THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 155

Guard who is present, is to exercise the powers
given him (by the 441st to 447th sections of
the Act, and is to take command of all persons
assembled, and assign to each such work as he
may consider necessary for establishing a com-
munication with the wrecked ship, and hauling
the people ashore speedily. Should any per-
sons refuse to do the work allotted they are
liable to a penalty of £50 under the 441st
section of the Act.

Coast Guard to have management of apparatus
for saving life.

173. When a Receiver of Wreck is present,
     whose appointment was made since the passing
     of the Merchant Shipping Act, he is to take
     command of all persons assembled at a wreck;
     but the management of the Morter and Rocket
     Apparatus should be left in the hands of the
     Coast Guard.

Not to interfere between master and crew
unless requested.

174. Receivers of Wreck and Officers of the
     Customs and Coast Guard are to bear in mind
     that they have no power to interfere between
     the master of a ship and his crew in matters
     relating to the management of the ship unless
     requested to do so by the master.

DIRECTIONS FOR LANDING THE CREW OF A
WRECKED VESSEL.

Signal to be made on board the wreck when
communication has been effected.

175. It is unnecessary to describe the manner
     in which the Rocket or Mortar is to be arranged
     for firing, as perfection in that particular can
     only be attained by practice; but when the line
     has been thrown over the "wreck" and has
     been grappled by the crew a signal will be
     made in the following manner. If in the day-
     time one of the crew, for this purpose separated
     from the rest, will wave his hat or his hand, or
     a flag or handkerchief; or (if at night) a
     rocket, a blue light, or a gun will be fired, or a
     light will be shown over the ships's gunwale for
     a short time, and will then again be concealed.

Whip to be made fast to rocket line.

176. On this signal being seen on shore the
     inshore end of the shot or rocket line should be
     made fast to the whip, being bent round both
     parts of it at about two fathoms from the tailed
     block, and a signal should then be made as fol-
     lows, for those on the wreck to haul off the line.

Signal to be made on shore.

177. One of the men on shore is to be sepa-
     rated from the rest and in the daytime is to
     wave a small red flag, or at night is to show a
     red light for about a minute and then again
     conceal it.

Whip to be hauled off by rocket line and
made fast on board.

178. The crew of the wreck on seeing this
     signal will haul on the shot or rocket line till
     they get the whip and tailed block, when they
     will make the tail of the block fast to some
     secure part of the vessel; and will cast off the
     rocket line, and make the signal as before for
     those on shore to haul off the hawser.

Hawser to be hauled off by whip.

179. As soon as this signal is perceived by
     those on shore, the whip (being previously made
     fast to the hawser at 2 or 3 fathoms from its
     end) will be manned, and the hawser hauled off
     by it to the wreck, by those on shore.

And to be made fast on board.

180. As soon as the persons on the wreck get
     hold of the hawser, they will proceed to make it
     fast to the wreck at about 18 inches above the
     place where the tail of the block is fixed; and
     when they have secured it, and disconnected
     the hawser from the whip, they will signal as
     before to the people on shore.

Sling to be hauled off.

181. On perceiving this signal, the hawser is
     to be set up by means of the double block tackle
     purchase; and the sling (the traveller of which
     will have been adjusted on the hawser) is to
     have the whip secured to it; and, by means of
     the whip, is to be hauled off to the wreck by
     those stationed for the purpose on the shore:
     who also on the next signal being shown, im-
     plying that a person is secured in the sling, will
     haul him ashore, and repeat the same operation
     to and fro until all are landed.

Hawser not to be set up by tackle on all
occasions.

182. Circumstances may require some devi-
     ation from the above rules. For instance, if
     the wrecked vessel be subjected to violent
     motion by the beat of the sea, it will be better
     not to set up the hawser at all, but to man it,
     with as many hands as can be spared, and reeve
     it over a triangle, when by hauling and reeving
     on it, following the motion of the vessel, a suf-
     ficiently uniform strain on it would be obtained
     without the risk of carrying it away.

Cases when hawser need not be used.

183. Again, circumstances might arise, as
     they have sometimes done, when the immediate
     breaking up of the wreck might be imminent,
     and the delay in getting the hawser on board
     be of serious moment. In such a case, if the
     apparatus is provided with a floating sling buoy
     it should be hauled off by the whip alone, and
     the wrecked persons brought ashore in it
     floating in the water. The hawser should
     however be always used in preference when
     practicable.

Officers to be acquainted with use of apparatus

184. As much of the success in the use of
     the Apparatus depends upon the promptness
     with which it is brought into action, the In-
     specting Commanders and Chief Officers of the
     Coast Guard should make themselves thoroughly
     acquainted with the use and application of all
     its parts, and should take care that this is also
     understood by the Officers and men under their
     command.

And to attend to periodical exercise of crews.

185. The Inspecting Commanders them-