Official Notice.-Merchant Shipping Act, 1873. Collisions. The Board of Trade give notice, that on and after the 1st of November, 1873, the following Sections (16 and 17) of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1873, come into operation. 16. "In every case of collision between two vessels, it shall be the duty of the Master or person in charge of each vessel, if and so far as he can do so without danger to his own Vessel, Crew, and Passengers (if any), to stay by the other vessel until he has ascertained that she has no need of further assistance, and to render to the other Vessel, her Master, Crew and Passengers (if any), such assistance as may be practicable and as may be necessary in order to save them from any danger caused by the collision; and also to give to the Master or person in charge of the other Vessel the name of his own Vessel, and of her port of registry, or of the port or place to which she belongs, and also the names of the ports and places from which and to which she is bound. "If he fails so to do, and no reasonable cause for such failure is shown, the collision shall, in the absence of proof to the contrary, be deemed to have been caused by his wrongful act, neglect, or default. "Every Master or person in charge of a British Vessel who fails without reasonable cause to render such assistance, or give such information as aforesaid, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanour ; and if he is a certificated Officer, an inquiry into his conduct may be held, and his certificate may be cancelled or suspended. 17. "If in any case of collision it is proved to the Court before which the case is tried that any of the regulations for preventing collisions contained in or made under the Merchant Shipping Acts, 1854 to 1873, have been infringed, the ship by which such regulation has been infringed shall be deemed to be in fault, unless it is shown to the satisfaction of the Court that the circumstances of the case made departure from the regulations necessary." THOMAS GRAY, one of the Assistant Secretaries. Marine Department, Board of Trade, September, 1873. Signals for Pilots, The Board of Trade give notice, that on and after the 1st of November, 1873, if a vessel requires the services of a Pilot, the Signals to be used and displayed shall, in accordance with the 19th Section of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1873, be the following, viz : : "In the Daytime. The following Signals, numbered 1 and 2, when used or displayed together or separately, shall be deemed to be Signals for a Pilot in the daytime, viz: "1. To be hoisted at the fore, the Jack or other national colour usually worn by Merchant ships, having round it a white border one-fifth of the breadth of the flag; or "2. The International Code Pilotage Signal indicated by P.T. "At Night:--The following Signals, numbered 1 and 2, when used or displayed together or separately, shall be deemed to be Signals for a Pilot at night, viz:- "1. The Pyrotechnic Light, commonly known as a Blue Light, every 15 minutes; or "2. A bright White Light, flashed or shown at short or frequent intervals, just above the bulwarks, for about a minute at a time." دو And "any Master of a vessel who uses or displays, or causes or permits any person under his authority to use or display, any of the said Signals for any other purpose than that of summoning a Pilot, or uses or causes or permits any person under his authority to use, any other Signal for a Pilot, shall incur a Penalty not exceeding Twenty Pounds." C. CECIL TREVOR, one of the Assistant Secretaries. Harbour Department, Board of Trade. September, 1873. Signals of Distress. The Board of Trade give notice, that on and after the 1st of November, 1873, the following Signals shall, in accordance with the 18th section of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1873, be deemed to be Signals of Distress. "In the Daytime:-The following Signals, numbered 1, 2, and 3, when used or displayed together or separately, shall be deemed to be Signals of Distress in the Daytime :- "1. A gun fired at intervals of about a minute. "2. The International Code Signal of Distress indicated by N. C. "3. The Distant Signal, consisting of a square flag, having either above or below it a ball, or anything resembling a ball. "At Night:-The following Signals, numbered 1, 2, and 3, when used or displayed together or separately, shall be deemed to be Signals of Distress at Night : "1. A gun fired at intervals of about a minute. 66 "2. Flames on the ship (as from a burning tar barrel, oil barrel, &c.) "3. Rockets or shells of any colour or description, fired one at a time, at short intervals." And "any Master of a vessel who uses or displays, or causes or permits any person under his authority to use or display any of the said signals, except in the case of a vessel being in distress, shall be liable to pay compensation for any labour undertaken, risk incurred, or loss sustained, in consequence of such signal having been supposed to be a signal of distress; and such compensation may, without prejudice to any other remedy, be recovered in the same manner in which salvage is recoverable. THOMAS GRAY, Assistant Secretary of the Marine Department of the August, 1873. |