Note 166 — Chapter XII
Reading edition
Steering and Sailing Rules.
Art. 11. If two sailing vessels 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.
Art. 12. 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.
Art. 13. If two ships under steam are meeting 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 steam-ship, are proceeding in such directions as to involve risk of collision, the steam-ship shall keep out of the way, and pass astern of the sailing ship.
Art. 16. Every steam-ship, when approaching another ship, so as to involve risk of collision, shall slacken her speed, or, if necessary, stop and reverse; and every steam-ship 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 said last-mentioned vessel.
Art. 18. 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.
Art. 19. In obeying and construing 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.
Art. 20. 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.
Mr. Thomas Gray, one of the Assistant Secretaries to the Board of Trade (Marine Department), feeling how important it would be to have these rules impressed upon the minds of all navigators, and knowing what effect rhyme has in bringing at once to recollection, for instance, the number of days in each month, put with great tact and ingenuity these rules into verse, thus:—
1. Two steam-ships meeting.
“When both side-lights you see ahead, Port your helm, and show your red.”
2. Two steam-ships passing.
“Green to green, or red to red, Perfect safety—go ahead.”
3. Two steam-ships crossing.
Note.—This is the position of greatest danger; there is nothing for it but good look-out, caution, and judgment.
“If to your starboard red appear, It is your duty to keep clear; To act as judgment says is proper— To port, or starboard, back, or stop her! “But when upon your port is seen A steamer’s starboard light of green, There’s not so much for you to do, For green to port keeps clear of you.”
4. All ships must keep a good look-out, and steam-ships must stop, and go astern, if necessary.
“Both in safety and in doubt Always keep a good look-out; In danger, with no room to turn, Ease her—stop her—go astern!”
These appropriate but simple rhymes have been translated into various languages, and, I doubt not, have been the means of preventing numerous collisions and other accidents at sea. It may be amusing and instructive to add that, when the question of lights for ships and rules of the road at sea were under consideration, the French Government wrote to our Government proposing a Maritime Congress to settle them. We replied in substance, “No. A Maritime Congress of sailors of different nations and languages will be a Babel. But we will heartily co-operate with you; we will propose a draft of rules and submit them to you. If France and England can agree on this, other nations will probably join.” France adopted our proposal most cordially, and we set to work. At that time we were fortunate enough to have Mr. Milner Gibson at the Board of Trade, who united, as I have explained in the text, what scarcely any other man would have done, perfect knowledge of the subject, a clear, logical, and sensible understanding, and a remarkable power of making other people agree. Not without difficulty, a set of rules was, under his leadership, framed by the Admiralty, the Trinity House and the Board of Trade acting together. These rules were sent to the French Government. They approved them, making some valuable criticisms, but, chiefly, criticisms of detail. We then said, “Now let there be no question of national vanity; no quarrel as to who originated these rules. Do you publish them in your Moniteur on a given day, and we will, on the same day, publish them in our Gazette, merely stating that the rules had been jointly settled by the two Governments.” This, as might have been supposed, was agreed on. To the surprise, however, of every one connected with the facts, the Moniteur some time before the day fixed, published a long story to the following effect:—“That the French Minister of Marine had long been alive to the dangers to which navigation was exposed for want of such rules; that he had communicated his apprehensions to his colleague, the French Foreign Minister, who sympathised with him; that he, the French Minister of Marine, thereupon prepared a set of rules, which he sent to his colleague; that the French Foreign Minister submitted these French rules to the English Government; that that Government gave them its cordial and grateful approval; and that both Governments then agreed to adopt them. Therefore, they were to become law!”