The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-08-13
THE RULE OF THE ROAD ON THE SEA
Embodied In the Bill Passed by the
National House Yesterday.
Tho Result of the Recent Conference
of the Maritime Powers.
An Universal Language for Vessels
the Round World over.
Especial to the Press.1

steam vessels. Mr.. Dlngley had cnarge OF
the bill and there was no reason why it
should not have gone through without
trouble as he was ready with a satisfactory
reply to every objection. But the Democrats
took advantage of the thinness of the House
to ilibuster. The result was that Mr.. Ding
ley had to toll the greater part of the day to
get the bill through but he
finally succeeded. The bill is a
measure of the highest Importance to
all interested in maritime Affairs. Ever
since the world began each nation has had
its own language of the seas. Through all
the expansions of commerce, through all the
great revolution which has resulted in put
ting seventy-five percent of the commerce of
the world under steam power to-day. where
as in 1920 only one per cent was so propelled,
each nation has had its own system of lights
and other signals. 1t is plain that much
confusion must have resulted, and for many
years sea faring men have been interested
in getting one uniform code which should
express the same language on the coast of
Maine and in the harbors of China and
Japan.
To accomplish this the United States took
the first step. In pursuance to the pro-
visions of the a ct of Congress approved July
9, 1888, an invitation was extended to the
maritime powers to take part in conference
to be held at Washington, the objects of
which were to revise ana amend the rules,
regulations, and practice concerning vessels
at sea and navigation generally; to adopt a
uniform system of marine signals, especially
with reference to- signaling in fog; to COM
pare and discuss the various systems en-
ployed for the saving of life and property
| from shipwreck; to devise methods of re-
| proting, marking, and removing dangerous
wrecks and distractions to navigation. and
| to establish uniform means of conveying to
! mariners warnings of storms and other in
| formation. OF the thirty-seven maritime
| powers invited, the following were repre-
| sented by delegates: Austria Hungary, Bel
GUM, Brazil, Chill, China, Costa Rica. Den
mark, France, Germany, Great Britain,
Guatemala, Hawaii, Honduras, Italy, Japan,
Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway,
Portugal, Russia, Siam, Spain, Sweden, Tur-
| key. Uruguay. Venezuela, and United States.
| Rear-Admiral S. r. Franklin, one of the
| delegates from the United States, presided.
| After thorough consideration Of the objects
| for which the Conference was called, the
| delegates unanimously recommended to the
| several maritime nations the adoption of a
| code of rules which should make one Ian
guage for all the seas of the world. 1t was
arranged that the United States should first
| adopt this code, after which the other nations
were to follow. The code does not go into
effect at once, the bill providing that it
shall be held back until the President shall
| issue proclamation. The object of this
provision is to give the other nations time to
| adopt the code. When they shall have done
so the President may proclaim it for Ameri-
ca at the time that it is proclaimed in other
nations. There will probably be some de-
| lays by those nations, so it is impossible to
| foretell when the new code will go into ef
| fect But that this human and wise measure
| will be adopted before many months seems
| probable.
The House also passed today under the
lead of Mr.. Dingley the following bill re-
lating to shipping commissioners which has
already passed the Senate
Be it enacted, ETC..
That when crew is shipped by shipping
| commissioner on any American vessel in the
United States and the Dominion of Canada
| or Newfoundland or the West Indies or
| Mexico as authorized by section two of
chapter 421 of the public laws passed by the
Forty-Ninth Congress-, an agreement shall be
| made with each seaman engaged as one of
such crew in the same manner and form as
| is provided for by sections 4511 and 1912 of
| the revised statutes for the shipment of the
sections 4522, 4524, 1926, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1854
4596, 1887, 1888, 1899, 4601,. 1902, 1908, 4604
1905, 46l0 and 4611 of the revised
statutes shall extend to and embrace
such vessels in the coastwise trade and the
trade between the United States and the
Dominion of Canada or Newfoundland, or
| the West Indies or Mexico, where their
crews have been shipped by a shipping
commissioner to the same extent and with
| the same force and effect as if said vessels
| had been mentioned and embraced in the
language and terms of said section.
The bill establishing "rules of the road"
at sea, referred to above in this despatch is
| as follows
BE it enacted By the Senate and House Of
Representatives Of the United States of
| America IN Congress assembled.
That the following regulations for prevent
ing collisions at sea shall be followed by all
| public and private vessels of the United
| States upon the high seas and in all waters
connected Herewith, navigable by sea going
| vessels.
| PRELIMINARY.
In the following rules every steam vessel
| which is under sail and not under steam is
| to be considered sailing vessel, and every
vessel under steam, whether under sail or
not, is to be considered steam vessel.
The word steam vesseP' shall include any
vessel propelled by machinery.
vessel is under way" within the mean
ing of these rules when she is not at anchor,
or made fast to the shore, or aground.
RULES CONCERNING LIGHTS, ETC.
The word visible" in these rules when
applied to lights shall mean visible on a
dark night with a clear atmosphere.
Article 1.-The rules concerning lights
shall be complied with in all weathers from
other lights which may be mistaken for the
prescribed lights shall be exhibited.
Article "A steam vessel when under way
shall carry
(a) On or in front of the foremast, or if a
vessel without foremast, then in the fore
part OF the vessel, at height above the hull
of not less than twenty feet and If the
breadth of the vessel exceeds twenty feet,
then at a height above the hull of not less
than such breadth, SO, however, that the
light need not be carried at a greater height
above the hull than forty feet, bright white
light, so constructed as to show an unbroken
light over an arc of the horizon of twenty
points of the compass, so fixed as to throw
| tno llgnt ten D0lntS on edcD SlQ6 OIL Lne VeS-
sci, namely. from right ahead to two points
abaft the beam on either side, and of such a
character as to be visible at a distance of at
least five miles.
(b) On the starboard side green light so
constructed as to show an unbroken light
over an arc Of the horizon of ten points of
tne compass, so fixed as to throw the light
from right ahead to two points abaft the
beam on the starboard side, and of such a
character as to be visible at distance of at
least two miles.
(c) On the port side red light so con-
structed as to show an unbroken light over
an arc of the horizon of ten points of the
compass, so fixed as to throw the light from
right ahead to two points abaft the beam on
the port side, and of such a character as TO
be visible at a distance of at least two miles.
(d) The said green and red side lights shall
pc htted with inb0ard screens projecting at
least three feet forward from the light, so as
70 70 prevent these lights from being seen across
(cl A steam vessel when under way NAV
carry an additional white light similar in
construction to the light mentioned i'm sub-
DIVISION (al. These two lights Shall he so
placed In line with the keel that one shall be
at least fifteen feet higher than the other
and in such position with reference IN aacb
other that the lower light shall he forward Dard
Of the upper one. The vertical distanca" a. hel u
tween these lights shall be less thar tba ~
horizontal distance. '""" 'lo
Article 3-A steam vessel when towing