ] am Coing full
speed. aslern.' The use OF these sig
nails is optional. but tho regulations say
that If tacv are used. the vessels course
must be 10 accordance with the signal
made. Nevertheless Il custom obtains
with many commanders of using three
blasts 10 mean, Il am towing some
thing"
Guns and rockets arc also used as sig
nails, but, excepting in the navy under
special circumstances, they are signals
Of distress and are not used otherwise.
Such. in outline. is the only system
known by which the master OF q vessel
can learn the facts on which depend the
safety Of his ship, and possibly the lives
of all on board. That it falls far short
Of the requirements of modern COM
merce. goes without saying, even in the
comprehension of the landsmen, and
among seamen the wonder is. not that a
worlds conference is now TO be held. but
that it was not held many years ago
For not only has the danger long been
realized, but various intelligent and well
directed efforts havo been made to pro-
vide the remedy.
Quite a number of years ago Capt
Griffin, of the Pacific Mail steamship
service, who had given much study to
the question, prepared an elaborate
possibly too elaborate, though it was
simple, too) code of signals. which he
offered to the world for universal adop-
ton. For it is evident that any code, to
be of use to any one, must be understood
and followed by all. His plan was
studied and favorably received by many
shipmasters, but nothing was done tow
ard the adoption of it..
Later-it was about 1ss0-Capt Barker,
of the United States, prepared another
code which was still more favorably re-
ceived. 1t was investigated by some of
the great transatlantic companies whose
experts approved il. II was laid before
the British admiralty and b0crd o. trade.
and by both those bodies was favorably
considered. Still nothing was done
until by act Of congress in 1883 the pres
ident was empowered to call the prea mt
conference.
As a matter Of course. no intelligent
captain is without his own ideas Of what
should be done to improve the system,
and IS the conference will invite sug9es-
tions. it is likely that many wise an
/ possibly some foolish ideas VIII be pre-
scnted for their consideration. Some
suggestions, however, have been made
/ by mariners who stand high in their pro-
/ fess;on. and seem well worthy OF adop-
ton.
Il is noticeable that al insist on the
+ code beng made as simple as possible
F There s. I'D time for a1vit.ng bat tie
barest necessities when q collision Is
imminent 1t is suggested that eight
distinct signals Of some sort seem irdis-
peusaDle--one for each fourth point of
/ tie eampass-N, =. T.. T.. s. j. s
+ s W. ~ and =. W Fr~thcr sIr-es-
ticns orc that & ere should be q stan lard
- power ior tbe whistles. hours. e.c.
Whisa arc made that ca1 - heard
eirht miles. but many are IN use that
cannot BE- heard more than two miles.
lt s also urged thar the intervals he-
tween signals In case re fo07 should is
mais less. that tns whistle should le
placed . She bow of d vessel. whore its
wave sounds wili carry best. and that
f the regulation about reduced sreed Z
il IA retained. sa,4'l be male more deii-
nife hy f1e present coie tie speed -
nCs prescribed. FkrFs-CCHI1s-
The T5rcoss ir var If1 ~
rI I'D