The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-08-05
FOR SHIPS AT SEA.
New international Rules to Insure
Greater safety.

New international Rules to Insure
Greater safety.
The new rules of the road at sea have
just gone into effect among the leading
countries of the world, and there is
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 rapidlyincreasing 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
as 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 50 years later at least ten sys-
TENS were in vogue. The result was
a 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 Fr+ al r tor In
was realized that an international code
of signals was an imperative necessity,
and a 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
spoken by their crews, and great good
has resulted to all concerned.
When the question of means of COM
munication was being considered, the
more important question of universal
rule of navigation was neglected, and
ii was not until 1889 that the Wash
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
moonlight, that it was only a short
time after sunset. will be taken. Pro
vision is made for all classes of YES
sells to carry lights after dark, and even
the smallest craft must exhibit a lam
tern with red and green slides when
approaching another vessel. Even row.
boats are required to carry a light A
system of lights will show whether a
vessel is towing and the character of
her tow, whether she is disabled. wheth-
er she is laying or picking up cable,
and a thousand and one other things of
use in avoiding collisions
Signals for fogs are the subject of a
lengthy article in the new rules, and
they differ considerably from the old
rules. Two additional rules are intro
duced, arranging for two prolonged
blasts to be given by steam vessels I'M
der way but not moving through the
water; and, second; for long blast,
followed by two short blasts, to be given
by vessels towed and towing, vessels
not under command, vessels not able
to maneuver as required by these new
rules, and vessels at work on telegraph
cable.
The steering rules for sailing vessels,
the overtaking rule and the rule for
sound signals for vessels in sight of
one another are very complete and do
not show wide OF strongly-pronounced
divergence from the old rules.
The merit of the rules lies largely
in the fact of their international recog-
nizance.-Baltimor Sun.