1002

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 50

DIVISION C.-CLASS 1.

Rules for Steamships not certified to carry Passengers plying anywhere within the Home-trade Limits.

(a.) Ships of this class shall carry on each side at least so many and such boats of wood or metal placed under davits, of which one on each side shall be a boat of Section A, or of Section B, or of Section C, that the boats on each side of the ship shall be sufficient to accommodate all persons on board. They shall have proper appliances for getting the boats into the water.

(b.) They shall also carry approved life-jackets so that there may be at least one for each person carried on board the ship.

(c.) They shall also carry not less than four approved life-buoys.

DIVISION C.-CLASS 2.

Rules for Sailing-ships in the same Trades not carrying Passengers.

(a.) Ships of this class shall carry a boat or boats of wood or metal, at least sufficient for all persons on board, and in such a position as to be readily got into the water. Each boat shall be provided with one gallon of vegetable or animal oil, and a vessel of approved pattern for distributing it in the water in rough weather.

(b.) Ships of this class shall also carry an approved life-belt for each person on board.

(c.) They shall also carry at least two approved life-buoys.

DIVISION D.-CLASS 1.

Rules for Steamships having Certificates authorising them to carry Passengers within certain specified Limits of the Home Trade, that is to say, on short specified Passages along the Coasts of New Zealand.

(a.) Ships of this class shall, according to their tonnage, carry boats placed under davits, as required by the Table for ships in Division A, Class 1, but all such boats as are not required to be of Sections A or B must be of Section C.

(b.) If the boats placed under davits in accordance with the above requirements do not furnish sufficient accommodation for all persons on board, then additional wood, metal, collapsible, or other boats of approved description (whether placed under davits or otherwise), or approved life-rafts, shall be carried of at least such cubical capacity that they and the boats required to be placed under davits by Table (c) provide together in the aggregate one-half more than the minimum cubic contents provided by column 3 of that table. For this purpose 3 cubic feet of air-case in the life-raft is to be estimated as 10 cubic feet of internal capacity; provided always that the rafts will accommodate the persons for which they are certified under the rules.

(c.) Provided that if (having regard to the avoidance of undue incumbrance of the ship's deck, and to the safety of the ship for her voyage) it is not practicable for any ship of this class to carry all the additional approved boats or approved life-rafts required by the preceding subsection (b), the deficiency so caused may be made up by the supply of an equivalent number of approved buoyant deck-seats or other approved buoyant deck-fittings.

(d.) Ships of this class shall also carry approved life-jackets or other similar approved articles of equal buoyancy suitable for being worn on the person, so that there may be at least one for each person on board the ship.

(e.) At least one approved life-buoy shall also be provided for each boat of wood or metal carried by the ship, but in no case shall less than six approved life-buoys be provided.

(f.) Provided nevertheless that no ship of this class shall be required to carry more boats, rafts, and other buoyant deck-fittings than will furnish sufficient accommodation for all persons on board.

DIVISION D, CLASS 2.

Rules for Steamships carrying Passengers on Short Excursions or Pleasure-trips to Sea, or in Estuaries or Mouths of Rivers, during Daylight.

(a.) Ships of this class shall carry at least two boats of Section A, Section B, or Section C, placed under davits, and with proper appliances for getting them into the water.

(b.) They shall also carry other boats, approved buoyant apparatus and [or] approved life-jackets sufficient, with the boats required by paragraph (a), to keep afloat all the persons on board the ship.

(c.) At least four approved life-buoys shall be carried.

DIVISION D, CLASS 3.

Rules for Steamships carrying Passengers on Rivers and [or] Lakes, but not going to Sea or into Rough Waters.

(a.) Ships of this class shall carry one boat in such a position that she can readily be got into the water. They shall also carry approved buoyant apparatus or approved life-jackets and approved life-buoys at least sufficient, together with the boat, to keep afloat all persons carried on board.

(b.) At least four approved life-buoys shall be carried.

NOTE.-A discretion may be exercised by the Minister having charge of the Marine Department to relieve steam-launches, steamers plying in narrow waters, and ferry-boats from the operation of the whole or part of Rule (a) of this class.

