GREAT BRITAIN-continued.

Second. The international code signal of distress indicated by N. C.

Third. The distant signal, consisting of a square flag, having either above or below it a ball, or anything resembling a ball.

At night

First. A gun fired at intervals of about a minute.

Second. Flames on the ship (as from a burning tar-barrel, oil-barrel, and so forth).

Third. Rockets or shells, throwing stars of any color or description, fired one at a time, at short intervals.

UNITED STATES:

Identical.

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY:*

BELGIUM :*

CHILI:*

DENMARK :*

FRANCE:

Identical.

GERMANY:

Identical. Given by the imperial decree of August 14, 1876.

Identical. Given by the royal order of October 10, 1875.

* Some powers have not considered this article which provides signals for ships in distress as proper to be inserted in regulations for preventing collisions at sea, and have therefore omitted it.

NOTE. In the case of Mexico and Siam the rules furnished to the Conference are dated prior to 1884, and it is not known whether these countries have adopted the changes introduced in 1884, and subsequently, into the rules of other countries. It has, therefore, not always been possible, in the case of Mexico and Siam, to apply the same method of comparison with the rules of Great Britain, as has been applied with regard to other countries.

FINAL REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON COLLOCATION OF THE

RULES.

RESOLUTION.

Resolved, That a Committee on Collocation of Rules, to consist of seven persons, be appointed by the President.

MOTION.

Mr. GOODRICH (United States). That the several committees be increased each by two, and that the Committee on Collocation also be increased by two members.

To Rear-Admiral SAMUEL R. FRANKLIN, U. S. Navy,

President of the International Marine Conference, etc.:

Washington.

SIR: In compliance with the resolution passed by the Conference on 20th instant, your committee have completed their former report by embodying into the regulations and notes the changes and additions recently adopted by the Conference.

The final regulations and notes, as revised by your committee are hereto annexed in Appendices A and B, respectively.

We have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servants,
WM. W. GOODRICH, Chairman,

APPENDIX A.

REGULATIONS FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS AT SEA.

PRELIMINARY.

These rules shall be followed by all vessels upon the high seas and in all waters connected therewith, navigable by sea-going vessels.

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. 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.

RULES CONCERNING LIGHTS, ETC.

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 20 feet, and if the breadth of the vessel ex-
ceeds 20 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 40 feet, a bright white
light, so constructed as to show an 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 vessel, viz., from
right ahead to 2 points abaft the beam on either side, and of
such a character as to be visible at a distance of at least 5
miles.

(b) On the starboard side a green light so constructed as to show an
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 at a distance of at least 2 miles.
(c) On the port side a red light so constructed as to show an un-
broken 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 char-
acter as to be visible at a distance of at least 2 miles.
(d) The said green and red side-lights shall be fitted with inboard
screens projecting at least 3 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 15 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 6 feet apart, and when towing more than one vessel shall carry an additional bright white light 6 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 600 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 2 (a), excepting the additional light, which may be carried at a height of not less than 14 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 2 (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 6 feet apart, and of such à character as to be visible all around the horizon at a distance of at least 2 miles; and shall by day carry in a vertical line one over the other, not less than 6 feet apart, where they can best be seen, two black balls or shapes, each 2 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 2 (a), and if a steam-vessel in lieu of that light, three lights in a vertical line one over the other, not less than 6 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 2 miles. By day she shall 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 the 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 can not therefore get out of the way.

These signals are not signals of vessels in distress and requiring assistance. Such signals are contained in article 31.

ART. 5. A sailing vessel under way, and any vessel being towed, shall carry the same lights as are prescribed by article 2 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 can not 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 2 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 40, and vessels under oars or sails, of less than 20 tons, gross tonnage, respectively, when under way, shall not be obliged to carry the lights mentioned in article 2 (a) (b) ̄and (c), but if they do not carry them they shall be provided with the following lights:

1. Steam-vessels of less than 40 tons shall carry:

(a) In the fore part of the vessel, or on or in front of the funnel,
where it can best be seen, and at a height above the gun-
wale of not less than 9 feet, a bright white light constructed
and fixed as prescribed in article 2 (a), and of such a char-
acter as to be visible at a distance of at least 2 miles.
(b) Green and red side-lights, constructed and fixed as prescribed
in article 2 (b) and (c), and of such a character as to be visi-
ble at a distance of at least 1 mile, or a combined lantern
showing a green light and a red light from right ahead to 2
points abaft the beam on their respective sides. Such lan-
tern shall be carried not less than 3 feet below the white
light.

2. Small steam-boats, such as are carried by sea-going vessels, may carry the white light at a less height than 9 feet above the gunwale, but it shall be carried above the combined lantern, mentioned in subdivision 1 (b).

3. Vessels under oars or sails, of less than 20 tons, shall have ready at hand a lantern with a green glass on one side and a red glass on the other, which, on the approach of or to other vessels, 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.