The People's friend., 1894-08-03
RULES OF THE ROAD AT SEA.
Measures of Precaution Taken by the Big
Transatlantic Liners.

Transatlantic Liners.
With only few exceptions, the regu-
lar steamship lines pursue well-detined
paths, both in coming and going across
the Atlantic, and this not only averts the
danger of collision, but is an element
of safety in case Of disaster, as a ship.
if in the lane" is reasonably sure Of
being sighted, if not by one of her
sister ships, by one of some other line.
The closely calculat ted sailing dlrec-
tions under which captains guide their
| crafts across the water provide for
| reaching specified neridians Of lOngl-
| tude while on certain parallels of latl-
| tude, the meridian 80 degrees west be-
| ing mostly used as a basis for reckon
| ing. Coming westward the Cunarders
will cross that line in latitude 43 north
or less than that figure; the White
Star line divides the year into two
parts, and from February to August
runs even with the Cunard steamers;
from August to February, however, its
vessels keep further north, and the
| limk for crossing the meridian is 45 de-
grees 80 minutes north. The American
line gets one degree nearer the equator,
and strikes 50degrees west on the forty
second parallel, while the North Ger
man Lloyd captains sail under 'gO-as-
you-please' orders, crossing the merid-
ian of so, however, about eighty miles
south of the Virgin Rocks, or little
to the north of the forty-fourth paral-
lei. Going eastward, however the tig-
ures change slightly, and the Cunard
line reaches the mark of so degrees
west one degree south of its westward
crossing point, while the White Stal
line drops its division of the year anC
sticks to a course still nearer the equa
tor than its red-funneled rival, making
the forty-frst parallel the objective
point Of junction with the meridian
throughout the year.
One great danger of the transatlan
tic voyage is in passing the NewfOund
land and Georges fishing banks. Little
twO-masted cocl1leshells swarm owe
: the places where the fish are known t
{ congregate. and, blow high or blow
low, poke their noses up into the win(
and let it keep on blowing. while th
guiding spirits of the frail craft are ou
| in their dories chasing a school of coz
, or haddock When fog settles down OF
, the water and damp, gray blanket o
5 mist shuts out from view everythln!
. but the tumbling wave that happens t.
t be right under the boat, there the
+ stay until they are either loaded wit
: fish or short of provisions. when the
t sup killicl1" and away for homo. A
4 night it is the same as in fog, an
4 while it sometimes happens that tn
E schooner itself is smashed to splinter
d or cut in two and sunk, it is more ofte
S the case that boat a short distanc
from her is cut down and two or NOR
: men added to the long and tear-mOis
l., ened list of missing from the fishin
g fleet
l. The new rules of the road revive tn
d old article of the law of 1885, whic
S provides that open boats and tshln
$ vessels of less than twenty tons sha
have a lantern with two glasses, on
Y showing a red and the other a gree
Is light, which shall be shown on tn
d proper side of the boat when a.
t, preached by another vessel, and al
e other section provides that roamin
boats, whether under sail or oars, sha
E. carry lantern showing white ligh
al which must be exhibited as wsrnir
rs to approaching craft. With these rul'
r, strictly enforced and of internation
lie effect, it is hoped that many of tt
ee perils of the sea will be overcome, f
n while the big steamer may come safe
to port and land her passengers a
SIS right, it is not pleasant to think tn
le in rush for a record human lives ha'
III been sacrificed that might have bee
u saved if strict attention had been give
III by all concerned to the rules of Il
it road.-N. Y. Tribune.