Proposed international rules of 1890.

Rules for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.

Whereas the President, in accordance with the proposition of Great Britain to enforce on March first, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, the revised international regulations for preventing collisions at sea, and on the representations of that Government that those regulations had received the gen eral approval of the several foreign maritime powers, pursuant to section three of the Act of August nineteenth, eighteen hundred and ninety, entitled "An Act to adopt regulations for preventing collisions at sea," issued on July thirteenth, eighteen hundred and ninety-four, his proclamation fixing March first, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, as the time when the provisions of said Act, as amended, embodying said revised international regulations shall take effect; and

Whereas the Government of Great Britain has withdrawn from the position, communicated to this Government on April twenty fifth, eighteen hundred and ninety-four, that no time should be lost in carrying those regulations into effect, and on January sixteenth, eighteen hundred and ninetyfive, announced to this Government that the Government of Great Britain now finds it impossible until Parliament has been consulted to fix a date for bringing the regulations into force, and earnestly requests this Government to consent to a temporary postponement of the enforcement of said regulations; and

Whereas it is desirable that the revised international regulations for preventing collisions at sea shall be put into force simultaneously by the maritime powers: Therefore,

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep resentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That said Act of August nineteenth, eighteen hundred and ninety, take effect not on March first, eighteen hundred and ninety-five, but at a subsequent time, to be fixed by the President by proclamation issued for that purpose.

Approved, February 23, 1895.

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

vessels.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep resentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following rules for preventing collisions shall be followed in the navigation of all public and private vessels of the United States upon the Great Lakes and their connecting and tributary waters as far east as Montreal.

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 stean. vessel.

The word 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.

RULE 1. Every steam vesssel which is under sail and not under steam, shall be considered a sail vessel; and every steam vessel which is under steam, whether under sail or not, shall be considered a steam vessel.

The word steam vessel shall include any ves sel 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.

ART. 2. The lights mentioned in the following articles numbered three. four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, and eleven, and no others. shall be carrried in all weathers, from sunset to sun. rise.

inland waters.

RULE TWO. The lights mentioned in the following rules, and no others, shall be carried in all weathers, between sunset and sunrise.

ART 3. A sea going steamship, when under way, shall carry

(a) On or in front of the foremast, at a height above the hull of not less than twenty feet, and if the breadth of the ship exceeds twenty feet, then at a height above the hull not less than such breadth, a bright white light, so constructed as to show a uniform and unbroken light over an are of the horizon of twenty points of the compass, so fixed as to throw the light ten points on each side of the ship, namely, from right ahead to two 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.

RULE THREE. All ocean-going steamers, and steamers carrying sail, shall, when under way, carry

(a) At the foremast head, a bright white light, of such a character as to be visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least five miles, and so constructed as to show a uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of twenty points of the compass, and 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.

(b) On the starboard side a green light, so constructed as to show a uniform and 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 on a dark night, with a clear atmos. phere, at a distance of at least two miles.

(e) On the port side a red light, so constructed as to show a uniform and 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 on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a dis

tance 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.

(b) On the starboard side, a green light, of such a character as to be visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least two miles, and so construeted as to show a uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, and so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the starboard side.

(e) On the port side, a red light, of such a char acter as to be visible on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, at a distance of at least two miles, and so constructed as to show a uniform and unbroken light over an arc of the horizon of ten points of the compass, and so fixed as to throw the light from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on the port side.

The green and red light shall be fitted with inboard screens, projecting at least three feet for ward from the lights, so as to prevent them from being seen across the bow.

RULE SEVEN. All coasting steam-vessels, and steam-vessels other than ferry boats and vessels otherwise expressly provided for, navigating the bays, lakes, rivers, or other inland waters of the United States, except those mentioned in Rule Six, shall carry the red and green lights as prescribed for ocean-going steamers; and, in addition thereto, a central range of two white lights; the after light being carried at an elevation of at least fifteen feet above the light at the head of the vessel. The head-light shall be so constructed as to show a good light through twenty points of the compass, namely: from right ahead to two points abaft the beam on either side of the vessel; and the after-lights so as to show all around the hori

zon.

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.

RULE 3. Except in the cases hereinafter expressly provided for, 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 forepart of the vessel, at a height above the hull of not less than twenty feet, and if the beam of the vessel exceeds twenty feet, then at a height above the hull not less than such beam, so, however, that such height need not exceed 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 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.

(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.

(b) On the starboard side, a green light, so constructed as to throw 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.

(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 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 dis

tance.

(e) A steamer of over one hundred and fifty feet register length shall also carry when under way an additional bright light similar in construction to that mentioned in subdivision (a), so fixed as to throw the light all around the horizon and of such character as to be visible at a distance of at least three miles. Such addi tional light shall be placed in line with the keel at least fifteen feet higher from the deck and more than seventy-five feet abaft the light mentioned in subdivision (a).

ART. 5. (a) A ship, whether a steamship or sailing ship, which from any accident is not under command, shall at night carry, in the same position as the white light which steamships are required to carry, and if a steamship, in place of that light, three red lights in globu lar lanterns, each not less than ten inches in diameter, in a vertical line, one over the other, not less than three feet apart, 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 and shall by day carry in a vertical line, one over the other, not less than three feet apart, in front of but not lower than her foremast head, three black balls or shapes, each two feet in diameter.

Proposed international rules of 1890.

Rules for the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.

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 light, 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.

RULE 4. A steam vessel having a tow other than a raft shall in addition to the forward bright light mentioned in subdivision (a) of rule three carry in a vertical line not less than six feet above or below that light a second bright light of the same construction and character and fixed and carried in the same manner as the forward bright light mentioned in said subdivision (a) of rule three. Such steamer shall also carry a small bright light abaft the funnel or after mast for the tow to steer by, but such light shall not be visible forward of the beam.

RULE 5. A steam vessel having a raft in tow shall, instead of the forward lights mentioned in rule four, carry 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 beam of the vessel exceeds twenty feet, then at a height above the hull not less than such beam, so however that such height need not exceed forty feet, two bright lights in a horizontal line athwartships and not less than eight feet apart, each so fixed as to throw the light all around the horizon and of such character as to be visi ble at a distance of at least five miles. Such steamer shall also carry the small bright steering light aft, of the character and fixed as required in rule four.

ART. 4. (a) A vessel which from any accident is not under command shall carry at the same height as a white light mentioned in article two (a), where they can best be seen, and if a steam-vessel in lien 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.