and that is if the funnel has any rake at all you could not carry it vertically below. It would not be possible, if the light were fixed to the funnel. You take a funnel like that [indicating] with a mast-head light there [indicating], you can not put this light vertically below it, unless you put it inside of the funnel; and I do not suppose that is the proposition.

Dr. SIEVEKING (Germany). Mr. President, I think it is very easily arranged by putting the white light a little in front of the funnel and by having an arm of iron extend out in front of the funnel to which the white light could be attached, at the end of the arm.

Mr. HALL (Great Britain). Mr. President, I would suggest that it might be expressed in this way: In the same fore-and-aft line. It would then read: "The light shall be carried in the same fore-and-aft line and not less than 3 feet below the white light."

Mr. GOODRICH (United States). Mr. President, I may say that the United States delegation thought it would meet the desire of other parties if the word "vertically" was inserted after the word "carried;" so that it would read: "Such lantern shall be carried vertically not less than 3 feet below the white light." The suggestion made by the learned delegate from Great Britain about its being in the same fore-and-aft line does not indicate how far forward of the other light it would be. One might be at the stern and the other might be at the place indicated in the article. They might be a hundred feet apart.

Admiral BOWDEN-SMITH (Great Britain). The white light must be before the funnel.

Captain SHACKFORD (United States). It might be 20 feet forward of it.

On these

Steamers

Dr. SIEVEKING (Germany). Mr. President, it is the very same meaning which we have expressed in other words. Of course we do not attach any importance to this wording; but we wish to have it vertically below the white light, and in distance not less than 3 feet. I do not think this is a question which is quite without importance. small steamers this is the light which replaces the side light. of this size need not carry the side lights, but they certainly should indicate their heading to other vessels, so as to enable other vessels to distinguish them. Now, if the white light is carried in the after part of the vessel, and the other light, although placed at a vertical distance of 3 feet below it, is still placed in the forepart of the vessel, the more you widen the distance of the two lights, the more the lights will appear to you to be one light when seen from a distance. They will come nearer to each other, and it is a great obstacle in the way of distinguishing the lights. The only difficulty which is now pointed out is that if the white light is allowed to be carried on the funnel, and the funnel is not in a vertical position, then the colored light might not be carried vertically below it. But that could be remedied by hanging the white light on a stanchion or arm, so as to enable the colored light to be placed on the funnel, vertically, 3 feet below the white light.

Mr. HALL (Great Britain). Mr. President, I think this is merely a question of words. The learned delegate from the United States has suggested a form; and I think I can suggest one which is even more simple, and that is to transpose the word "vertically" to the end of the sentence, so that it will read: "Such lantern shall be carried below the white light at a distance from the same not less than 3 feet vertically." You can not get it vertically below, because that means 3 feet exactly below. I think that will carry outmy learned friend's wishes.

Dr. SIEVEKING (Germany). Mr. President, to say that the lantern. shall be carried not less than 3 feet vertically below the white light would convey the meaning, so far as I see, that it must be carried vertically below the white light, and at a distance of not less than 3 feetAt any rate, that is what we propose, and what we think best.

Admiral BOWDEN-SMITH (Great Britain). Mr. President, I hope my friend will not press for a hard and fast rule for these little boats. It might be the best plan to place this second light on the stem of the boat in some cases. You would have the little white light before the funnel, when it might be the best place to put the second little light on the stem. The second light is placed very low in any case, and if a man should stand up he would obscure the light. I really hope that he will not make the rule too hard and fast for these little boats.

Captain SALVESEN (Norway). Mr. President, I think it looks rather queer that we who have not been able to decide upon a place for the side lights on board the big steamers, now shall be obliged to give an exact place for them upon this small craft.

Mr. GOODRICH (United States). Mr. President, does the Conference desire a vote upon this amendment before it adjourns?

The PRESIDENT. Is the Conference ready for the question upon this amendment? The amendment will be read.

Dr. SIEVEKING (Germany). Mr. President, after consultation with my colleagues, I beg to say, on behalf of the German delegation, that we agree to have this altered in the way which has been proposed by the learned delegate from Great Britain. I do not exactly remember the words.

Mr. HALL (Great Britain). Mr. President, it is to put the word "vertically" at the end of the sentence.

Mr. GOODRICH (United States). Mr. President, on behalf of the delegates for the United States I must say that we are very much impressed by the remark of the gallant admiral from Great Britain, that we should not make a hard and fast rule for these little boats. was the intention of the Collocation Committee.

That

The PRESIDENT. Does the delegate from Germany modify his amend ment?

Dr. SIEVEKING (Germany). Mr. President, I think it quite clear if we put the word "vertically" at the end of the sentence.

The PRESIDENT. The Secretary will please read the amendment as proposed by the delegate from Germany.

The amendment is as follows:

"Such lantern shall be carried not less than 3 feet below the white light, vertically."

The PRESIDENT. Is the Conference ready for the question?

The question was put to the Conference upon this amendment, and it was lost.

The PRESIDENT. The question now is upon the amendment. This was an amendment to the amendment. Is the Conference ready for the question?

The question was put upon this amendment, and the amendment was lost.

Mr. GOODRICH (United States). Mr. President, I rise to obtain, for the benefit of the Conference, the views of the majority of the members as to the length of time during which the Conference will sit during the holidays. The delegates will remember that next Wednesday is Christmas, and, for the purpose of obtaining the views of the Conference, I wish to make a motion for adjournment from Friday of this week until the 6th of January. Do not understand me as favoring that proposi tion. I do not favor it. I am making the motion, as I stated, deliberately for the purpose of obtaining the views of the Conference. It makes no difference to me what day is inserted. I only desire to meet the views of the Conference. For myself, I am willing to sit right up to the day before Christmas and sit the day after Christmas, until we finish the work of this Conference. I distinctly state that this is not my wish, nor is it the wish of the delegates from the United States.