GENERAL RULES.

1. BOATS.-All boats shall be constructed and properly equipped as provided by these rules, and all boats and other life-saving appliances are to be kept ready for use to the satisfaction of the Minister having charge of the Marine Department. Internal-buoyancy apparatus may be constructed of wood, or of copper or yellow metal of not less than 18oz. to the superficial foot, or of other durable material.

Section A.-A boat of this section shall be a lifeboat of whale-boat form, properly constructed of wood or metal, having for every 10 cubic feet of her capacity, computed as in rule 2, at least 1 cubic foot of strong and serviceable enclosed air-tight compartments, so constructed that water cannot find its way into them.

Section B.-A boat of this section shall be a lifeboat of whale-boat form, properly constructed of wood or metal, having inside and outside buoyancy apparatus together equal in efficiency to the buoyancy apparatus provided for a boat of Section A. At least one-half of the buoyancy apparatus must be attached to the outside of the boat.

Section C.-A boat of this section shall be a lifeboat properly constructed of wood or metal, having some buoyancy apparatus attached to the inside and [or] outside of the boat equal in efficiency to one-half of the buoyancy apparatus provided for a boat of Section A or Section B. At least one-half of the buoyancy apparatus must be attached to the outside of the boat.

Section D.-A boat of this section shall be a properly-constructed boat of wood or metal.

Section E.-A boat of this section shall be a boat of approved construction, form, and material, and may be collapsible.

2. CUBIC CAPACITY.-The cubic capacity of a boat shall be deemed to be her cubic capacity, ascertained (as in measuring ships for tonnage capacity) by Stirling's rule; but, as the application of that rule entails much labour, the following simple plan, which is approximately accurate, may be adopted for general purposes, and when no question requiring absolute correct adjustment is raised:-

Measure the length and breadth outside and the depth inside. Multiply them together and by 6; the product is the capacity of the boat in cubic feet. Thus, a boat 28ft. long, 8ft. 6in. broad, and 3ft. 6in. deep, will be regarded as having a capacity of 28 x 8.5 x 3.5 x 6=499.8, or 500 cubic feet. If the oars are pulled in rowlocks, the bottom of the rowlock is to be considered the gunwale of the boat for ascertaining her depth.

3. NUMBER OF PERSONS FOR BOATS.-The number of persons a boat of Section A shall be deemed fit to carry shall be the number of cubic feet ascertained as in rule 2 divided by ten.

The number of persons a boat of Section B, C, D, or E shall be deemed fit to carry shall be the number of cubic feet ascertained as in rule 2 divided by 8. The space in the boat shall be sufficient for the seating of the persons carried in it, and for the proper use of the oars.

4. APPLIANCES FOR LOWERING BOATS.-Appliances for getting a boat into the water must fulfil the following conditions: Means are to be provided for speedily, but not necessarily simultaneously or automatically, detaching the boats from the lower blocks of the davit-tackles; the boats placed under davits are to be attached to the davit-tackles and kept ready for service; the davits are to be strong enough and so spaced that the boats can be swung out with facility; the points of attachment of the boats to the davits are to be sufficiently away from the ends of the boats to insure their being easily swung clear of the davits; the boats' chocks are to be such as can be expeditiously removed; the davits, falls, blocks, eye-bolts, rings, and the whole of the tackling are to be of sufficient strength; the boat's falls are to be long enough to lower the boat into the water with safety when the vessel is light. The life-lines shall be fitted to the davits and be long enough to reach the water when the vessel is light; and hooks are not to be attached to the lower tackle-blocks.

5. EQUIPMENTS FOR COLLAPSIBLE OR OTHER BOATS AND FOR LIFE-RAFTS.-In order to be properly equipped each boat shall be provided as follows:-

(a.) With the full single-banked complement of oars, and two spare oars;

(b.) With two plugs for each plug-hole, attached with lanyards or chains, and one set and a half of thole pins or crutches attached to the boat by sound lanyards;