The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-07-15
Rules of the Road at Sea.
The New Regulations Have Now Gone Into Effet

The New Regulations Have Now Gone Into Effect.
WASHINGTON, July =. The United
States inspectors of steam vessels are in a
quandary over the new rules of the road at
sea, which went into effect to-day. The
wording of some of them is ambiguous,
and the inspectors are perplexed as to
whether or not they should enforce them.
For example, the most important of the
new rules is one governing the carrying of
lights by sea-going steam vessels. The
old regulations required these vessels to
carry one white light ahead. above the
deck. This was amended to provide for
two white lights, but the rule reads now
''Steam vessels when under way may carry
an additional white light, ETC." This, ap-
parently, gives the commander an option
in the matter.
The supposed advantage of the two
lights is to indicate more clearly the
course of the vessel. 1t is required that
one light should he abaft the other, but in
line with it, so that W hen the vessel alters
her course the lights will come out of
range and apparently move one to one side
and one to the other, thus enabling cap
tains of approaching vessels TO tell II ore
readily how to steer in order to avoid
collision.
This is practically the only important
amendment which has come out of the
years of labor on the rules. The British
Board of Trade for years objected to the
adoption of this amendment on the ground
that two W hite lights ahead indicated that
a vessel had another in tow.
The only other important changes in the
rules relate to fog signals and the manage
ment of steam vessels in a fog. All
steamers are now required to carry fog
horn, to be blown by a bellows, in addi-
ton to steam whistle and bell
On Turkish vessels drum may be sub
stituted for a bell. All steam vessels,
when another is ahead in fog are requir-
ed to stop and then proceed cautiously.
Under the old rules they were simply re-
quired to slow down and proceed cauti-
ously.
With regard to the fog horn the United
States inspectors are again in doubt. They
do not know whether they ought to COM
pei vessels which they inspected and pass
ed previously to July to adopt them at
once, or to wait until after next years in
spectiOn.
With the exception of these changes the
rules, although they were under discuss
ion for nearly eight years, are practically
untouched. Copies of the new rules may
be obtained from the customs collectors in
each port in this country. Inspectors of
steam vessels also distribute them, but
the supply has run short. At present
they have NOT one copy left. They have
written to the department at Washington
for new supply. All governments adop-
ting the rules furnish them to the COM
manders flying their flags.
The new rules governing the navigation
of harbors, rivers and inland waters 90 in
to effect on October list.
The only countries having a merchant
marine which have not agreed to the new
rules for sea going vessels are Turkey,
Venezuela, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and
Zanzibar, and it is expected that Venzuela
will come in when the authority of Con-
gress is assured. Ninety per cent. of the
worlds shipping is affected by the agree
ment