reaching the bridge, or when a passenger or mail train is approaching within sight or hearing of the operator of the draw span.

8. When a bridge tender is about to close a draw, he shall sound two distinct blasts of a whistle, horn, or megaphone, or two loud and distinct strokes of a bell.

9. Trains, wagons, and other vehicles shall not be stopped on a drawbridge for the purpose of delaying its opening, nor shall water craft or vessels be so manipulated as to hinder or delay the operation of a draw span, but all passage over, through, or under a drawbridge shall be prompt, to prevent delay to either land or water traffic.

10. These regulations shall be in force on and after January 1, 1930, and shall supersede the general bridge regulations approved October 12, 1925.

Regulations prescribing closed periods and applicable to particular bridges remain in full force and effect (see text relating to particular bridge).

Protection of Navigable Waters.-There are given below extracts from the laws of the United States for the protection and preservation of the navigable waters of the United States

That it shall not be lawful to throw, discharge, or deposit, or cause, suffer, or procure to be thrown, discharged, or deposited either from or out of any ship, barge, or other floating craft of any kind, or from the shore, wharf, manufacturing establishment, or mill of any kind, any refuse matter of any kind or description whatever other than that flowing from streets and sewers and passing therefrom in a liquid state, into any navigable water of the United States, or into any tributary of any navigable water from which the same shall float or be washed into such navigable water; and it shall not be lawful to deposit, or cause, suffer, or procure to be deposited material of any kind in any place on the bank of any navigable water, or on the bank of any tributary of any navigable water, where the same shall be liable to be washed into such navigable water, either by ordinary or high tides, or by storms or floods, or otherwise, whereby navigation shall or may be impeded or obstructed.

That it shall not be lawful to tie up or anchor vessels or other craft in navigable channels in such a manner as to prevent or obstruct the passage of other vessels or craft; or to voluntarily or carelessly sink, or permit or cause to be sunk, vessels or other craft in navigable channels; or to float loose timber and logs, or to float what is known as sack rafts of timber and logs in streams or channels actually navigated by steamboats in such manner as to obstruct, impede, or endanger navigation. And whenever a vessel, raft, or other craft is wrecked and sunk in a navigable channel, accidentally or otherwise, it shall be the duty of the owner of such sunken craft to immediately mark it with a buoy or beacon during the day and a lighted lantern at night, and to maintain such marks until the sunken craft is removed or abandoned, and the neglect or failure of the said owner so to do shall be unlawful; and it shall be the duty of the owner of such sunken craft to commence the immediate removal of the same, and prosecute such removal diligently, and failure to do so shall be considered as an abandonment of such craft, and subject the same to removal by the United States as hereinafter provided for.

That, except in case of emergency imperiling life or property, or unavoidable accident, collision, or stranding, and except as otherwise permitted by regulations prescribed by the Secretary as hereinafter authorized, it shall be unlawful for any person to discharge, or suffer, or permit the discharge of oil by any method, means, or manner into or upon the coastal navigable waters of the United States from any vessel using oil as fuel for the generation of propulsion power, or any vessel carrying or having oil thereon in excess of that necessary for its lubricating requirements and such as may be required under the laws of the United States and the rules and regulations prescribed thereunder. The Secretary is authorized and empowered to prescribe regulations permitting the discharge of oil from vessels in such quantities, under such conditions, and at such times and places as in his opinion will not be deleterious to health or sea food, or a menace to navigation, or dangerous to persons or property engaged in commerce on such waters, and for the loading, handling, and unloading of oil.

Fish weirs are numerous along the outside coast and in Chesapeake Bay and tributaries. The stakes often become broken off and form

a danger to navigation, especially at night. Regulations limiting the areas within which fish weirs may be established have been prescribed by the Secretary of War (see Rules and Regulations relating to Navigable Waters listed on page 319), and the supervision of the fishing structures is controlled by the Chief of Engineers, United States Army. Strangers should proceed with caution when crossing areas of possible fish weirs, and should avoid crossing such areas at night, whenever possible. The areas within which fish weirs are allowed along the coast from Cape Henlopen to Cape Charles are described on page 122; further information concerning fish weirs in Chesapeake Bay is given on page 141. As a general rule, fish-trap limits are shown on the charts.

Regulations prescribe that fishing structures and appliances in navigable waters of the United States shall be lighted for the safety of navigation, as follows:

The lights shall be displayed between sunset and sunrise. They shall be placed at each end of the structure excepting where the inner end terminates in such situation that there is no practicable navigation between it and the highwater line of the adjacent coast, in which case no inner light shall be displayed. The outer light shall be white and the inner light shall be red. The size, capacity, and manner of maintenance of the lights shall be such as may be specified in the War Department permit authorizing the erection of the structure or appliance.

