The sun., 1889-12-28
BUors AND BEhC0Ns.
Reesrauaeudasions or the Cozu,ittee or the
International Marine Conferenee.

Reesraueudaslons OF the Couuaittee OF ths
International Marine Conference.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.--The Committee oi
the international Marine Conference on Cen
oral Division 12-a uniform system OF puoys
and beaoons-aubmitted report to-day. The
report says that the first object to be attained
from an International point OF view 10 uni-
formity. and for this purpose color is the best
means as applying 10 all systems OF whatever
kind, while the shape admits Of numerous ex-
ceptions. The color. too 1t says. IL also sppli-
cable to oil countries, whereas the adoption OF
shape would involve changes OF several exist
ing systems. For these reasons the committee
holds that the opinion prevails that at nieht
and In thick weather difference In form IL q
better means OF distinction than difference OF
color and for this reason, advises that uni
formlty in color be adopted as general rule,
and that the use Of shape remain optional
While, In the opinion Of some members, the
single oolors Of black and red are not 90 dis
tinctive In contrast as a single color used In
connection with parti- experience gain
eG In many buoyaRe districts. and particularly
where used In conjunction with form, has
proved that these dark coiors are sufficiently
distinctive for the safe navigation OF districts
where more complicated system Is not neees-
are also more readily and cheapy repatnted
than phrti-colored buoys and for this reason
black coIors should be adopted generally for
marking respectively the starboRrd ana port
In speaking Of the system OF buoyage in tho
Thames and the shoals off the coast Of the
North Sea the report says that many OF these
identify the several neiRhborlng chapnels from
one another In some, OF such districts lets
taee or as popt6Snd han X buoy. @ In feW@notabiy In
England.a single black color is used as a
starboard-hand buoy. Inasmuch as single
anln to Ia ARal tNnA m n nnF ii.
buoy IN neiahboring districts visited by the
same eS shpIing. the COMMITTEES sHgge,sdts g,d s. that ia
yited 10 consider the i great general advantages
tlon Of uniformity In color BY discontlnuine this
st4rboard- hand as well as PORTLAND buoy.
=, In some countries white is used as distinc-
Ssd With As Rs
mittee hesitates 70 advise that 1t should be
where form qHi is adopted the two % shapes, conf.
star6oard ann and peS port SIDES e c6anns @ spar e
buoy taking the place OF the can In certain
cases. These forms are practically used IN the
Britain. But the various countries are not all
In agreement as to which side OF the channel is
car, or spar buoy II follows that one or more
OF the countries would necessarily have to re.
nsE af b
could be performed at minimum Of expense
In no way comparable with the great advan-
tage that would result to navigation.
AS regards topmarks. We recommend that
those countries whose buoyage is based on
color alone should, whenever topmarks are
or can shaped marks on the existing buoys or
I'VE are OF opinion that the mode OF dlstin-
gushing buoys from each other by names
numbers, or letters. should be left to the do
cision OF the various countries. but that all
numbers and letters should be in consecutive
order. commencing at the seaward end of the
districts where the buoyago is SO complicated
as to have led the authorities to adopt q COM
pass system Of marking. such as in the Baltic
Sea- cannot be coupled with similar system
found sufficient elsewhere, and for this reason
hest stes At to REG. Iecom1mend fundamental change
The report Of the Conlmittee upon General
Divisions 9. 10. II. and IL was also submitted
to the Conference to-day. General Division o.
Warnings Of approaching storms tal the trans
mission Of warnings, and tb) the uniformity OF
signals employed. are the subjects. In the
opinion Of the committee 1t IL desirable that
storm signals displayed at coast stations should
tion as to whether storms are approaching or
have passed the station: and. in reference to
this. the committee desires to call attention to
the fact that this want has been supplied by
the system now in use In the United States
In recapitulati lon. the committee recon-
countries interested to take into consideration
the establishment OF a uniform system Of in
dcating storm warnings by day and by night,
and that such a system should. as far as possi-
bic, include signals indicating whether the
storm Is approaching or has passed the station.