THE RULE OF THE ROAD AT SEA.

Grey River Argus, Volume III, Issue 178, 5 March 1867, Page 2

THE RULE OF THE ROAD AT SEA.

Tie following letter from a "Flag Officer" appears in the Times of November 27 :— Sir, — The. nights have become very long and collisions afloat are likely to become more numerous. Perhaps a few lines in the Times, may attract the attention of the officers of the watches in our men-of-war and merchant steamersy and assist in rendering these disastrous accidents less frequent. I have good, reason for believing that the i alteration whioh was made by an Order in Council in the sea rule of the road in 1863 is not so generally known by the young officers '. of the Royal Navy and the merchant service i as it should be. The rule in force previous to the 13th of January, 1863, is to be found at page 168, article 20, of the Admiralty Instructions. The regulations now in force are to be found at page 40 of the Addenda to the above instructions. I will proceed to show the material changes which were made in the rule of the road by the Order in Council of 1863 by giving both regulations, omitting, however, in the latter those clauses which do hot specially apply to steering ':— ' Regulations in force previous to January 13, ; 1863.- ••• Whenever any ship, whether a steamer or saih'ng ship, proceeding in one directionjueets I another ship, whether a steam or sailing ship proceeding in another direction,- so that if both ships were to continue in their respective courses, they would pass so near as to involve any risk of collision the helms ofboth ships shall be put to port, so" as. to "pass on the port side of each other ; and this rule shall be obeyed by all steamships and by^all sailing ships, whether on the port or^starboard tack, and whether elosehauled or not, unless the ch'cumstances of the case are such as to render a departure from the ruleVnecessary in order to^ avoid immediate danger ; and [ subject also to the proviso that due regard shall be had to the dangers of navigation, and,' as-regjirds sailing ships or the starboard tack close-hauled, to the keeping such ship under command. " Extract frqin Regulations in Force since January 13, 1863. * . Steering and Sailing, Rule. Art. 11 If two sailing ships are meeting; end on, so as to-iiivolye risk of collision, the helms of both shall be put to port, so that each maypass on the port side of the other. Art. 12 When-two sailing ships are crossing so, as^ to iuvolye 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 theiport is close-hauled, ' and the other ship free, in which case thelatter ship shall keep out of the way; .but if they have the wind on the same side; or if one' have the wind aft, Ijhe ship which is to windward shall keep out of the way of the ship which is to leeward. ' Art. 13 If two ships under steam arc lucet-

ing 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. ? • Art. 14 If two ships under steam are crossing so as to involve risk of collision, the ship which has the other on her own starboard side shall keep out of the way of the other. Art. 15 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. Art. 16 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. Art. 17 Every vessel overtaking any other vessel shall keep out of the way of the last? mentioned vessel. " Art. IS When, by the above rules, one of two ships is to keep out of the way, the other shall keep her course, subject to the qualiticution contained m the following article : — Art. 19 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 circumstanoes which may exist in any particular case rendering a departure from the above rules necessary in order to avoid immediate danger. The changes made in 1563 aro evidently very material. The addition of the clauses 1 14 and 18 is most important, The imperative order to port the helm is now confined to the case of vessels meeting "end on" or "nearly end on" whioh rarely happens in the open sea, It is urgently necessary that the officers of the watches, who in the smaller men-of-war may be midshipmen, and sometimes warrant officers, and ingunbo.its even quarter-masters, should know the existing rule of the road by heart, so as to be able to apply it on the shortest notioo. I beg to suggest to the officers who have, or are likely to have, charge of the watches at sea, in any of her Majesty's ships, that if they cannot obtain a copy of the Addenda to the Admiralty Instructions (which Addenda are out of print), and if they cannot obtain a copy of the "Regulations for preventing Collisions at Sea" (which have been printed in a, pamphlet shape by the Board of Ti'ade, and are supplied to wen-of^wftr on demand, see note, p. 43 of the Addenda to the Admiralty instructions), they would do well to cut this letter oiit of a copy of the Times, and keep that portion of it which contains the extract from' the existing regulations iii their pocket-books for frequent reference : otherwise the same fate may await- the vessels under their charge which overtook her Majesty's ship Amazon and the steamer Osprey in the early part of this year. I venture to suggest also to the consideration of the Board of Admiralty and the Board r 'of Tractyj that if the more important clauses of the regulations for preventing collisions at sea were printed in large type on thick paper and supplied to all men-of-war and merchant vessels, with directions that they be hung up in a conspicuous position, collisions would becomemuch less frequent.