When several structures or appliances are placed on one line with no navigable passage between them, they will be considered, for lighting purposes, as one structure.

Lighthouse tenders, when working on buoys in channels or other frequented waters, may display a red flag (international signal code flag B) and a black ball at the fore as a warning to other vessels to slow down in passing. Passing vessels will facilitate the work of the Lighthouse Service by a proper observance of the signals.

Special signals for surveying vessels. The following signals have been prescribed for vessels of the United States engaged in hydrographic surveying:

By day a surveying vessel of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, under way and employed in hydrographic surveying, may carry in a vertical line, one over the other not less than 6 feet apart where they can best be seen, three shapes not less than 2 feet in diameter of which the highest and lowest shall be globular in shape and green in color and the middle one diamond in shape and white. Vessels of the Coast and Geodetic Survey shall carry the above-described marks while actually engaged in hydrographic surveying and under way, including drag work. Launches and other boats shall carry the prescribed marks

when necessary.

It must be distinctly understood that these special signals serve only to indicate the nature of the work upon which the vessel is engaged and in no way give the surveying vessel the right-of-way over the other vessels or obviate the necessity for a strict observance of the rules for preventing collisions of vessels.

By night a surveying vessel of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, under way and employed in hydrographic surveying, shall carry the regular lights prescribed by The Rules of the Road.

A vessel of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, when at anchor in a fairway on surveying operations, shall display from the mast during the daytime two black balls in a vertical line and 6 feet apart. At night two red lights shall be displayed in the same manner. In the case of a small vessel the distance between the balls and between the lights may be reduced to 3 feet if necessary. Such vessels, when at anchor in a fairway on surveying operations, shall have at hand and show if necessary in order to attract attention a flare-up light in addition to the lights which are, by this regulation, required to be carried.

The wire drags used by the Coast and Geodetic Survey in sweeping for dangers to navigation may be crossed by vessels without danger of fouling at any point except between the towing launches and the large buoys near them, where the towline approaches the surface of the water. Steamers passing over the drag are requested to change course so as to cross it approximately at right angles, as a diagonal course may cause the propeller to foul the supporting buoys and attached wires.

No attempt should be made to pass between the wire drag launches while the wire is being set out or taken in, unless it would endanger a vessel to do otherwise. In setting out or taking up the wire drag, the tension on the bottom wire is released and the floats at each 100-foot section may cause the wire to be held near the surface. At the time the launches are usually headed either directly toward or away from each other and the operation of taking up or setting out may usually be clearly seen.

2. DIRECTIONS, NEW YORK TO CHESAPEAKE BAY

ENTRANCE

(Charts 1215 to 1222, 1108, and 1109)

A description of the coast and outlying shoals from Sandy Hook to Cape May is given on page 61, and from Cape Henlopen to Cape Charles on page 119.

From Sandy Hook southward to Brigantine Shoal, a distance of about 70 miles, the coast is comparatively free from off-lying shoals, but southward of this point the coast is fronted with extensive areas of broken ground, depths of 10 fathoms (18.3 m) and less being found at distances of nearly 20 miles offshore in places. Several wrecks exist this distance offshore.

Recently a shoal of about 24 feet (7.3 m) was found about 7 miles 129° true from Ludlam Beach Light. This shoal is marked by a lighted gong buoy and station buoy (both black).

Owing to the numerous outlying shoals and wrecks this coast is a dangerous one for deep-draft vessels, and unless sure of the vessel's position soundings should be taken to give warning of too close an approach from seaward. The 15-fathom (27.4 m) curve extends from 9 to 30 miles offshore but in general is about 18 miles offshore. The curve is nearest to the shore at the northern part. In thick weather vessels should keep outside this depth curve. The water shoals quite regularly from 30 fathoms to 15 fathoms (55 to 27.4 m), but inshore of the latter depth the soundings are irregular, and shoals rise abruptly in many cases from about 10 fathoms (18.3 m) of water. In case one of the lights or lightships are not made when in a depth of 15 fathoms (27.4 m) it is advisable to stand alongshore until one of them is sighted.

Standing along the coast, vessels of the deepest draft usually pass outside of the lightships and out of sight of land, except between Cape May and New York. At night, if on this track, some of the lighthouses and the lightships will be sighted, so that the vessel's position can be readily determined. Radio direction finder and radio beacon stations will also assist in determining a vessel's position (see pp. 28 and 32).

The large number of sailing vessels, steamers, and tows passing up and down this coast make it necessary to keep a sharp lookout to prevent collisions.

