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§ II. INTERNATIONAL RULES.

Preliminary Definitions.

In the following rules every steam-vessel which is under sail and not under steam is to be considered a sailing-vessel, and every vessel under steam, whether under sail or not, is to be considered a steam-vessel.

The word "steam-vessel" shall include any vessel propelled by machinery.

A vessel is "under way" within the meaning of these rules when she is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground.

II.-LIGHTS, AND SO FORTH.

The word "visible" in these rules when applied to lights shall mean visible on a dark night with a clear atmosphere.

Article 1. The rules concerning lights shall be complied with in all weathers from sunset to sunrise, and during such time no other lights which may be mistaken for the prescribed lights shall be exhibited.

Steam-vessels-Masthead Light.

Art. 2. A steam-vessel when under way shall carry-(a) On or in front of the foremast, or if a vessel without a foremast, then in the forepart of the vessel, at a height above the hull of not less than twenty feet, and if the breadth of the vessel exceeds twenty feet, then at a height above the hull not less than such breadth, so, however, that the light need not be carried at a greater height above the hull than forty feet, a bright white light, so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of twenty points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light ten points on each side of the vessel, namely, from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on either side, and of such a character as to be visible at a distance of at least five miles.

Steam-vessels-Side-lights.

(b) On the starboard side a green light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead

§ II. RULES FOR UNITED STATES INLAND WATERS.

Preliminary Definitions.

In the following rules every steam-vessel which is under sail and not under steam is to be considered a sailing-vessel, and every vessel under steam, whether under sail or not, is to be considered a steam-vessel.

The word "steam-vessel" shall include any vessel propelled by machinery.

A vessel is "under way," within the meaning of these rules, when she is not at anchor, or made fast to the shore, or aground.

II.—LIGHTS, AND SO FORTH.

The word "visible" in these rules, when applied to lights, shall mean visible on a dark night with a clear atmosphere.

Art. I. The rules concerning lights shall be complied with in all weathers from sunset to sunrise, and during such time no other lights which may be mistaken for the prescribed lights shall be exhibited.

Steam-Vessels-Masthead Light.

Art. 2. A steam-vessel when under way shall carry-(a) On or in front of the foremast, or, if a vessel without a foremast, then in the forepart of the vessel, a bright white light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of twenty points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light ten points on each side of the vessel, namely, from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on either side, and of such a character as to be visible at a distance of at least five miles.

Steam-Vessels-Side-Lights.

(b) On the starboard side a green light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead

to two points abaft the beam on the starboard side, and of such a character as to be visible at a distance of at least two miles.

(c) On the port side a red light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ter points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the port side, and of such a character as to be visible at a distance of at least two miles.

(d) The said green and red side-lights shall be fitted with inboard screens projecting at least three feet forward from the light, so as to prevent these lights from being seen across the bow.1

NOTE 1.-A very little consideration will show that these lights can not be prevented from showing to some extent across the bow. The flame of the lamp must have a certain width, and the lamp as a whole must stand out at some distance from the inboard screen. In addition to this, there will always be a reflection, visible at a certain distance, from the outer (after) side of the light box. The mere use of a screen projecting three feet forward can do very little toward correcting this. The matter is a serious one, involving danger which is the greater because seldom realized. If we see all the lights of a steamer, we assume, and the law justifies us in assuming (see Art. 18), that she is heading directly toward us. But if her lights show a point across the bow, we may misjudge her course by a point; and if she makes a corresponding error with regard to our lights and our course, the situation may be one of grave danger.

Although this difficulty can not be entirely done away with, it can be much reduced, by a batten of wood placed vertically along the forward edge of the fore and aft screen, and projecting out-board so that its outer edge shall be tangent to a line drawn through the inner edge of the wick, parallel to the keel line.

A light so screened will still show nearly or quite half a point across the bow, depending upon the width of the wick. This width is fixed by an English rule at "not less than one inch, nor more than two inches." A two-inch wick screened as above will show nearly 4° across the bow.

In inspecting the lights and their fittings, it is important to see that the after screen complies with the requirement that the light shall show only 2 points abaft the beam.

to two points abaft the beam on the starboard side, and of such a character as to be visible at a distance of at least two miles. (c) On the port side a red light so constructed as to show an unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the port side, and of such a character as to be visible at a distance of at least two miles.

(d) The said green and red side-lights shall be fitted with inboard screens projecting at least three feet forward from the light, so as to prevent these lights from being seen across the bow.

Steam-vessels-Range-lights.

(e) A steam-vessel when under way may carry an additional white light similar in construction to the light mentioned in subdivision (a). These two lights shall be so placed in line with the keel that one shall be at least fifteen feet higher than the other, and in such a position with reference to each other that the lower light shall be forward of the upper one. The vertical distance between these lights shall be less than the horizontal distance.

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NOTE 2. The range-lights, as herein described, while giving far less information than they might be made to give if their position were more definitely fixed by law, are nevertheless so useful that it is to be hoped they may, before many years, be made compulsory for all steamers at all times when under way. They are at present compulsory within the interior waters of the United States for all other than "sea-going" stcamers and ferry-boats. (See "Inland Rules" for United States. Art. 2. f.)

It is clear that, supposing a vessel carrying such lights to be seen on an even keel, the lights will show one above the other when she is heading toward the observer; that if she changes course, the lights will open out, the lower one (which is also the forward one), drawing away from the upper one, in the direction to which the ship's head is changing. If the position of the lights were definitely fixed by law, the angle of the line joining them would be an indication of the course steered; but since neither the vertical nor the horizontal distance between them is established, they can not usually be regarded as giving much more information about the course than is given by side-lights. They have, however, one very great advantage over side-lights, in that, after being once clearly sighted, a change in their relative position gives instant notice of a change of course. This indication is especially sensitive when the vessel carrying the light is heading toward the observer, or nearly toward him, and this happens to be the point where the signals given by side-lights are often dangerously misleading. (See note 1.)

There is, of course, the farther very great advantage in rangelights over side-lights, that they can be seen at a much greater distance and thus give earlier notice as to the approximate course of the steamer carrying them. Their value would be considerably increased if we could be sure of finding associated with them the permanent white stern light permitted by the second part of Art. 10; but as the law stands, these two "permissive" clauses have no connection with each other, and we are not justified in assuming that a steamer which carries range-lights will also carry a permanent stern light.

It should be noted that when the vessel carrying range-lights is seen end-on, these lights may be confused with the lights of a vessel towing.

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