New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-28
UNIFORMITY OF BUoYS AND BEACoNs.

A COMMITTEE REPORTING TO THE MARINE
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES SIGNALS.
Washington. Dec e7-The Committee OF the In
,ernat,onal Marine Conference General Division
pa uniform system Of buoys and beacons-suo-
mitted a report to-day TO the Conference Ihe re-
port say. that the first object to be attained from
an international point OF view, Is uniformity ana
for this purpose color is the best means as applying
TO all systems Of whatever kind While the shape
admits OF numerous exceptions Inc Color ooo' '"o
report continues is applicable to all countries whereas
the adontion ~ shane would involve changes OF
several existing systems. For these reasons the
committee holds that the opinion prevails Una, AZ
night and I'm thick weather, difference IN lorm Is
better means Of distinction than difference Oh Color
and therefore advises that uniformity in color should
be adopted as a general rule, and that 'he USES VI
shane should remain optional. Continuing tne re-
mort saws that experience gained in many ouoyage
districts and particularly where used In conjunction
with form has proved that the single colors OF
black and red are sufficiently distinctive Tor the saie
navigation Of districts where more compncdteu sSs
TEN is not necessary The report recommends 'Ha'
the largely used red and black coiors shouiu DC
adopted generally for marking respectively the star
board and port sides of single channels In speak
ing Of the system of buoyage in the Ihames ana
rho shoals of the coast of the North Sea- the report
saws that many of these districts require more
complicated SYSTEM TO identify tile several heighDor'
ing channels from one another
continuing the reports suggests that the authorities
of certain countries should be invited to consider the
p,cat general advantages to shipping that would re
sult from the adoption Of uniformity IN coOr DN as
continuing the dangerous custom Of using black color
Ia denote a starpoard hand well port hand buoy
aIn some countries" the committee remarks, wmte
is used as a distinctive color, and WIN adVahtag"
when cOnTasted with dark background A' 'iI'
practice cannot lead vessels into danger we hesitate 10
advise that it should DC compulsorily lntericred WILL
We are OF opinion that where form is adopted the two
slapes 'coIcal and can, are appropriate ior mark
ing the starboard and port sides Of channel, spar
bu0y taking the place of the can n certain cases
These forms are practically used in tie United states
Germany, Canada India and Great Biltah' htu INC
various countries not all in agreement as To winch
side Of the channel Is TO be marked by conica buoy
and which by can or spaf buoy. At iOilO"s ulat
one or more OF the countries would necessarily nave
10 rcaIrange their system but if the work was done
gradually the committee believes that this could BE-
performed at a ninuILum of expense, in no way con-
parblc with the great advantage that would result 10
navigation.
As regards t0pma7is We recommend that those
countries whose buOyage Is based Oh color alone
should whenever topnrks are used to denote sides OF
channel cOnical or nshapcd marks on the
existing buOys or bcacons. We Of opinion that the
mode of tinguisdng buoys from each other b.
Names numbers or letters should be left to the dec
sion Of the various countries but that all numbers
and letters should be M consecutive OucT, beginning
at the scawa i cni OF tie district
The cor mttee is alsC OF the opinion that districts
where the buOyage Is 50 complicated as 10 nave Iu
the authCritc, 10 adopt compass system oil marx.
ing. such as In the baltic sea, cannot be coupled
with similar system found sufficient elsewhere, 'du'
for this reason, hesitates TO recommend luhda-
mental change in such districts.
The report Of the Committee upon General Divisions
o. 10, IL and l. OF the programme was a $50 SUP
mitted to the Conference to-day. In the opinion OF
the committee IL is desirable that storm signals as
pIayed at coast stations should give TO passing
vessels some further information to whether storms
are approaching have passed the station, ana,
i'm reference to this the committee desire 10 call at
tcntiOn to the fact that this want has been supplied
by The system i'm in the United states In
recaptuatiOn the committee recommends to the Con
ference TO invite the maritime countries interested 10
take into consideration the establishment OF uni.
form system of indicating storm warnings by day ana
bv night and that such a system should, as far a
possible, include signals indicating whether the
storm is approaching Oh has passed the station.