The routes followed by vessels along this part of the coast vary greatly, according to their draft and the condition of wind and weather. Complete directions to meet all conditions can not be given, but the following suggestions may be of some assistance to strangers.

Vessels of the deepest draft should in all cases keep outside of the lightships and should, wherever possible, avoid crossing areas of a less charted depth than about 9 fathoms (16.5 m). The courses given below, lead in a least depth of about 9 fathoms (16.5 m) except in approaching the entrances to Delaware and Chesapeake Bays. They lead across a least depth of 634 fathoms (12.2 m) in Delaware Bay entrance and in 72 fathoms (13.7 m) but close to 614 fathoms (11.6 m) spots in Chesapeake Bay entrance. Off the New Jersey coast the course leads 1.3 miles eastward of a reported 52 fathom spot about 6 miles east-southeastward of Shark River Inlet.

From Ambrose Channel Lightship bearing 5° true distant 1 mile steer 185° true (S. by W. % W. mag.) for 40.7 miles to Barnegat Lightship bearing 280° true distant 1.5 miles. (International Rules apply seaward of Ambrose Channel Lightship). Then steer 2061⁄41⁄2° true (SW. 34 S. mag.) for 66.3 miles to Five Fathom Bank Lightship bearing 300° true distant 2.2 miles. To approach Delaware Bay from here, steer 273° true (WNW. % W. mag.) for 23.7 miles to Overfalls Lightship bearing 60° true distance 1.0 mile. (For courses entering the Bay, see p. 82). Continuing southward along the coast from Five Fathom Bank Lightship steer 199° true (SSW. 12 W. mag.) for 54.3 miles to Winter Quarter Shoal Lightship bearing 295° true distant 1.5 miles, and passing 34 miles off Fenwick Island Shoal Lighted Whistle Buoy 2.

Approaching Delaware Bay from the southward steer 322° true (NNW. 5% W. mag.) for 27.3 miles from Fenwick Island Shoal Lighted Whistle Buoy 2, bearing 260° true distant 3.9 miles, to Overfalls Lightship bearing 60° true distant 1 mile. (International rules apply seaward of the lightship.)

From the position off Winter Quarter Shoal Lightship steer 213° true (SW. 12 S. mag.) for 68 miles to Chesapeake Lightship, bearing 315° true distant 1.2 miles. Then steer 231° true (SW. by W. % W. mag.) for 10.4 miles to Chesapeake Bay Entrance Lighted Whistle Buoy 2 CB, bearing 315° true distant 0.3 mile and round the buoy southward until it bears 45° true. (For courses entering the Bay, see p. 82.) These courses, if followed closely, lead over a least found depth of 45 feet (13.7 m) and 311⁄2 miles southeastward of 38-foot (11 m) depths about 101⁄2 miles eastward of Ship Shoal Inlet. The last course leads between shoals of 31 to 36 feet (9.4 to 11.0 m) depth; care should be taken not to make the entrance buoy anywhere on the port bow on this course, and not to make it more than 1 mile to the eastward unless passing well outside of the 36-foot (11.0 m) shoal.

Many large vessels entering Chesapeake Bay from the northward run from Winter Quarter Shoal Lightship on course 216° true (SW. 1% S. mag.), to the lighted whistle buoy 5 miles westward of Chesapeake Lightship, passing 21⁄2 miles off Smiths Island Shoal lighted

whistle buoy, thence to Cape Henry lighted whistle buoy on course 250° true (WSW. % W. mag.). The least found depth crossed on these courses is 37 feet (11.3 m).

To go southward to Diamond Shoal Lightship (Cape Hatteras) bearing 240° true distant 5 miles, from the position off Barnegat Lightship steer 193° true (S. by W. % W. mag.), for 285.0 miles, or from the position off Winter Quarter Shoal Lightship steer 18512° true S. by W. mag.) for 167.8 miles.

Coasting vessels of 17 to 24 feet (5.2 to 7.3 m) draft and the largest tows, except those trading between Delaware Bay and points northward, usually keep outside the lightships.

The following courses represent approximately the mean of the courses followed by vessels of this class. They are varied but little on account of weather conditions except northward of Five Fathom Bank, where courses leading farther offshore are sometimes followed during easterly weather and closer inshore during westerly weather. These courses depend entirely on making the aids, and soundings are of little value to insure safety; in thick weather it is safer to keep farther offshore between Five Fathom Bank and Sandy Hook and exercise care to keep outside of Barnegat Lightship.

Courses and Distances-New York (Sandy Hook) to Chesapeake Bay Entrance [For vessels of 17 to 24 feet (5.2 to 7.3 m) draft]