DETAILED PROGRAMME

OF

SUBJECTS TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE INTERNATIONAL MARINE CONFERENCE.

[Framed by the American Delegates in accordance with instructions from the Department of State, March, 1889.]

GENERAL DIVISION 1.

Marine signals or other means of plainly indicating the direction in which vessels are moving in fog, mist, falling snow, and thick weather, and at night.

RULES FOR THE PREVENTION OF COLLISIONS AND RULES OF THE ROAD.

1. Visibility, number, and position of lights to be carried by vessels. (a) Steamers under way.

(b) Steamers towing.

(c) Vessels under way, but not under command, including steamers laying cable.

(d) Sailing vessels under way.

(e) Sailing vessels towing.

(f) Vessels at anchor.

(g) Pilot vessels.

(h) Fishing vessels.

2. Sound-signals; their character, number, range and position of instruments.

(a) For use in fog, mist, falling snow, and thick weather, as po

sition signals.

For steamers under way.

For steamers towing.

For sailing vessels under way.

For sailing vessels towing.

(These signals to show the approximate course steered

if possible.)

For vessels at anchor.

For vessels under way, but not under command, including steamers laying cable.

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2. Sound-signals; their character, number, range and position of in

struments-Continued.

(b) For use in all weathers as helm signals only.

For steamers meeting or crossing.

For steamers overtaking.

For steamers backing.

(c) Whether helm signals shall be made compulsory or remain

optional.

3. Steering and sailing rules.

(a) Sailing vessels meeting, crossing, overtaking, or being overtaken by each other.

(b) Steamers meeting, crossing, overtaking, or being overtaken by each other.

(c) Sailing vessels, meeting, crossing, overtaking, or being overtaken by steamers.

(d) Steamers meeting, crossing, overtaking, or being overtaken by sailing vessels.

(e) Special rules for channels and tide-ways, where no local rules exist.

(ƒ) Conflict of international and local rules.

(g) Uniform system of commands to the helm.

(h) Speed of vessels in thick weather.

GENERAL DIVISION 2.

Regulations to determine the sea-worthiness of vessels.

(a) Construction of vessels.

(b) Equipment of vessels.

(c) Discipline of crew.

(d) Sufficiency of crew.

(e) Inspection of vessels.

(f) Uniform certificates of inspection.

GENERAL DIVISION 3.

Draft to which vessels should be restricted when loaded.

Uniform maximum load mark.

GENERAL DIVISION 4.

Uniform regulations regarding the designating and marking of vessels.

(a) Position of name on vessel.

(b) Position of name of port of registry on vessels.

(c) Size of lettering.

(d) Uniform system of draft marks.

GENERAL DIVISION 5.

Saving life and property from shipwreck.

1. Saving of life and property from shipwreck at sea.

(a) Duties of vessels after collision.

(b) Apparatus for life.saving to be carried on board ship. (Lifeboats, life-preservers, life-rafts, pumps, and fire-extinguishing apparatus.)

(c) The use of oil and the necessary apparatus for its use.

(d) Uniform inspections as to (b) and (c).

2. Saving of life and property from shipwreck by operations from shore. (a) Organization of, and methods employed by, life-saving institutions.

(b) The employmeut of drilled and disciplined crews at lifesaving stations.

(c) The maintenance of patrol upon dangerous coasts by night, and during thick weather by day, for warning off vessels standing into danger and for the early discovery of wrecks. (d) Uniform means of transmitting information between stranded vessels and the shore.

(e) Life-boats, life-saving apparatus, and appliances.

3. Official inquiries into causes and circumstances of shipwrecks and other casualties.

GENERAL DIVISION 6.

Necessary qualifications for officers and seamen, including tests for sight and color blindness.

(a) A uniform system of examination for the different grades. (b) Uniform tests for visual power and color blindness.

(c) General knowledge of methods employed at life-saving stations. (d) Uniform certificates of qualification.

GENERAL DIVISION 7.

Lanes for steamers on frequented routes.

(a) With regard to the avoidance of steamer collisions. (b) With regard to the safety of fishermen.

GENERAL DIVISION 8.

Night signals for communicating information at sea.

(a) A code to be used in connection with the International Code Signal book.

(b) Or a supplementary code of limited scope to convey information of special importance to passing vessels.

(c) Distress signals.

GENERAL DIVISION 9.

Warnings of approaching storms.

(a) The transmission of warnings.

(b) The uniformity of signals employed.

GENERAL DIVISION 10.

Reporting, marking, and removing dangerous wrecks or obstructions to navigation.

(a) A uniform method of reporting and marking dangerous wrecks and derelicts.

(b) The division of the labor, cost, and responsibility among the sev eral maritime nations, either by geographical apportionment or otherwise:

Of the removal of dangerous derelicts;

And of searching for doubtful dangers with a view of removing them from the charts.

GENERAL DIVISION 11.

Notice of dangers to navigation.

NOTICE OF CHANGES IN LIGHTS, BUOYS, AND OTHER DAY AND NIGHT

MARKS.

(a) A uniform method of taking bearings, of designating them (whether true or magnetic), and of reporting them.

(b) A uniform method of reporting, indicating, and exchanging information by the several maritime nations-to include the form of notices to mariners.

(c) A uniform method of distributing this information.

GENERAL DIVISION 12.

A uniform system of buoys and beacons.

(a) Uniformity in color of buoys.

(b) Uniformity in numbering of buoys.

GENERAL DIVISION 13.

The establishment of a permanent international maritime commission.

(a) The composition of the commission.

(b) Its powers and authority.

Proposed grouping of subjects for consideration by committees of the international marine conference.

1. Rules of the road and signals-General Divisions 1 and 8.

2. Saving of life and property from shipwreck by operations from shore-General Division 5, Subdivision No. 2.