Mr. CARTER (Hawaii). Mr. President, I move to amend that by moving that when the Conference adjourn on Friday it adjourn to meet on Monday at 11 o'clock.

Mr. GOODRICH (United States). Mr. President, I accept the amendment if that be the view of the Conference. What I want to get at is the time for the adjournment.

Mr. CARTER (Hawaii). Mr. President, I will withdraw my amendment. Mr. GOODRICH (United States). Mr. President, I take it that no delegate wants to sit on Christmas. If any member will make a motionor I will make it myself, that we sit until Tuesday at 1 o'clock and then adjourn until the following Thursday. I am simply desirous of meeting the views of the foreign delegates.

Dr. SIEVEKING (Germany). Mr. President, I beg to move that we adjourn on Saturday at 1 o'clock. I do not say until what time. That depends upon how far we get along with the work on Saturday. Perhaps we can get through with the rules of the road and finish with them by Saturday. Then we can see what work we have before us. I should not like to have to attend a meeting on the day before Christmas, and I think we ought to be free on Monday. If it can be arranged

to let us sit on Saturday and take away our free Saturday which the rules allow, and give us a free Monday, that, I think, would be desirable. Mr. HALL (Great Britain). Mr. President, I quite agree with the learned delegate from Germany, that in deciding the length of the recess we ought to be governed by the work which is done. If we get on with our work, as there seems every possibility of our doing, we shall finish this matter by Saturday. We have got two more days before us, and we have got through already with one-third of the amendments which have been brought before us on principle. Among that onethird was the second amendment with regard to the crossing of the rays of light, which was a matter of very great importance and occupied more than one-half of the day.

I do not think there are any other amendments likely to occupy so long. I think, giving a fair time for the discussion of amendments, that we can get through the amendments not only on principle, but the verbiage amendments, in a short time. The verbiage amendments are mere questions of words, and the Collocation Committee have considered these words very carefully indeed. I will only say for the Collocation Committee that they have done their work as best they can. I think the holiday should depend upon the condition of the work. If we get through the amendments to the collocation report on principle, and as to verbiage, there will then be nothing left with regard to the rules of the road, and it would merely remain for us to see that there are no errors in the final report. After we have done that we have only the report of one remaining committee to deal with. That report has not yet been finished. I think that we might then be able to adjourn, say, from Saturday until Friday of next week.

The delegates should remember this: However much some of them might like to have a holiday, we are foreigners in a distant land, and we have not got our homes to go to to spend Christmas. Christmas and holidays are a mockery to us who want to go home to our friends and spend what time we can with them, whether it be at Christmas or whatever time it may be. Therefore, we want to go on and finish the work. I would venture to suggest that we adjourn on Saturday, and that the question of the duration of the holiday be left open until we know how we stand with regard to the work, because I certainly think that if we have not finished these amendments in relation to the rules of the road by Friday we ought to meet again as early as possible to go on with them and finish them.

Mr. GOODRICH (United States). Mr. President, I very heartily agree with the remarks which have fallen from the learned delegate from Great Britain. It seems to me that I had better withdraw entirely the motion for adjournment, or for any arrangement of the sessions, and that we shall proceed along die, diem, until such a time as we shall finish with the rules of the road.

The Conference thereupon adjourned until Thursday, December 19, 1889, at 11 o'clock a. m.

S. Ex. 53-76

WASHINGTON, Thursday, December 19, 1889. 11 o'clock a. m.

The Conference was called to order at 11 o'clock a. m., Rear-Admiral Franklin in the Chair.

Mr. GOODRICH (United States). Mr. President, I think it is proper for me to present a new amendment. Of course I am aware that it requires a three-fourths vote to permit the consideration of it by the Conference.

Dr. SIEVEKING (Germany). Mr. President, it requires general consent. Mr. HALL (Great Britain). Mr. President, by the new rules I take it that no amendment can be now introduced without the unanimous consent of the Conference.

The PRESIDENT. The Chair was under the impression that the old three-fourths rule still existed with reference to any matter which had been passed upon by the Conference.

Mr. HALL (Great Britain). Mr. President, referring to the words of the resolution passed on the motion of my learned friend, the delegate from Germany, I think it was provided that every amendment must be handed in before 7 o'clock on Saturday night. I am, course, only speaking from memory.

of

Dr. SIEVEKING (Germany). Mr. President, I am certainly under the impression that it was the intention of that resolution to preclude every amendment which had not been brought in up to a given time on Saturday night.

Mr. GOODRICH (United States). Mr. President, I am inclined to think that in this case it will not make any difference, because it is such a palpable oversight that the delegates will probably agree as to the necessity of discussing it. The amendment which I propose was one which was proposed by the English delegates, and the delegates will find it in the printed amendments to Article 22, the original amendment.

Mr. HALL (Great Britain). Mr. President, it was amendment No. 61, I think.

Mr. GOODRICH (United States). Mr. President, it reads:

"When, in consequence of thick weather or other causes, two ships find themselves so close to each other as to make it doubtful whether by the action of one ship alone collision can be avoided, the ship which by the above Articles is directed to keep her course and speed shall also take such action as will best aid to avoid collision."