PRELIMINARY.

Art. 1. In the following Rules every Steam Ship which is under sail and not under steam is to be considered a Sailing Ship; and every Steam Ship which is under steam, whether under sail or not, is to be considered a ship under steam.

RULES CONCERNING LIGHTS.

Lights.

Art. 2. The Lights mentioned in the following Articles, numbered 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, and no others, shall be carried in all weathers, from sunset to sunrise.

Lights for Steam Ships.

Art. 3. Sea-going Steam-ships when under weigh shall carry:

(a.) At the Foremast Head, a bright White Light, so fixed as to show an uniform and unbroken Light over an arc of the horizon of 20 points of the compass; so fixed as to throw the light 10 points on each side of the ship, viz., from right ahead to 2 points abaft the beam on either side; and of such a character as to be visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least five miles:

(b.) On the Starboard Side, a Green Light so constructed as to throw an uniform and unbroken Light over an arc of the horizon of 10 points of the compass; so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to 2 points abaft the beam on the starboard side; and of such a character as to be visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least two miles:

(c.) On the Port Side, a Red Light, so constructed as to show an uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of 10 points of the compass; so fixed as to throw the light from

right ahead to 2 points abaft the beam on the port side; and of such a character, as to be visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, 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.

Lights for Steam Tugs.

Art. 4. Steam Ships, when towing other ships, shall carry two bright White Mast-head Lights vertically, in addition to their side lights, so as to distinguish them from other Steam Ships. Each of these Mast-head Lights shall be of the same construction and character as the Mast-head Lights which other Steam-Ships are required to carry.

Lights for Sailing Ships.

Art. 5. Sailing Ships under weigh, or being towed, shall carry the same lights as Steam Ships under weigh, with the exception of the White Mast-head Lights, which they shall never carry.

Exceptional Lights for small Sailing Vessels,

Art. 6. Whenever, as in the case of small vessels during bad weather, the Green and Red lights cannot be fixed, these lights shall be kept on deck, on their respective sides of the vessel, ready for instant exhibition; and shall, on the approach of or to other vessels, be exhibited on their respective sides in sufficient time to prevent collision, in such manner as to make them most visible, and so that the Green light shall not be seen on the port side, nor the Red light on the starboard side.

To make the use of these portable lights more certain and easy, the lanterns containing them

shall each be painted outside with the colour of the light they respectively contain, and shall be provided with suitable screens.

Lights for Ships at Anchor.

Art. 7. Ships, whether steam ships or sailing ships, when at anchor in roadsteads or fairways, shall exhibit, where it can best be seen, but at a height not exceeding twenty-feet above the hull, a White Light, in a globular lantern of eight inches in diameter, and so constructed as to show a clear uniform and unbroken light visible all round the horizon, and at a distance of at least one mile.

Lights for Pilot Vessels.

Art. 8. Sailing Pilot Vessels shall not carry the lights required for other sailing vessels, but shall carry a White Light at the mast head, visible all round the horizon, and shall also exhibit a Flare-up Light every fifteen minutes.

Lights for Fishing Vessels and Boats.

Art. 9. Open Fishing Boats and other open boats shall not be required to carry the side lights required for other vessels; but shall, if they do not carry such lights, carry a lantern having a Green Slide on the one side and a Red Slide on the other side; and on the approach of or to other vessels, such lantern shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision, so that the Green light shall not be seen on the port side, nor the Red light on the starboard side.

Fishing Vessels and open boats when at anchor, or attached to their nets and stationary, shall exhibit a bright White Light.

Fishing Vessels and open boats shall, however, not be prevented from using a Flare up in addition, if considered expedient.

RULES CONCERNING FOG SIGNALS.

Fog Signals.

Art. 10. Whenever there is fog, whether by day or night, the Fog Signals described below shall be carried and used, and shall be sounded at least every five minutes; viz. :—

(a.) Steam Ships under weigh shall use a Steam Whistle placed before the funnel, not less than eight feet from the deck:

(b.) Sailing ships under weigh shall use a Fog Horn:

(c.) Steam Ships and Sailing Ships when not under weigh shall use a Bell.

STEERING AND SAILING RULES.

Two Sailing Ships meeting.

Art. 11. If Two Sailing Ships are meeting end on or nearly end on so as to involve risk of collision, the helms of both shall be put to port, so that each may pass on the port side of the other.

Two Sailing Ships crossing.

Art. 12. When two sailing ships are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, then, if they have the wind on different sides, the ship with the wind on the port side shall keep out of the way of the ship with the wind on the starboard side; except in the case in which the ship with the wind on the port side is close hauled and the other ship free, in which case the latter ship shall keep our of the way; but if they have the wind on the same side, or if one of them has the wind 1 aft, the ship which is to windward shall keep out of the way of the ship which is to leeward.

Two Ships under Steam Meeting.

Art. 13. If two ships under steam are meeting end on or nearly end on so as to involve risk of collision, the helms of both shall be put to port, so that each may pass on the port side of the other.

Two Ships under Steam Crossing.

Art. 14. If two ships under steam are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, the ship which has the other on her own starboard side shall keep out of the way of the other.

Sailing Ship and Ship under Steam.

Art. 15. If two ships, one of which is a sailing ship, and the other a steam ship, are proceeding in such directions as to involve risk of collision, the steam ship shall keep out of the way of the sailing ship.

Ships under Steam to slacken Speed.

Art. 16. Every steam ship, when approaching another ship so as to involve risk of collision, shall slacken her speed, or, if necessary, stop and reverse; and every steam ship shall, when in a fog, go at a moderate speed.

Vessels overtaking other Vessels.

Art. 17. Every vessel overtaking any other vessel shall keep out of the way of the said lastmentioned vessel.

Construction of Articles, 12, 14, 15, and 17.

Art. 18. Where by the above rules one of two ships is to keep out of the way, the other shall keep her course, subject to the qualifications contained in the following Article.