The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-04-14
A SEAMAN'S SUGGESTION.
Landlubbers Should Know Rules
of Road as Used at Sea.

Il see," remarked the retired sea
captain, as he anchored in the eyes of
Broadway cable car, II see that Po-
| lice Commissioner Roosevelt has taken
a strange craft Alongside. Some fellow
wrcte him letter suggesting that the
police regulate the cruising of landlub-
bers and trucks along the streets. Tha
| Commissioner says it's a pretty diff
cult thing to do, because the pilots of
the vehicles frequently fall TO mauling
| one another over The right of way.
Now, do not know the Commissioner,
but I want to say to him that it is the
easiest thing in the world to regulate
the going and coming of not only We
hicles, but pedestrians as well, along
the streets. How? Why, teach the cobs
| the rules of the road II sea. That's
| how.
Some people may imagine that
| there is something intricate or puz-
zling in the regulations for the proper
and safe movement of ships on the
deep. But it isn't so. Now and then
we hear of a collision, but l have yet
| to hear of two vessels meeting where
the rules of the road were observed.
Collisions are due to one of two things
the reckless use of the port helm or
the disregard of signals. Let me show
how the police can regulate travel on
the streets. Imagine, for way of il
lustration that the left side of every
person and every vehicle looking front
is the port side, and that the right side
is the starboard side. At sea, under all
circumstances, where there is any
doubt as to the ability of one vessel to
cross the bows of another, it is the
duty of one to keep away from the 9TH
err That is obvious, at least to my
mind. Now the vessel with her left
hand light staring the other craft is
the face, if at night, has the right OF
way. because read means danger on
land as we'll as in sea, and the other
fellow must give her a wide berth.
That is the keynote to the situation.
1.-TWO ships meeting on end that are
approaching each other should pass to
the right of each other. In other
words their port sides should face
each ither. So it should be on land.
Well take this street we have just
passed to illustrate. On the east side,
entering into Broadway, is Maiden
lane. On the west side, entering the
same thoroughfare, is Cortlandt street.
Now, we will say that / am bound MP
Broadway, along the east side of
Broadway, and sight man coming out
of Maiden lane with the intention of
crossing Broadway. His left or port
side is the first thing I see, and it is
clearly my duty to give him the right
of way across his bow or front. On
the other hand. a man coming across
Broadway, bound into Maiden lane,
should go astern, or behind me, for my
left side is nearest to him. 1t is the
same way with trucks or other We
hicles. under similar circumstances.
Give way to the pilot who shows his
left side first I claim that, with a lit
tie knowledge of the rules of the road
at sea, it is possible for land-lubbers,
either on foot or awheel, to get along
the streets more comfortably, eXpedi-
tiously and safely than they now do.
Let every one of them commit to mem
ory the following laws of the road at
sea. which have been put in verse, re-
membering that the right side is star
board and the left side port:
Both side lights you see ahead,
Port your helm and show your red.
Green to green and red to red,
Perfect safety, go ahead
If on your starboard red appear,
1t is your duty to keep clear.
To act with judgment, think it proper
To port or starboard. back or stop her.
Both in safety, but in doubt,
Always keep a good look out.
In danger. with no room to turn.
Ease her. turn her, go astern. New
York Mail and Express.