De inleiding afgeloopen zijnde, vond een incident plaats, dat de verdere discussie over het onderwerp uit den aard der zaak grootendeels in duigen wierp. De heer Mr. E. N. Rahusen namelijk deelde aan de Vergadering mede dat hij betwijfelde of het streven van Zeemanshoop, aangenomen dat de vergadering zich vóór Kapt. Ahlborg's systeem verklaarde — om de Regeering daarop nu te wijzen, wel mocht worden beschouwd eenig nuttig effect te zullen opleveren. Die twijfel berustte op het feit, dat dezer dagen door het Engelsche gouvernement de gewijzigde en reeds Internationaal vastgestelde ,,voorschriften ter voorkoming van aanvaring op zee", zijn publiek gemaakt. Spreker had daarvan juist een exemplaar ontvangen, dat hij der vergadering ter inzage bood.

Het feit, dat ook ons Vaderland aan die wijziging der Voorschriften schijnt te hebben deelgenomen, zonder dat een lichaam als het Collegie Zeemanshoop daarvan iets had vernomen veel minder daarin was geraadpleegd geworden, maakte een uiterst pijnlijken indruk, en gaf aanleiding tot het besluit dat vanwege het Collegie een schrijven zou worden gericht aan den Minister van Waterstaat, H. & N., teneinde inlichtingen op dit punt en, bij bevestiging van een en ander, den Nederlandschen text der voorschriften te vragen.

In afwachting van deze achten wij het beter onze lezers van den Engelschen text gééne vertaling, die natuurlijk alle officieel karakter zou missen, aan te bieden, doch liever de Engelsche Voorschriften zelve mede te deelen. Wij hebben daar alleen nog bij te voegen, dat de nieuwe bepalingen den Ien September 1880 zullen ingaan.

RED.

First Schedule.

REGULATIONS FOR PREVENTING COLLISIONS AT SEA.

Preliminary.

Art. I. In the following rules every steam ship which is under sail and not under steam is to be considered a sailing

De Zee 1879.

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ship; and every steam ship which is under steam, whether under sail or not, is to be considered a ship under steam.

Rules concerning Lights.

Art. 2. The lights mentioned in the following Articles, numbered 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, and no others, shall be carried in all weathers, from sunset to sunrise.

Art. 3. A seagoing steam ship when under way shall carry(a.) On or in front of the foremast, at a height above the hull of not less than 20 feet, and if the breadth of the ship exceeds 20 feet then at a height above the hull not less than such breadth, a bright white light, so constructed as to show an uniform and 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 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 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 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 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 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.

Art. 4.

A steam ship, when towing another ship, shall, in

addition to her side lights, carry 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 steam ships. 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 steam ships are required to carry.

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 steam ships are required to carry, and, if a steam ship, in place of that light, three red lights in globular lanterns, each not less than 10 inches in diameter, in a vertical line one over the other, not less than three feet apart 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 dia

meter.

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.

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

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 vessels, 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 colour of the light they respectively contain and shall be provided with proper screens.

Art. 8. A ship, whether a steam ship or a sailing ship, when at anchor, shall carry, where it can best be seen, but at a height not exceeding 20 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.

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 as the masthead, visible all round the horizon, and shall also exhibit a flare-up light or 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. Art. 10. (a.) Open fishing boats and other open boats when under way shall not be obliged to carry the side lights required for other vessels; but every such boat 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 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.

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

(c.) A fishing vessel, when employed in drift net fishing,

shall carry on one of her masts two red lights in a vertical line one over the other, nott less than three feet apart.

(d.) A trawler at work shall carry on one of her masts two

lights in a vertical line one over the other, not less than three feet apart, the upper light red, and the lower green, and shall also either carry the side lights required for other vessels, or, if the side lights cannot be carried, have ready at hand the coloured

lights as provided in Article 7, or a lantern with a red and a green glass as described in paragraph (a.) of this Article.

(e.) Fishing vessels and open boats shall not be prevented from using a flare-up in addition, if they desire to

do so.

(f.) The lights mentioned in this Article are substituted for those mentioned in the 12th, 13th and 14th Articles of the Convention between France and England scheduled to the British Sea Fisheries Act, 1868. (g) All lights required by this Article, except side lights, shall be in globular lanterns so constructed as to show all round the horizon.

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 steam ship shall be provided with a steam whistle or other efficient steam sound signal, 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. A sailing ship shall be provided with a similar fog horn 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 steam ship 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 fcg horn, at intervals of not more than two minutes, when on the starboard tack one blast, when on the port tach two blasts in succession, and when with the wind abaft the beam three blasts in succession.

(c.) A steam ship and a sailing ship, when not under way shall, at intervals of not more than two minutes, ring the bell.