Erections on deck.-For steam vessels with topgallant forecastles having long poops, or raised quarter-decks connected with bridge houses, covering in the engine and boiler openings, the latter being entered from the top, and having an efficiently constructed iron bulkhead at the fore end, a deduction may be made from the reserve buoyancy given in the tables, according to the following scale:

(a) When the combined length of the poop, or raised quarter-deck, bridge house, and topgallant forecastle is

Nine-tenths of the length of the vessel, deduct 85 per cent. of the reduction in the reserve buoyancy allowed for a complete awning-deck, or ths of the difference between freeboards in Tables A (after correction for sheer) and Tables C. Eight-tenths of the length of the vessel, deduct 75 per cent. of the reduction in the reserve buoyancy allowed for a complete awning-deck, or ths of the difference between freeboards in Tables A (after correction for sheer) and Tables C. Seven-tenths of the length of the vessel, deduct 63 per cent. of the reduction in the reserve buoyancy allowed for a complete awning-deck or ths of the difference between freeboards in Tables A (after correction for sheer) and Tables C.

Six-tenths of the length of the vessel, deduct 50 per cent. of the reduction in the reserve buoyancy allowed for a complete awning-deck, or oths of the difference between freeboards in Tables A (after correction for sheer) and Tables C. When the engine and boiler openings are protected only by a long raised quarterdeck, a less reduction in freeboard will be allowed.

(b) For intermediate lengths of erections the amount of the reduction in freeboard should be ascertained by interpolation.

(c) The above scale of allowance is prepared for vessels having long poops or raised quarter-decks 4 feet high or above. For raised quarter-decks of less height, extending over four-tenths of the length, and forming an integral portion of the vessel, the amount of the allowance should be diminished, as shown in the following table:

(d) For shorter lengths of raised quarter-deck a proportionate increase should be made.

(e) It is to be understood in the application of this scale of allowance for erections on deck to vessels with long poops or with raised quarter-decks, and bridge-houses combined, that the deduction is a maximum deduction, applicable only to vessels of these types in which the erections are of a most substantial character, the deck openings most effectually protected, and the crew are either berthed in the bridge-house, or the arrangements to enable them to get backwards and forwards from their quarters are of a satisfactory character. For other vessels of the same class the amount of the deduction should be fixed only after a careful survey. All such vessels, when employed in the Atlantic trade, will require to have specially provided greater freeboard than that given in the tables.

(f) A sufficient number of clearing ports, as large as practicable, and with shutters properly hung, should be formed in the bulwarks of these vessels, between the forecastle and the bridge-house, for the purpose of speedily clearing this part of the deck of water.

When the erections on a vessel consist of a top-gallant forecastle, a short poop having an efficient bulkhead, and bridge-house disconnected, the latter in steamers covering the engine and boiler openings, and being efficiently inclosed with an iron bulkhead at each end, a deduction may be made from the reserve buoyancy given in the tables, according to the following scale:

(a) When the combined length of the erections is

Five-tenths of the length of the vessel, deduct 40 per cent. of the reduc ion in reserve buoyancy allowed for a complete awning-deck or ths of te difference be-` tween freeboards in Tables A (after correction for sheer and length) and Tables C (after correction for length.)

Four-tenths of the length of the vessel, deduct 33 per cent. of the reduction in reserve buoyancy allowed for a complete awning-deck or 3d of the difference between the freeboards in Tables A (after correction for sheer and length) and Tables C (after correction for length.)

When the erections on a vessel consist of a top-gallant forecastle and bridge-house only, the latter in steamers covering the engine and boiler openings, and being efficiently inclosed with an iron bulkhead at each end, a deduction may be made from the reserve buoyancy given in the tables according to the following scale: (a) When the combined length of the erections 18

Four-tenths of the length of the vessel, deduct 30 per cent. of the reduction in reserve buoyancy allowed for a complete awning-deck or ths of the difference between the freeboards in Tables A (after correction for sheer and length) and Tables C (after correction for length).

Three-tenths of the length of the vessel, deduct 25 per cent. of the reduction in reserve buoyancy allowed for a complete awning-deck or 4th of the difference between the freeboards in Tables A (after correction for sheer and length) and Tables C (after correction for length.)

When the erections on a vessel consist of a short poop and top-gallant forecastle only, the former inclosed at the fore end with an efficient bulkhead, the deduction from the reserve buoyancy given in the tables should be according to the following scale:

(a) When the combined length of the erections is

Three-eighths of the length of the vessel, deduct 8 per cent. of the reserve buoyancy or 10 per cent. of the freeboard required for the vessel flush decked after correction for length;

Two-eighths of the length of the vessel, deduct 6 per cent. of the reserve buoyancy or 8 per cent. of the freeboard required for the vessel flush decked after correction for length;

and so on in proportion.

