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Take particular care that there are no turns of the whip line around the hawser. To prevent this, take the end of the hawser up between the parts of the whip before making it fast.

When the hawser is made fast, the whip cast off from the hawser, and your signal seen by the lifesaving crew, they will haul the hawser taut and by means of the whip will haul off to your vessel a breeches buoy suspended from a traveler block, or a life car, from rings running on the hawser.

Figure 3, below, represents the apparatus rigged, with the breeches buoy hauled off to the ship.

If the breeches buoy be sent, let one man immediately get into it, thrusting his legs through the breeches. If the life car, remove the hatch, place as many persons therein as it will hold (four to six) and secure the hatch on the outside by the hatch bar and hook, signal as before, and the buoy or car will be hauled ashore. This will be repeated until all are landed. On the last trip of the life car the hatch must be secured by the inside hatch bar.

In many instances two men can be landed in the breeches buoy at the same time by each putting a leg through a leg of the breeches and holding onto the lifts of the buoy.

Children when brought ashore by the buoy, should be in the arms of older persons or securely lashed to the buoy. Women and children should be landed first.

In signaling as directed in the foregoing instructions, if in the daytime, let one man separate himself from the rest and swing his hat, a handkerchief, or his hand; if at night, the showing of a light and concealing it once or twice will be understood; and like signals will be made from the shore. (See also "Wreck Signals ", below.)

Circumstances may arise, owing to the strength of the current or set or the danger of the wreck breaking up immediately, when it would be impossible to send off the hawser. In such a case a breeches buoy or life car will be hauled off instead by the whip or sent off to you by the shot line, and you will be hauled ashore through the surf.

If your vessel is stranded during the night and discovered by the patrolmanwhich you will know by his burning a brilliant red light-keep a sharp lookout for signs of the arrival of the lifesaving crew abreast of your vessel,

BOUNDARY LINES OF THE HIGH SEAS

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Some time may intervene between the burning of the light and their arrival, as the patrolman may have to return to his station, perhaps 3 or 4 miles distant, and the lifesaving crew draw the apparatus or surfboat through the sand or over bad roads to where your vessel is stranded.

Lights on the beach will indicate their arrival, and the sound of cannon firing from the shore may be taken as evidence that a line has been fired across your vessel. Therefore upon hearing the cannon, make strict search aloft, fore, and aft, for the shot line, for it is almost certain to be there. Though the movement of the lifesaving crew may not be perceptible to you, owing to the darkness, your vessel will be a good mark for the men experienced in the use of the wreck gun, and the first shot seldom fails.

Important.-Remain by the wreck until assistance arrives from the shore, or as long as possible. If driven aloft, the inshore mast is the safest.

If not discovered immediately by the patrol, burn rockets, flare-up, or other lights, or if the weather be foggy, fire guns or make other sound signals.

Make the shot line fast on deck or to the rigging to prevent its being washed into the sea and possibly fouling the gear.

Take particular care that there are no turns of the whip line around the hawser before making the hawser fast.

Send the women, children, helpless persons, and passengers ashore first.

Make yourself thoroughly familiar with these instructions, and remember that on your coolness and strict attention to them will greatly depend the chances of success in bringing you and your people safely to land.

Wreck signals.-The following signals, approved by the International Marine Conference convened at Washington in October 1889, have been adopted by the Coast Guard Service and will be used and recognized by the officers and employees as occasion may require:

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Upon the discovery of a wreck by night, the lifesaving force will burn a red pyrotechnic light or a red rocket to signify, ‘You are seen; assistance will be given as soon as possible.'

"A red flag waved on shore by day, or a red light, red rocket, or red roman candle displayed by night, will signify, 'Haul away.'

"A white flag waved on shore by day, or a white light slowly swung back and forth, or a white rocket, or white roman candle fired by night, will signify, 'Slack away.'

"Two flags, a white and red, waved at the same time on shore by day, or two lights, a white and a red, slowly swung at the same time, or a blue pyrotechnic light burned by night, will signify, ‘Do not attempt to land in your own boats; it is impossible.'

"A man on shore beckoning by day, or two torches burning near together by night, will signify, 'This is the best place to land.'

"Any of these signals may be answered from the vessel as follows: In the daytime, waving a flag, a handkerchief, a hat, or even the hand; at night, by firing a rocket, a blue light, or a gun, or by showing a light over the ship's gunwhale for a short time, and then concealing it."

BOUNDARY LINES OF THE HIGH SEAS

The following lines dividing the high seas from rivers, harbors, and inland waters described in this volume are designated and defined pursuant to section 2 of the act of Congress of February 19, 1895. Waters inshore of the lines here laid down are "inland waters", and upon them the inland rules and pilot rules made in pursuance thereof apply. Upon the high seas, viz, waters outside of the lines here laid down, the international rules apply. The following lines were made effective June 1, 1935:

INLAND WATERS ON THE ATLANTIC, GULF, AND PACIFIC COASTS OF THE

UNITED STATES

General rule.-At all buoyed entrances from seaward to bays, sounds, rivers, or other estuaries for which specific lines are not prescribed herein, Inland Rules of the Road shall apply inshore of a line approximately parallel with the general trend of the shore, drawn through the outermost buoy or other aid to navigation of any system of aids.

