El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-09-27
TO MINIMIZE LOSS.
New Rules Of the Road for Ships
Under Way.
The Leading Nations of the World to
Be Governed on the Regulations
Greater Safety to he
Insured.

| Just gone into effect among the leading
countries of the world, and there il
| little doubt that their strict enforce
| ment will greatly enhance the safety
| of the mariner and the charges placed
| within his keeping. The already great
| and rapidly-increasing intercourse be-
tween nation and nation demands that
every precaution against the dangers
of the sea and every safeguard possible
for the safety of human life shall be
provided. The spoken languages of the
world may continue to be many, but
necessity commands that the unspoken
language of the deep shall be one. That
language must needs be as universal
the needs of man for commerce and
Intercourse with his fellow man.
Away back at the beginning of the
present century a system of signaling
for vessels by means of flags was de-
vised for the British merchant service.
and so years later at least ten sys-
TENS were in vogue. The result was
Babel of bunting, and all the sys-
TENS were rendered ineffective, for the
reason that those using one were I'M
able to decipher the others. So it has
been with rules of the road on the deep,
and the bottom of every sea, lake and
river is dotted with crumbling wrecks
and moldering skeletons as the result
of fatal misunderstanding. In 1855 it
was realized that an international code
of signals was an imperative necessity,
and year later one was adopted.
Since that time ships of all nations
have been enable to converse one with
the other, irrespective of the language
Snnlan nv
has resulted to all concerned.
When the question of means of COM
munication was being considered, the
more important question of a universal
rule of navigation was neglected, and
ington marine conference was held.
After a series of discussions, which
lasted until the last day of 1890, the new
rules were adopted.
The new rules are strict in their pro-
visions, and will be rigidly enforced.
The regulations regarding the carry
ing of lights on vessels at night are
very concise, and no excuses that they
were being trimmed, that the night was
that it was only short
time after sunset, will be taken Pro
vision is made for all classes of yes
sells to carry lights after dark, and even |
he smallest craft must exhibit a Ian
-ern with red and green slides when |
another vessel. Even row. |
boats are required to carry light. A |
system Of lights will show whether a
7essel is towing and the character of |
her tow, whether she is disabled, wheth- |
# she is laying or picking up cable,
ind a thousand and one other things of |
Use in avoiding collisions.
Signals for fogs are the subject of a
engthy article in the new rules, and |
hey differ considerably from the old |
rules. Two additional rules are intro
1uced, arranging for two prolonged |
blasts to be given by steam vessels I'M
Ter way but not moving through the |
water; and, second, for long blast.
by two short blasts, to be given |
oy vessels towed and towing, vessels |
lot under command, vessels not able |
to maneuver as required by these new
'ules, and vessels at work on telegraph |
cable.
The steering rules for sailing vessels, |
he overtaking rule and the rule for |
sound signals for vessels in sight of |
me another are very complete and do |
lot show wide or strongly-pronounced |
divergence from the old rules.
The merit of the rules lies largely |
n the fact of their international recog-
lizance.-Baltimore Sun.