When a vessel is fitted with a top-gallant forecastle only, the reduction in reserve buoyancy should be one-half that prescribed by the previous paragraph for the case where, in addition to the forecastle, the vessel is fitted with a poop of the same length.

COLLISIONS.

The total number of casualties that occurred to vessels of the United States from collisions during the year ending June 30, 1885, was 677, about five per cent., say, 32, of which were totally lost. Of this number 365 occurred on the Atlantic or Gulf coasts. So may accidents which recur with more or less loss of life every year prove that the risk of collision is one of the gravest that navigation has to be prepared for, and shows the necessity of a strict code of regulations governing the approach of vessels to each other at sea, which should be recognized by all nations. The Revised International Regulations, so called, for preventing collisions at sea, issued in pursuance of the British merchant shipping act (amended act of 1862), had been generally adopted by commercial countries. This code, which is now accepted as an integral part of the law of the sea, embodying the "rule of the road," in so far as navigation outside of the territorial waters of this country is concerned, was formally adopted by the United States Congress March 3, 1885. The attention of all persons concerned was directed to the changes in the steering and sailing rules made by the act referred to, by a circular issued from this office under date of March 25 following (Treasury Department No. 40), which contained the new act printed side by side with the old law. The text of the Revised Regulations, which, although observed by all vessels on the ocean, is now given the sanction of law in the navigation of public and private vessels of the United States upon the high seas and in all coast waters of the United States except harbors, lakes, and inland waters, is subjoined:

Revised international regulations for preventing collisions at sea.

PRELIMINARY.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the following "Revised International Rules and Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea" shall be followed in the navigation of all pub

lic and private vessels of the United States upon the high seas and in all coast waters of the United States, except such as are otherwise provided for, namely:

STEAM AND SAIL VESSELS.

ARTICLE 1. In the following rules every steamship which is under sail and not under steam is to be considered a sailing ship, and every steamship which is under steam, whether under sail or not, is to be considered a ship under steam.

LIGHTS.

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 carried in all weathers, from sunset to sunrise:

LIGHTS FOR STEAMERS.

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 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, 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.

(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 atmosphere, 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 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.

• LIGHTS FOR TOWING-STEAMERS.

ART. 4. A steamship when towing another ship shall, in addition to her side-lights, earry two bright white lights in a vertical line, one over the other, not less than three feet apart, so as to distinguish her from other steamships. Each of these lights shall be of the same construction and character, and shall be carried in the same position, as the white light which other steamships are required to carry.

VESSELS NOT UNDER COMMAND.

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 globular 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.

VESSELS LAYING TELEGRAPH CABLES.

(b) A ship, whether a steamship or sailing ship, employed in laying or in picking up a telegraph cable, 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 lights in globular lanterns, each not less than ten inches in diameter, in a vertical line, over one another, not less than six 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 that the red lights shall be visible at the same distance as the white light. By day she shall carry, in a vertical line, one over the other, not less than six feet apart, in front of but not lower than her foremost-head, three

shapes not less than two feet in diameter, of which the top and bottom shall be globular in shape and red in color, and the middle one diamond in shape and white.

WHEN TO CARRY SIDE-LIGHTS.

(c) The ships referred to in this article, when not making any 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 ships as signals that the ship showing them is not under command, and cannot therefore get out of the way. The signals to be made by ships in distress and requiring assistance are

contained in article twenty-seven.

LIGHTS FOR SAILING VESSELS.

ART. 6. A sailing ship under way or being towed shall carry the same lights as are provided by article three for a steamship under way, with the exception of the white light, which she shall never carry.

EXCEPTIONAL LIGHTS FOR SMALL VESSELS.

ART. 7. Whenever, as in the case of small vessels during bad weather, the green and red side-lights cannot be fixed, these lights shall be kept on deck, on their respective sides of the vessel, 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. 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.

LIGHTS FOR STEAM VESSELS AND SAILING VESSELS AT ANCHOR.

ART. 8. A ship, whether a steamship or a sailing ship, when at anchor, shall carry, where it can best be seen, but at a height not exceeding twenty feet above the hull, a white light, in a globular lantern of not less than eight inches in diameter, and so constructed as to show a clear, uniform, and unbroken light, visible all round the horizon at a distance of at least one mile.

LIGHTS FOR PILOT VESSELS.

ART. 9. A pilot vessel, when engaged on her station on pilotage duty, shall not carry the lights required for other vessels, but shall carry a white light at the masthead, visible all round the horizon, and shall also exhibit a flare-up light or (a) flare-up lights at short intervals, which shall never exceed fifteen minutes. A pilot vessel, when not engaged on her station on pilotage duty, shall carry lights similar to those of other ships.

LIGHTS FOR OPEN BOATS AND FISHING VESSELS.

