RULES OF THE ROAD; OR, LAWS OF PASSING VESSELS. On the 30th of October, 1840, the Trinity House (London) issued, by authority, Rules having reference to Sailing as well as Steam Vessels, which had become necessary in consequence of the great increase in the number of steamers and sailing vessels on the ocean and in the rivers and inland waters of Europe and America. On the 30th of June, 1848, the Lords of the British Admiralty issued their orders in regard to lights for steamers to prevent collision, which were accompanied by the following diagrams designed to illustrate the working of the system. The letter R signifies a red light and the letter G a green one: In this situation the Steamer A will only see the red light of the Vessel B, in whichsoever of the three positions the latter may happen to be, because the green light will be hidden from view. A will be assured that the port side of B is towards him, and that the latter is, therefore, crossing the bows of A in some direction to Port. A will, therefore, (if so close as to fear collision) port his helm with confidence, and pass clear. On the other hand, the Vessel B, in either of the three positions, will observe the red, green, and mast-head lights of A in a triangular form, by which the Vessel B will know that a Steamer is approaching directly towards him-B will act accordingly. It is scarcely necessary to remark that the mast-head light will always be visible in all directions except abaft the beam of the vessel carrying it. PORT. This rule is already pretty generally adopted, but it is made imperative, and is in all cases to be strictly observed. The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty are further pleased to direct that the recognized Trinity-House Rules, that all vessels should keep their course, are to be acted on, except where there is danger of collision, and in that case each vessel should invariably put her helm a-port. The manner of fixing the colored lights should be particularly attended to. They would require to be fitted each with a screen of wood on the inboard side, in order to prevent both being seen at the same moment from any direction but that of right-ahead. This is important, for without the screens (a principle first introduced with this system) any plan of bow lights would be ineffective as a means of indicating the direction in which a steamer may be steering. This will be readily understood by a reference to the foregoing illustrations, where it will appear evident that in any situation in which two vessels may approach each other in the dark, the colored lights will instantly indicate to both the relative course of each—that is, each will know whether the other is approaching directly or crossing her bows, either to starboard or to port. This information is all that is required to enable vessels to pass each other freely in the darkest night, with almost equal safety as in broad day, and for the want of which so many lamentable accidents have occurred. If at anchor, all vessels, without distinction, are bound to display a common light. The governments of the principal foreign maritime nations have likewise adopted the above system of night lights; amongst which the Government of the United States has issued the following: "NOTICE TO MARINERS. "The subjoined instructions are forwarded from the Navy Department. That all United States steamers will carry the following lights when at sea during the night, viz: "A white light at the foremast head, a green light on the starboard paddle box, and a red light on the port paddle box." [The diagrams and explanations of the British Admiralty were appended to this notice.] On the 14th of February, 1852, the Lords Commissioners of the British Admiralty issued instructions under the authority of an act of Parliament, dated August 7, 1851, to a committee composed of officers of the Royal Navy and an Elder Brother of the Trinity House to inquire into the expediency of compelling sailing vessels to exhibit lights at night with the view to prevent collision. On the 12th of June, 1852, the Admiralty issued a notice respecting lights to be carried by seagoing vessels to prevent collisions. By the British Merchant Shipping Act of 1854, it was ordered that the rules therein provided for in regard to lights, fog-signals, &c., shall be issued on the 1st day of June, 1863, or later, but the articles (sec. 295-299) were repealed and the rules embraced in "Schedule Table C, Merchant Shipping Act, Amendment Act of 1862," adopted in their stead. Congress passed an act, approved April 29, 1864, legalizing in the United States the British Rule of the Road; or, the Steering and Sailing Rules, embraced in Schedule C of that act. This law embracing these rules is now the recognized Rule of the Road throughout the commercial world. That these rules should not satisfy everybody, was naturally to be supposed, but in such a grave matter as the great loss of life and property at sea by collision, or otherwise, every fact, argument, and opinion, should be well considered before enacting obligatory rules or laws on the subject, or repealing or modifying those with which seamen are most familiar. . The British Order in Council, explanatory of Articles 11 and 13, will, doubtless, remove some of the difficulties which it is alleged have hitherto stood in the way of a fair and reasonable construction of the rule where two vessels are meeting "end on or nearly end on." That ignorant persons should act upon the assumption that "Rule of the Road" means simply "Port Helm," and nothing else; or, in other words, that in every situation of doubt or uncertainty at night the helm is to be put to port, may be conceived; but that intelligent seamen should do so is difficult to believe, even in the face of testimony which has been given before the Admiralty courts in cases of collision. The decisions (in the Admiralty cases cited) of Judge Sprague will serve to illustrate the subject treated of as it has been generally treated in the United States, while those referred to of the British Admiralty court will both serve as illustration and comparison of the practice in the two countries. The criticisms of the rules and laws, and the many proposed changes of them, will serve to show the state of feeling in England among many seamen and others in regard to the laws to prevent collisions at sea as they were often construed prior to the Order in Council of August, 1868. Among the many proposed changes, amendments, &c., of existing rules and laws with the view to promote safety at sea, the suggestion to use warning lights under a systematic plan in cases of emergency, preserving the same colors on the side of the vessel as shown from the running lights, ccmmends itself very highly to the consideration of commanders of vessels at sea. RULES OF THE ROAD; OR, STEERING AND SAILING RULES OF THE UNITED STATES. GENERAL ORDER No. 34. NAVY DEPARTMENT, May 4, 1864. The provisions of the following act "fixing certain rules and regulations for preventing collisions on the water," to take effect on the first day of September, 1864, are adopted for the naval service of the United States from this date. As most of the collisions occur from the nonobservance of Article 16, it is particularly enjoined upon commanding officers, in approaching another vessel, to slacken and stop in time to prevent the possibility of collision: AN ACT fixing certain rules and regulations for preventing collisions on the water. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That from and after September one, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, the following rules and regulations for preventing collisions on the water be adopted in the navy and the mercantile marine of the United States: Provided, That the exhibition of any light on board of a vessel of war of the United States may be suspended whenever, in the opinion of the Secretary of the Navy, the commander-in-chief of a squadron, or the commander of a vessel acting singly, the special character of the service may require it. REGULATIONS FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS ON THE WATER. CONTENTS. Article 1. Preliminary. Rules concerning Lights. 2. Lights to be carried as follows: 3. Lights for steamships. 4. Lights for steam-tugs. 5. Lights for sailing ships. 6. Exceptional lights for small sailing vessels. 7. Lights for ships at anchor. 8. Lights for pilot vessels. 9. Lights for fishing vessels and boats. Rules concerning Fog-signals. 10. Fog-signals. Steering and Sailing Rules. 11. Two sailing ships meeting. 12. Two sailing ships crossing. 13. Two ships under steam meeting. |