JUNE 20.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2327

Notice to Mariners.—No. 36 of 1918.

Marine Department,
Wellington, N.Z., 18th June, 1918.

THE following Notices to Mariners, which have been received from the Hydrographic Office, London, are published for general information.

GEORGE ALLPORT,
Secretary.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO MERCHANT VESSELS.
Former notice hereby cancelled

(1.) INFORMATION RESPECTING WAR INSTRUCTIONS FOR MERCHANT VESSELS.

Notice is hereby given that, under the Defence of the Realm (Consolidation) Regulations, 1914, the following Order has been made by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and is now in force :—

The Orders contained in Admiralty War Instructions for British Merchant Ships, or in any instructions or advice, confidential or otherwise, issued or given to masters of vessels by British or Allied Naval Officers, or by other duly authorized officers or officials, as to routes to be taken and other precautions to be observed to avoid capture or destruction by the enemy, are to be observed even when they are in conflict with the provisions of the Regulations for preventing Collisions at Sea, and every vessel observing such regulations, instructions, or advice shall be deemed to be taking measures to meet “special circumstances” within the meaning of Article 27 of the Regulations for preventing Collisions at Sea.

(2.) CAUTION AS TO OBEYING ORDERS RECEIVED FROM H.M. SHIPS, ETC.

The attention of all masters or other persons in command or charge of vessels is directed to the duty of obeying promptly and strictly all orders, whether by way of signal or otherwise, given by any officer in command of any of His Majesty’s ships or by any Naval or Military Officer engaged in the defence of the coast. Cases have been reported to the Admiralty in which British merchant vessels have wilfully disregarded the orders given by patrol boats, &c., and it is therefore considered necessary to remind all persons concerned of the penalties provided for such acts of disobedience.

Where vessels neglect to obey orders so given, the person in charge is liable to prosecution under the Defence of the Realm (Consolidation) Regulations, 1914, and upon conviction to be fined £100 or imprisoned for six months, or, where the disobedience was of an aggravated kind, to suffer both penalties.

It should also be noted that failure to obey orders may necessitate the seizure and detention of the vessel when found in any port of the United Kingdom subsequently to the time at which the act of disobedience was committed.

(3.) USE OF MINE-PROTECTION GEAR BY VESSELS.

Notice is given that, under the Defence of the Realm Regulations, the following regulation has been made by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty with a view to protecting vessels navigating within certain areas from the risk of damage by mine, and is now in force :—

British vessels equipped with the “Otter” protection gear are to stream their Otters whenever they are within 10 miles of a navigational fix in European or Mediterranean waters, also when approaching Allied Ports abroad and in the North Sea, when to the southward of the parallel of 59° N., provided in each case that the depth of water exceeds 5 fathoms ; except :—

(a.) Vessels in Ocean Convoy, who will receive their instructions from the Senior Officer of the Convoy or Escort.

(b.) When exemption for certain voyages or part of voyages is granted by a Senior Naval Officer.

(c.) Vessels hugging the buoys of the war channel by day, unless specially ordered to use Otters by local patrols.

Note.—Vessels which leave the buoyed war channel by night or in thick weather should immediately stream their Otters.

Senior Naval Officers at ports from which ships are sailing will modify or augment these orders as necessary, to suit local conditions or suspected mine-laying outside this 10-mile limit.

To secure the efficient working of the Otter gear it must be properly adjusted, actually running, and adequately manned.

Entry is to be made in the ship’s log regarding the streaming and taking inboard of Otters.

The master or other person in command or charge of any British vessel who neglects to see that the apparatus is so adjusted, running, manned, and worked shall be guilty of an offence against the Defence of the Realm Regulations, subject, however, to the exceptions set out in the foregoing subparagraphs (a), (b), and (c).

(4.) PROCEDURE FOR VISIT AND SEARCH OF VESSELS BY H.M. SHIPS.

In view of the danger of H.M. ships closing vessels, apparently Neutral, British, or Allied traders, but which are in reality German raiding cruisers, it is necessary to adopt a special boarding procedure as a measure of precaution.

When it is desired to put into force the special boarding procedure it will be as follows :—

A red pendant of a specially large size will be hoisted by the man-of-war exercising the right of visit and search. The hoisting of this pendant will be accompanied by the firing of a rocket. This will signify that the merchant ship is to close the boat lowered by the man-of-war, whether the man-of-war remains in the vicinity of the boat or not.

(5.) REGULATIONS WITH REGARD TO VESSELS’ LIGHTS.

Notice is hereby given that, under the Defence of the Realm (Consolidation) Regulations, 1914, the following Orders have been made by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and are now in force :—

In areas in which submarines or raiders may be met vessels are to be carefully darkened from sunset to sunrise, and are to proceed without navigation lights. These lights must be so arranged that they can be instantly shown to avoid collision, and extinguished as soon as the danger of collision is past. Navigation lights when specially ordered to be shown must be dimmed to a visibility of less than two miles (Admiralty War Instructions for British Merchant Vessels).

1. Masthead Lights.—No masthead light of a brilliancy exceeding 2½ candle-power is to be exhibited. Lights are to be shaded with plain opal glass, and the reflectors are to be removed from the lanterns. Masthead lights are never to be used unless the master considers it absolutely necessary. The use of masthead lights is to be discontinued until provision has been made for their being dimmed in accordance with this order.

2. Side Lights.—No side light of a brilliancy exceeding 8 candle-power shall be exhibited.

In clear weather, and when specially ordered, 5 candle power lamps are to be exhibited.

Plain coloured glass is to be fitted to the lanterns, but where already placed dioptric lenses may be continued in use until the plain glasses can be fitted.

Oil side lamps are only to be exhibited if electric lights are not available.

Reflectors are to be removed from the lanterns.

3. Stern Lights.—No stern light is to be exhibited except to avoid danger of collision, and such light is to be extinguished as soon as the danger is past.

Such light shall be electric of 2½ candle-power shaded with a plain opal glass, and is to be controlled from the bridge.

In ships fitted with dimmers bulbs of a higher candle-power may be used, but lights are not to be shown of a brilliancy exceeding that quoted in this Order, except in special circumstances, such as imminent danger of collision, thick weather, or while navigating in and entering or leaving harbours, &c. ; such ships are to be supplied with bulbs of the prescribed candle-power, which are to be inserted and used in the lamps should the dimmers fail from any cause.

In vessels where electric light is not installed, an oil lamp or electric torch of equivalent brilliancy may be substituted.

Vessels in convoy which on occasion necessarily have to exhibit a stern light are to have such lights screened so as to show not more than three points from right astern on each quarter.

This Order applies—subject to any directions that may be given in any particular circumstances by the Commanding Officer of the Convoy or Senior Naval Officer present—to all British merchant vessels, and if

(a.) The owner of any British merchant vessel, or where such owner is a company, the managing director or other responsible person, fails to provide such vessel with the lights hereby prescribed and/or the means of shading the same ; or if

(b.) The master or other person in command or charge of such vessel so provided fails to comply with any of the directions in this Order stated or referred to,—

then such owner, managing director, or other responsible person, and such master or other person in command or charge, shall respectively be guilty of an offence against the Defence of the Realm Regulations,