ART. 10. Open boats and fishing vessels of less than twenty tons net registered tonnage, when under way and when not having their nets, trawls, dredges, or lines in the water, shall not be obliged to carry the colored side-lights; but every such boat and vessel shall in lieu thereof have ready at hand a lantern with a green glass on the one side and a red glass on the other side, and on approaching or being approached by another vessel 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.

The following portion of this article applies only to fishing vessels and boats when in the sea off the coast of Europe lying north of Cape Finisterre:

(a) All fishing vessels and fishing boats of twenty tons net registered tonnage or upward, when under way and when not having their nets, trawls, dredges, or lines in the water, shall carry and show the same lights as other vessels under way.

(b) All vessels when engaged in fishing with drift-nets shall exhibit two white lights from any part of the vessel where they can be best seen. Such lights shall be placed 80 that the vertical distance between them shall be not less than six feet and not more than ten feet, and so that the horizontal distance between them, measured in a line with the keel of the vessel, shall be not less than five feet and not more than ten feet. The lower of these two lights shall be the more forward, and both of them shall be of such a character and contained in lanterns of such construction as to show all round the horizon, on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, for a distance of not less than three miles.

(e) All vessels when trawling, dredging, or fishing with any kind of drag-nets shall exhibit, from some part of the vessel where they can be best seen, two lights. One of these lights shall be red and the other shall be white. The red light shall be above the white light, and shall be at a vertical distance from it of not less than six feet and not more than twelve feet; and the horizontal distance between them, if any, shall not be more than ten feet. These two lights shall be of such a character and contained in lanterns of such construction as to be visible all round the horizon, on a dark night, with a clear atmosphere, the white light to a distance of not less than three miles and the red light of not less than two miles.

(d) A vessel employed in line-fishing, with her lines out, shall carry the same lights as a ressel when engaged in fishing with drift-nets.

(•) If a vessel, when fishing with a trawl, dredge, or any kind of drag-net, becomes stationary in consequence of her gear getting fast to a rock or other obstruction, she shall show the light and make the fog-signal for a vessel at anchor.

(ƒ) Fishing vessels and open boats may at any time use a flare-up in addition to the lights which they are by this article required to carry and show. All flare-up lights exhibited by a vessel when trawling, dredging, or fishing with any kind of drag net shall be shown at the after part of the vessel, excepting that if the vessel is hanging by the stern to her trawl, dredge, or drag-net they shall be exhibited from the bow. (g) Every fishing vessel and erery open boat when at anchor between sunset and sunrise shall exhibit a white light, visible all round the horizon at a distance of at least one mile.

(h) In a fog a drift-net vessel attached to her nets, and a vessel when trawling, dredging, or fishing with any kind of drag-net, and a ressel employed in line fishing with her lines out, shall, at intervals of not more than two minutes, make a blast with her fog-horn and ring her bell alternately.

VESSELS BEING OVERTAKEN.

ART. 11. A ship which is being overtaken by 'another shall show from her stern to such last-mentioned ship a white light or a flare-up light.

SOUND SIGNALS FOR FOG, &C.

ART. 12. A steamship shall be provided with a steam-whistle or other efficient steam-sound signals, so placed that the sound may not be intercepted by any obstructions, and with an efficient fog-horn, to be sounded by a bellows or other mechanical means, and also with an efficient bell. (In all cases where the regulations require a bell to be used, a drum will be substituted on board Turkish vessels.) A sailing ship shall be provided with a similar foghorn and bell.

In fog, mist, or falling snow, whether by day or night, the signals described in this article shall be used as follows, that is to say:

(a) A steamship under way shall make with her steam-whistle or other steam-sound signal, at intervals of not more than two minutes, a prolonged blast.

(b) A sailing ship under way shall make with her fog-horn, at intervals of not more than two minutes, when on the starboard tack one blast, when on the port tack two blasts in succession, and when with the wind abaft the beam three blasts in succession. (c) A steamship and a sailing ship when not under way shall, at intervals of not more than two minutes, ring the bell.

SPEED OF SHIPS TO BE MODERATE IN FOG, &C.

ART. 13. Every ship, whether a sailing ship or a steamship, shall, in a fog, mist, or falling snow, go at a moderate speed.

STEERING AND SAILING RULES.

SAILING VESSELS.

ART. 14. When two sailing ships are approaching one another so as to involve risk of collision, one of them shall keep out of the way of the other as follows, namely:

(a) A ship which is running free shall keep out of the way of a ship which is close-hauled. (2) A ship which is close-hauled on the port tack shall keep out of the way of a ship which

is close-hauled on the starboard tack.

(0) When both are running free, with the wind on different sides, the ship which has the wind on the port side shall keep out of the way of the other.

.

(d) When both are running free, with the wind on the same side, the ship which is to windward shall keep out of the way of the ship which is to leeward.

(e) A ship which has the wind aft shall keep out of the way of the other ship.