CHAPTER XV.

SAILING RULES—LIGHTS—FOG SIGNALS.

IF the yachtsman could always count on fair winds, daylight, a visible coast, and plenty of room, there would not be much risk or trouble in sailing, neither, to the true sailorman, would there be so much pleasure. But fogs will arise, night will come on, calms and contrary winds will prevent your reaching a port, so you must learn how to sail in the darkness and in thick weather, and how to avoid collisions with other ships. Along our crowded coasts one may very easily be run down, and everyone who goes to sea should know the International steering and sailing rules, by which safe navigation is greatly insured. We, therefore, present an abstract of these rules, so far as they affect sailing vessels.

From sunset to sunrise vessels must carry the lights afterwards mentioned, and no others which can be visible outside. Therefore draw the curtains over the cabin windows, for we have known the bright glare of a lamp seen through the window of a raised cabin or booby hatch cause a mistake which might have been awkward.

It will be necessary for you to know how to recognise steamships at night and in a fog, because it is they which do the most damage, therefore we begin with

Article 3.—Lights for Steamships.—Seagoing Steamships, when under weigh, shall carry—

(a) At the Foremasthead, a bright white light, so fixed as to show an

uniform and 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 ship-viz., 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.

(b) On the Starboard Side, a green light, so constructed as to show an 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 atmosphere, at a distance of at least two miles.

(c) On the Port Side, a red light, so constructed as to show an 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 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.

Article 4. Light for Steamships when Towing.-Steamships, when towing other ships, shall carry two bright white masthead lights vertically, in addition to their side lights, so as to distinguish them from other steamships. Each of these masthead lights shall be of the same construction and character as the masthead lights which other steamships are required to carry.

Article 5. Lights for Sailing Ships.-Sailing ships under weigh, or being towed, shall carry the same lights as steamships under weigh, with the exception of the white masthead lights, which they shall never carry.

Article 6. Exceptional Lights for Small Sailing Vessels.-Whenever, as in the case of small vessels during bad weather, the green and red lights cannot be fixed, these lights shall be kept on deck, on their respective sides of the vessel, ready for instant exhibition, 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.

To make the use of these portable lights more certain and easy, the

lanterns containing them shall each be painted outside the colour of the light they respectively contain, and shall be provided with suitable

screens.

Article 7. Lights for Ships at Anchor.-Ships, whether steamships or sailing ships, when at anchor in roadsteads or fairways, shall exhibit, where it can best be seen, but at a height not exceeding 20ft. above the hull, a white light in a globular lantern, of 8in. in diameter, and so constructed as to show a clear, uniform, and unbroken light visible all round the horizon, and at a distance of at least one mile.

Article 8. Lights for Pilot Vessels.-Sailing pilot vessels shall not carry the lights required for other sailing vessels, but shall carry a white light at the masthead, visible all round the horizon, and shall also exhibit a flare-up light every fifteen minutes.

Article 9. Lights for Fishing Vessels and Boats.-Open fishing boats and other open boats shall not be required to carry the side lights required for other vessels; but shall, if they do not carry such lights, carry a lantern having a green slide on the one side and a red slide on the other side; and, on the approach of, or to other vessels, such lantern 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.

Fishing vessels and open boats when at anchor, or attached to their nets and stationary, shall exhibit a bright white light.

Fishing vessels and open boats shall, however, not be prevented from using a flare-up in addition, if considered expedient.

RULES CONCERNING FOG SIGNALS.

Article 10. Fog Signals.-Whenever there is a fog, whether by day or night, the fog signals described below shall be carried and used, and shall be sounded at least every five minutes, viz. :

(a) Steamships under weigh shall use a steam whistle, placed before the funnel, not less than 8ft. from the deck.

(b) Sailing ships under weigh shall use a fog horn.

(c) Steamships and sailing ships, when not under weigh, shall use a bell.

STEERING AND SAILING RULES.

Article 11. Two Sailing Ships Meeting.-If two sailing ships are meeting end on or nearly end on, so as to involve risk of collision, the helms of both shall be put to port so that each may pass on the port side of the other.

Article 12. Two Sailing Ships Crossing.—When two sailing ships are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, then, if they have the wind on different sides, the ship with the wind on the port side shall keep out of the way of the ship with the wind on the starboard side; except in the case in which the ship with the wind on the port side is close hauled and the other ship free, in which case the latter ship shall keep out of the way, but if they have the wind on the same side, or if one of them has the wind aft, the ship which is to windward shall keep out of the way of the ship which is to leeward.

Article 15. Sailing Ship and Ship under Steam.-If two ships, one of which is a sailing ship and the other a steamship, are proceeding in such directions as to involve risk of collision, the steamship shall keep out of the way of the sailing ship.

Article 16. Ships under Steam to Slacken Speed.-Every steamship when approaching another ship, so as to involve risk of collision, shall slacken her speed, or, if necessary, stop and reverse; and every steamship shall, when in a fog, go at a moderate speed.

Article 17. Vessels Overtaking other Vessels.—Every vessel overtaking any other vessel shall keep out of the way of the said last-mentioned vessel.

Article 18. Construction of Articles 12, 15, and 17.-Where by the above rules one of two ships is to keep out of the way, the other shall keep her course, subject to the qualifications contained in the following article.

Article 19. Proviso to save Special Cases.-In obeying and constructing these rules, due regard must be had to all dangers of navigation, and due regard must also be had to any special circumstances which may exist in any particular case rendering a departure from the above rules necessary in order to avoid immediate danger.

Article 20. No Ship under any circumstances to Neglect Proper Precautions. Nothing in these rules shall exonerate any ship, or the owner, or master, or crew thereof from the consequences of any neglect to carry lights or signals, or of any neglect to keep a proper look-out, or of the neglect of any precaution which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamen, or by the special circumstances of the case.

In further explanation of Article 11, it is provided that: The said Article numbered 11 only applies to cases where ships are meeting end on, or nearly end on, in such a manner as to involve risk of collision. It, consequently, does not apply to two ships which must, if both keep on their respective courses, pass clear of each other.

The only case in which the said Article applies is when each of the two ships is end on, or nearly end on, to the other; in other words, to cases in which, by day, each ship sees the masts of the other in a line, or nearly in a line, with her own; and, by night, to cases in which each ship is in such a position as to see both the side lights of the other.

The said Article does not apply, by day, to cases in which a ship sees another ahead crossing her own course; or, by night, to cases where the red light of one ship is opposed to the red light of the other; or where the green light of one ship is opposed to the green light of the other; or where a red light without a green light, or a green light without a red light, is seen ahead; or where both green and red lights are seen anywhere but ahead.

Since the foregoing was written fresh regulations have been made by the authorities, to come into force in September, 1880. Therefore, after that date there are certain modifications and amendments of the regulations just quoted, which you should be aware of.

Steamers are to carry their white light, not at the foremasthead, but 20ft. above the deck, or the height of the breadth of beam, if the latter exceeds 20ft.

The other alterations we quote in extenso:

Art. 5.-A ship, whether a steam ship or a sailing ship, when employed either in laying or in picking up a telegraph cable, or 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 globular lanterns, each not less than 10in. in diameter, in a vertical line one over the other, not less than 3ft. apart; and shall by day carry in a vertical line one over the other, not less than 3ft. apart, in front of but not lower than her foremasthead, three black balls or shapes, each 2ft. in diameter.

These shapes and lights are to be taken by approaching ships as signals that the ship using them is not under command, and cannot, therefore, get out of the way.

The above ships, when not making any way through the water, shall not carry the side lights, but when making way shall carry them.

(b.) A fishing vessel and an open boat when at anchor shall exhibit a bright white light.