Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-08-31

lights or green lights, he can Judee
whether he Is encounteriDg an ocean
going steamer. a towing steamer, 'es'
sci laying telegraphic cable, sailing YES
sci, q pilot vessel, or some small craft
Flare lights are also used at intervals
by certain vessels, but in actual practice
Il IL found that even when the reguia-
tions are strictly followed. as they gen
orally are, mistakes are often made by
the observer.
These international regulations alro
prescribe that In case Of fog, steam ves-
GELS under way shall sound steam whis-
tie at intervals Of not more than ono
minute Sail vessels under way must
sound fog horn at intervals OF not
more than five minutes and steam and
sail vessels not under way must sound n
bell at intervals Of not more than hve
minutes. Other craft, such as canal
boat or raft must sound fog horn or
some equivalent signal, which must
make sound equal to a steam whistle.
at intervals Of not more than two min
utes. This Is of course measurable
protection from the danger of collision,
but as n matter Of fact experience shows
that these noises do not tell the listener
how far off is the vessel signaling, nor,
II tho fog Is heavy, In what direction
sho il.
Signals of various kinds may be and
are given by long and short blasts Of the
whistle. The only ones prescribed In
the rules quoted, aside from the fog sig
nails Just specified, are one, two and
Il. Tho frat ssv
am directing my course TO starboard;"
the second, II am directing my course
TO port" and the third, IL am going full
speed, ustern." The uso of these sig
nails is optional, but the regulations say
that If they arc used, the vessels cou rse
must be in accordance with the signal
made. Nevertheless a custom obtains
with many commanders OF using three
blasts 10 mean, 81 am towing some
thing"
Guns and rockets are also used as sig
mails, but, excepting in tho 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 tho
comprehension of the landsmen, and
among seaInen 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
r.,I,,.1 L., .,,ty n III
directed efforts have beep made to pro
vide the remedy.
Quito 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, tool code of signals which he
offered to the world for universal adop-
tion. For il 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
shpmastcrs, 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 moro favorably re-
ceivct. 1t was investigated by some Of
the great transatlantic companies whose
experts approved it. II was laid before
the British admiralty and board of trade,
and by both those bodies was fayorably
considered Still nothing was done
until by act of congress in 1888 the pres.
ident was empowered to call the present
conference.
As q matter of course, no intelligent
captain is without his own ideas of what
should be done to improve the system,
and as the conference will invite sugges.
tions, it is likely that many wise and
possibly some foolish ideas will be pre-
sonted for their consideration. Some
suggestions, however, have been made
by mariners who stand high in their pro-
fession. and seem well worthy OF adop-
ton.
1t is noticeable that all insist on the
code being made as simple as possible.
There is no timo for. anything but tho
barest necessities when a collision is
imminent. II is suggested that eight
distinct signals of some sort seem indis-
pensable-one for each fourth point of
the compass--N., N. f., f., S. f., S.,
S. W., w. and N. w. Further suggcs-
tions are that there should be standard
of power for the whistles, hours, etc.
Whistles are made that can be heard
eight miles, but many are in use that
cannot be heard more than two miles.
1t Is also urged that the intervals be-
tween signals in case Of fogs should be
made less, that the whistle should be
placed at the bow of vessel, where its
wave sounds will carry best, and that
the regulation about ''reduced speed" if
it is retained, should be made more def
nite BY the present code the speed is
not prescribed. FALEs.CuRTIs.