New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-02-06
Would Regulate Speed by
Distance Captain Can
See Ahead.
SHOULD BE ABLE TO
STOP IN THAT SPACE
Captain Bertholf, of Cutter Ser
vice, Says Plan Would End
Sea Disasters.
rFrom The Tribune Bureau


Washington. Feb. 5.-Captain Ellsworth
=. Bertholf. commandant Of the Revenue
cutter Service, who has Just retuTheu
from the international Maritime confer
enca in London. suggests apropos OF the
sinking Of the Old Dominion ship Monroe
an explicit and effective rule FOR the
guidance of marine captains In place Oh
the regulation which now requires that
in fog. mist or snow vessels shall proceed
At moderate speed
Captain Bertholf proposes that instean
of this vague provision. which no court
ever has been able 10 define. there De
substituted the requirement that no cap
tain shall proceed at greater speed than
will permit of stopping his vessei Wlthih
such distance as ne can see ahead.
The purpose of any regulation says
Captain Bertholf. is to prevent YES
sells striking any object which looms
suddenly in its path. That would be ac-
complished 10y the rule / propose. Every
competent captain knows how much
headway his ship Will make after he
gives the order full speed astern II he
did not he could never make his docks
and landings.
"Of course, the ability OF q ship TO come
10 a full stop varies materially, but II no
vessel is permitted to proceed faster than
will enable it 10 stop within such distance
as its captain can see ahead, it can never
unintentionally strike another vessel
Furthermore. such rule would obviate
all protracted legal debate regarding
weather conditions, as TO whether there
was fog. mist or snow. 1t would reduce
the responsibility of the captain to the
single question Of determining how far
ahead he could see.
~ powerful vessel, 600 feet long, may
lie able. although proceeding at full speed,
TO stop within three times it's own length,
or within 200 feet, something less than
half nautical mile. If 1t can, and Its
captain can see for half a mile there is
no reason why he should not continue at
full speed, but if it becomes thicker, and
he cannot see that far, he should reduce
speed accordingly.
Such rule would afford the skipper
with powerful engines and abundant con-
troll over his vessel opportunity TO utilize
his facilities to the utmost. The vessel.
unable for any reason to stop within a
comparatively moderate distance, would
necessarily. proceed with greater caution.
Should the weather be SO thick that II
was impossible to see ahead at all, the
captain would be compelled to stop his
ship. but that would impose no greater
hardship than is essential to the safety Of
those who 90 TO sea.
THE substitution of this elastic but
specific regulation would, | am convinced,
mean greatly increased protection from
accident, would save endless litigation,
and impose no unnecessary hardship.
1--WE are all familiar with automobiles
Compare the effectiveness of a rule Of
the road which required autos TO pro-
coed at moderate speed instead OF at a
given speed i'm miles, or at such speed
that the automobile could come to a dead
stop within twice its length, and you will
preceive the Improvement which would be
worked in our rule of the road by the
change i propose