20712°-36-21

Modifications of general rule.-Lines of demarcation have been established for the following specific areas of inland waters on the Atlantic coast of the United States where the Inland Rules of the Road are to be followed.

Chesapeake Bay and tributaries.-A line drawn from Cape Charles Lighthouse to Cape Henry Lighthouse.

Charleston Harbor.-A line drawn from Sullivans Island Coast Guard Station to Charleston Lighted Whistle Buoy C; thence to Charleston Lighthouse. Savannah Harbor.-A line drawn from the southwesternmost extremity of Braddock Point to Tybee Lighted Whistle Buoy T; thence to a tank on Tybee Island beach, bearing approximately 281°.

St. Simon Sound, St. Andrew Sound, and Cumberland Sound.—Starting from the hotel located approximately 4 mile, 632° true, from St. Simon (rear) Lighthouse, a line drawn to St. Simon Lighted Whistle Buoy St. S.; thence to St. Andrew Sound Bar Buoy; thence to Fernandina Lighted Whistle Buoy 1F; thence to Amelia Island Lighthouse.

St. Johns River, Fla.-A line drawn from the east end of the north jetty to the east end of the south jetty.

Florida Reefs and Keys from Miami to Marquesas Keys.-A line drawn from the east end of the north jetty at the entrance to Miami, to Miami Lighted Whistle Buoy; thence to Fowey Rocks Lighthouse; thence to Pacific Reef Lighthouse; thence to Carysfort Reef Lighthouse; thence to Molasses Reef Lighthouse; thence to Alligator Reef Lighthouse; thence to Tennessee Reef Lighthouse; thence to Sombrero Key Lighthouse; thence to American Shoal Lighthouse; thence to Key West Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy; thence to Sand Key Lighthouse; thence to Cosgrove Shoal Lighthouse; thence to westernmost extremity of Marquesas Keys.

INTERNATIONAL RULES TO PREVENT COLLISIONS OF VESSELS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following regulations for preventing collisions at sea shall be followed by all public and private vessels of the United States upon the high seas in all waters connected therewith navigable by seagoing vessels.

PRELIMINARY

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.

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The words 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.

RULES CONCERNING 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.

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 fore part 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.

(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,

INTERNATIONAL RULES TO PREVENT COLLISIONS OF VESSELS 317

(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.

(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.

Art. 3. A steam vessel when towing another vessel shall, in addition to her side lights, carry two bright white lights in a vertical line one over the other, not less than six feet apart, and when towing more than one vessel shall carry an additional bright white light six feet above or below such lights, if the length of the tow measuring from the stern of the towing vessel to the stern of the last vessel towed exceeds six hundred feet. Each of these lights shall be of the same construction and character, and shall be carried in the same position as the white light mentioned in article two (a), excepting the additional light, which may be carried at a height of not less than fourteen feet above the hull.

Such steam vessel may carry a small white light abaft the funnel or aftermast for the vessel towed to steer by, but such light shall not be visible forward of the beam.

Art. 4. (a) A vessel which from any accident is not under command shall carry at the same height as the white light mentioned in article two (a), where they can best be seen, and if a steam vessel, in lieu of that light two red lights, in a vertical line one over the other, not less than six feet apart, and of such a character as to be visible all around the horizon at a distance of at least two miles; and shall by day carry in a vertical line, one over the other, not less than six feet apart, where they can best be seen, two black balls or shapes, each two feet in diameter.

(b) a vessel employed in laying or in picking up a telegraph cable shall carry in the same position as the white light mentioned in article two (a), and if a steam vessel in lieu of that light three lights in a vertical line, one over the other, not less than six feet apart. The highest and lowest of these lights shall be red and the middle light shall be white, and they shall be of such a character as to be visible all around the horizon at a distance of at least two miles. By day she shall carry in a vertical line, one over the other, not less than six feet apart, where they can best be seen, three shapes not less than two feet in diameter, of which the highest and lowest shall be globular in shape and red in color and the middle one diamond in shape and white.

(c) The vessels referred to in this article, when not making way through the water, shall not carry the side lights, but when making way shall carry them. (d) The lights and shapes required to be shown by this article are to be taken by other vessels as signals that the vessel showing them is not under command and cannot therefore get out of the way.

These signals are not signals of vessels in distress and requiring assistance. Such signals are contained in article thirty-one.

Art. 5. A sailing vessel under way and any vessel being towed shall carry the same lights as are prescribed by article two for a steam vessel under way with the exception of the white lights mentioned therein, which they shall never carry.

Art. 6. Whenever, as in the case of small vessels under way during bad weather, the green and red side lights cannot be fixed, these lights shall be kept at hand, lighted and ready for use; 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, nor, if practicable, more than two points abaft the beam on their respective sides. To make the use of these portable lights more certain and easy, the lanterns containing them shall each be painted outside with the color of the light they respectively contain, and shall be provided with proper screens.

Art. 7. Steam vessels of less than forty, and vessels under oars or sails of less than twenty, tons gross tonnage, respectively, and rowing boats, when under